8 Pillars of Yoga: Beginner to Expert

The Basic Principles Of Yoga

It is very important for those who want to begin their journey to attain good health all the way through yoga. Yoga generally meant and it is developed for everyone like- a healthy person, sick or weak people, children’s, and older people. There are several ways in today’s world basically people be acquainted with how to perform or do a yoga posture. But, here is the catch they usually don’t know the basic principles of yoga which is very important for them. And we think everyone should have to know about it properly. So, here today we are discussing the “8 pillars of yoga” for beginners or who want to receive proper benefits from yoga.

Generally, in western countries, “yoga” means for them to do more focus on the physical posture of yoga rather than mind & soul involvements. But, once we know the importance of doing yoga with mindfulness. Then, we will see some tremendous changes come across at the level of all means into our life.

Take a Quick look upon “History of Yoga”

The most of the present yoga postures we are practicing and see now these days are given to us by Patanjali an ancient yoga guru, practitioners, or sage of India. There are 196 types of yoga related sutras that are very well documented in authentic yoga books. And we blessed that we can able to practice this knowledge now in this modern era as well. Also, the significant thing about yoga it has been practicing more than about 500 BC throughout Asian countries. But, according to Hindu mythology yoga is first introduced by the Great “Lord Shiva” and after it is being delivered to their most trustful disciples of them their names were saptarishi.  What is yoga?

8 Pillars or Limbs of Yoga

1. Yama (restraint)

Yama basically means. How we interact with others and follow the fundamental moral values in our life? There is some type of moral values every person should have to follow in the duration of their practicing of yoga and it assists throughout their life for many purposes. It generally helps to become a better person and societies turn out to be free of violence and negativity. And it is also helpful to accomplish your whole yoga journey in an easy approach.

• Asteya (Non-stealing/honesty)

  It is also one of the most required things we need in our society for maintaining a high level of human morality. Be honest and such non-stealing habits give you more inner peace and a higher level of intelligence to attaining any goals of your life.

• Ahimsa (Non-violence)

  try to keep an oath with your own self to following the ahimsa (non-violence). What is the true meaning of ahimsa? Not to do any kind of non-violence act with any aspect in terms of speech, action, and thoughts.

• Satya (Truthfulness)

  Try to practicing truthfulness with peoples near you or within society. It will help in building up more trust with others.

• Aparigraha (Not go far in searching of extra things in your life beyond what is needed for survival)

  Let’s try to understand with an example. If you have sufficient amount of clothes for your dress up or as per your requirement and after all of that you are keep trying to attain more and more clothes for yourself. Wouldn’t it be right this will be better if you offer someone who required more than you or to a needy person?

• Brahmacharya (Celibacy)

  It has two meanings. But many of among us mostly find or relevant about this term called “brahmacharya” is celibacy for them. But this is not the full meaning of this particular word. It is really a true fact practicing celibacy up to the age of 17 to 18 years is good for your entire mind and physical well being. After a person getting married, he or she should have to become totally loyal with their partners. And it also comes under brahmacharya.

2. Niyama (Self-discipline)

the second most important pillar (Niyama) for you while you are performing yoga postures. Once you are well discipline by means of mind, body, and soul. It is very easy to achieve your goals and help in practicing yoga without any obstacle. There are 5 types of niyama (Discipline) that come under this segment.

• Santosha (Satisfaction/contentment)

  once people having all kind of necessitate things to them and also he is satisfied with it whatever he got in his life that is called an actual santosha. So, all we need to bring satisfaction to our life with constant necessary efforts. Not go for a higher unnecessary hanker after such things; possibly in later, it may bring dissatisfaction to our life.

• Shaucha (Cleanliness/purity)

  It simply means bring purity in our system at the level of mind, body, and soul. And whatever works we all do with this intensity. It will be able to deliver individuals a higher level of “concentration” toward all of your efforts. While practicing yoga it is very important to keep cleanliness and purity in terms of mind & body level to get the right benefits.

• Tapas (Self-discipline & control)

  It is one of the very important factors while we practicing yoga in our day to day life. It is just like doing a constant practice or obeying some things in the long run once it is not completely get done. That is only come-up with self-discipline and self-control.

