8 Fold Path

The following Eight Fold Path is from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, written thousands of years ago. The practice of mystic yoga can be categorized into the following eight parts:

Yama:
Control of these senses, including the mind.

Niyama:
Living a life of cleanliness, contentment, regulation, introspection, and reverence of and surrender to the Supreme Soul.

Asana:
Physical postures and exercises.

Pratyahara:
Control of the breathing process and manipulation of the prana (life force) flowing through the meridians.

Dharana:
Withdrawal of the senses from sense objects; detachment.

Dyana:
The ability to focus one’s mind on a chosen object.

Meditation:
One-pointed focusing of the mind upon the Transcendent.

Samadhi:
Perfect union of the individuals’ soul (atma) and the Supreme Soul (Paramatma or Bhagavan).