The Eight Limbs as Transcendental Path
October 12, 2017
One of the primary reasons I chose the Mt Madonna Center as my first stop on my spiritual sabbatical is the focus on Ashtanga Yoga (closely related to Raja or Classical Yoga). While westerners are most familiar with yoga as the sequence of physical postures practiced in a typical yoga studio, yoga as a path to transcendence is mindblowingly more expansive. Various paths (i.e. raja, bhakti, tantra, jnana, kundalini, etc.) have different philosophies, practices, goals, metaphysical approaches and texts.
I imagine gurus from various paths have historically duked it out over the nature of reality and the most effective mechanisms for achieving enlightenment over time, however, as I understand, the overlaps in the Vedic paths can be seen as complimentary rather than competitive. It's likely that many teachers are fixed with the school of thought that a student must adhere to practices of one specific path, but in my current experience a hodgepodge cut and paste and apply methodology, while maintaining a high level of legitimacy and integrity, resonates with me most.
According to tradition (as shared by my yoga philosophy teacher Lisa Mae from the Bhaktishop), in order for a path to be legit it needs to adhere to the following:
There must be a lineage rooted in sacred texts of the Vedas (i.e Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Sutras)
There must be a focus on consciousness v. matter (i.e. Purusha v. Pakriti or what is enduring v. finite), defending the idea that consciousness exists (i.e. there is a soul)
There must be a proven and systematic practice with known results that the will yield the same results for the current practitioner (sadhaka) that have been realized by predecessors.
There must be a focus on eradicating the ego via direct and experiential knowledge. Theoretical knowledge alone won’t cut it, you have to practice and see for yourself.
“The failure to attain direct experience of the truth, and consequently of freedom, is due to man’s spiritual ignorance, which is all but universal, and which forms the chief cause of suffering. It can be dispelled by direct knowledge of the ultimate truth obtained through purification of the heart, and through a constant striving for detachment of the soul from worldly desires. By transcending the limitations of the body, the mind and the senses, one may enter the superconscious state. The methods of attaining this highest state of consciousness are hearing about, reasoning about, and meditating upon the ultimate reality. One must first hear about it from the Sruti, or Vedas, and from the lips of a guru, an illumined teacher. Then one must reason about it. Finally comes the meditation upon it in order to realize the truth for oneself.”
Ashtanga follows the practice (sadhana) of the 8 Limb Path, outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The Sutras is a collection of verses that outline guidelines for living a meaningful life. The 8 Limbs outlined by Patanjali include:
1) Yamas: The abstentions, restraints, or the “non’s”. These are considered to be the ways in which the yoga practitioner should behave in relation to other beings; they are a reflection of our true nature. One may think about their intention or how to apply these to everyday life.
Ahimsa: Non-violence
Aparigraha: Non-possessiveness
Brahmacharya: Spiritual purity and continence
Asteya: Non-stealing
Satya: Non-lying
2) Niyama: refers to the five observances. These are the personal practices and habits the practitioner decides to continuously reinforce to help them towards harmony.
Saucha: Cleanliness
Santosha: Contentment
Tapas: Austerity, zeal or fire
Svadhyaya: Self-study
Ishvara pranidhana: Surrender to (or worship of) one’s chosen God
3) Asana: These are the physical postures that most associate with yoga. They are defined as ‘seat’ and are practiced to disciplinethe physical body in an aid to meditation as they help to calm the nervous system and prevent disturbances.
4) Pranayama: Refers to breath control. Prana means life force, yama means restraint. Control of breath helps us into the final stage before the more contemplative practices.
5) Pratyahara: withdrawal of senses from their external objects, and according to classical tradition, the beginning stages of meditation.
6) Dharana: concentration, focusing of the mind on one thing. Also called eka gratha, it is the ability to use the mind in a one-pointed way.
7) Dhyana: meditation beyond dharana, contemplation on the nature of the object of meditation, usually the Paramatman.
8) Samadhi: oneness with the object of meditation, transcending the mind/body attachments and becoming devoid of material attributes or karmic implications
These brief descriptions are only surface level. I’ve been spending some time unpacking them (welcome to the rabbit hole) and examining how I can apply them in my everyday life. I’ll add links to each as I dive deeper.