• Svadhyaya (Self-learning/know about oneself)

  in today’s world mostly our education system focuses all over knowing and increasing the intellect toward the outer subject. But, do you know? In this hustle and bustle, we always misunderstand ourselves or our inner strength. This is very important for a person. Unlimited knowledge we are seeking and trying to store or keep it into our mind that is doing for whom. Isn’t it, this is all for us. So, why we forget on the way to svadhyaya or self-learning which is very important to enhance our utmost potential.

• Ishvara pranidhana (Complete surrender to the almighty god)

  It simply means pure devotion to the lord. Once you start to give your credit, thanks, and achievements to the lord or supreme authority you will become more kind at your work. Simply, what happens when we start to give all credits to ourselves after achieving something we trapped or stuck on such success for a longer period of time and not able to move from it. So, it is very important to understand here whatever we are doing or achieving in our life it is come by the grace of God. It helps a person to live their life free as of egoistic nature.

8 Pillars of Yoga

3. Asana (Various yoga postures)

In today’s era everyone well-known or be familiar with what is yoga and what’s the purpose of it into our life. There are so many yoga postures or asanas for the best health benefits you may get. For any beginners, they might have to face some difficulties in terms of executing some of the yoga postures. But, as we all know keep practicing is the most important key to unlocking any kind of difficulties whatever comes into our path. And it is also very same applied over on performing the right kind of yoga posture with ease.

4. Pranayama (Various breath techniques)

it is one of a very significant part of yoga. If you are a beginner then it will be very necessary to understand all about related to pranayama. In brief, while practicing Pranayama you should have to bring the focus over on your breathing. And you will gradually know how to perform the different ways of Pranayama. Cause of Pranayama your breath will become deeper and properly run in a rhythmic state. But, in today’s world, a lot of people have irregular, rapid, and tense breathing practices. Therefore, you need have to correct it immediately to attaining a peaceful mind and a healthy body. And it provides you better connectivity to your mind, body, and soul. Most of the diseases generally occur in our body due to the improper breathing practices.

Benefits- increases more oxygenated blood to our brain and to the entire body. Practicing pranayama on a regular basis which is scientifically proven that it is able to remove all of your stress, anxiety, depression, and negative thoughts.

5. Pratyahara (Withdraws from outer distraction)

once you start to withdraw all of our five senses from our ears, nose, tongue, skin, and eyes. Next, what will happen to our bodies? Just because humans have such kind of tendencies to deal with them very carelessly and in the end, all the unusual trash deposited in our system without any awareness of us. And it is the main cause of all distractions and unbalances that comes into our mind and body state. So, we have to keep practicing pratyahara in our day to day life. Let’s more find out here from 8 Pillars of Yoga.

6. Dharana (High level of concentration)

This step we are talking about here generally comes before dhyana meditation where individuals try to free themselves from all types of usual and unusual thoughts. It helps to keep individuals more focused on their goals and also brings peace, clarity, and calmness in their whole Persona. So, dharana is also an important factor when we practicing yoga and it is also helpful in our day to day life.

7. Dhyana (Meditation)

Every time we hear lot’s of about meditation but, do we really know what the exact significance of mediation in our life. Practicing meditation or focusing on whatever thing it is just like to bring your mental state in a present moment by the way of empty thoughts. It helps to bring more clarity in our thoughts and you are become more connected with your soul. And here the biggest possibility where the next level of intelligence begins in humans.

8. Samadhi

This state only comes after the Dhyana or meditation stage crossed successfully by any yogi or practitioners. Samadhi is just like completely handover yourself to someone or higher authority. And your spirit will be free from all kinds of materialistic fascination. According to the yoga masters, it is a final and last stage of yogic practice in yoga.   

 

Conclusion

Yoga has a kind of simplest technique that literally helps to improve our overall performance and brings total prosperity regarding our health, mind, & soul. Our advice, for every beginner who wants to start their journey towards practicing yoga, should have to properly understand first the basic principles of yoga or 8 pillars of yoga. In the end here you are very well to know all about 8 Pillars of Yoga.

We wish, all the information related to the basic principles of yoga you gain over here will be really helpful all the way through in your successful yoga journey.