What really blew me away during the first few days of my Yoga Teacher Training was the breadth and depth of yoga philosophy, and mostly, how it completely and utterly resonated with me. It was one of those moments where I thought to myself “I’m at the right place at the right time”. It’s true what they say, the teacher arrives when the student is ready.

“Yoga is a centuries-old spiritual tradition, science, and art that proceeds from the knowledge that all life is interconnected. When we perceive ourselves to be cut off, alone, or separate from life, we suffer. Yoga tells us that we can disentangle ourselves from this morass of suffering and also prevent suffering for others by recognising that there is no ‘one’ and no ‘thing’ that is separate from us. We achieve this unitive state not through blind faith or mechanical observance of rituals but through a no-nonsense practice of the eight limbs of yoga.” Donna Farhi, Author of ‘Teaching Yoga’

Ain’t that the truth? The eight limbs consist of moral codes for living ethically. More specifically, they outline codes for our interactions with others (yamas), our inner values or how we behave on our own (niyamas), steady comfortable postures (sthiram sukham asanam), breathing technique to increase life force energy (pranayama), turning the senses inward (pratihara), concentration of the mind (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and finally, union with the Universe (samadhi). Point to note, the eight limbs are interdependent and would be out of context individually. Of course, all credits go to the sage Patanjali who lived in India in the early centuries who synthesised and compiled the theory and practice of yoga from much older traditions into a collection of Sanskrit sutras.

As a yoga instructor, most, if not all of my time is spent designing and teaching sequences of asanas. However, asanas are only the third step within the eight limbs of yoga that culminates in union with the Universe. So, before asanas, we must study the yamas and niyamas!

This is why I am so excited to be discussing the eight limbs as well as chakras (energy vortexes in the body), bandhas (energetic locks), nadis (energy pathways), mudras (gestures) and mantras (sounds with powerful vibrational resonance) at my forthcoming deep dive workshop on 30 October. If you’ve been to my classes and wondered why we turn to the left after savasana (final relaxing pose) following yin classes, and to the right after vinyasa classes, all will be clear at that workshop.

I am pleased to see people are booking themselves in. Handouts are almost ready! (See featured image.) Places are still available – for more information, visit the workshop page. If you have any questions or comments, you can pop them below or contact me direct.

Finally, you may be interested in my earlier blogs on pranayama and bandhas.

Namaste

Sossi