The 8 Limbs of Yoga: It's not about Flexibility or Heat
/There are 8 Limbs of Yoga. You could think of the 8 Limbs of Yoga as a lifelong practice, way to live, and/or your guiding philosophies for how you conduct your time on Earth. (Yoga is definitely a way of being, but not a religion.) Yoga is also not just flexibility or the heated asana practice, which are very popular reasons why people DO or DON’T do yoga.
Taking a walk with your dog can definitely be utilizing one of the 8 limbs of yoga!
Let’s Dive into the 8 Limbs of Yoga and how they can be beneficial for a more healthy, intentional, and life in the present moment for YOU!
I’ll always remember when I first learned about the 8 Limbs of Yoga. My friend Anne was explaining the curriculum of our yoga teacher training program several years ago. I honestly thought yoga was “Asana”, “Breathing”, and “Meditation”. I had been practicing yoga “asana” daily for years but that with some meditation was the beginning and the end of yoga for me. Asana, Breathing, and Meditation happen to be three of the 8 limbs of yoga. But I quickly learned that yes there are five more limbs of yoga.
Anne played us a song by MC Yogi that landed well for me. I still listen to it and it explains the 8 Limbs of Yoga quickly!
The two reasons I here most for why people DO and DON’T do yoga are “flexibility”, or lack thereof, and feeling like they can’t do yoga. The second is the desire to do yoga with heat (meaning the hot physical yoga classes.) Or an inability to deal with the heat for health reasons. None of these talk about all these 8 limbs that MC Yogi just shared!
SO…what are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?
I pulled this list from Ekhart Yoga for their ability to translate MC Yogi’s words so quickly.
sign that is up when arriving at the integratron in landers california. an 8 limb way of thinking to say the least!
What’s the point of the 8 Limbs of Yoga?
Well it’s all up to your interpretation. But when you look at this list you will find breathing, concentration, the practice of love and non-violence, the desire to not yearn for things you don’t need (accumulation of material possessions), and meditation. These are just some of what you find on the list. Flexibility and Heat don’t make the list.
Even the Asana practice is said that the ancient Yogi’s only did the physical asana (the most popular form in the US and most Westernized Countries) to be able to fully utilize the impacts of meditation and rest.
For me it opened up my yoga practice. It turned it into a mini guide that I could utilize and follow. It was a way to incorporate yoga “off the mat" and support the Planet.
The 8 Limbs can be used when working, hiking, spending time with your family, volunteering, traveling, and just sitting by yourself on a rainy day.
Have I gained flexibility from practicing Asana? Yes.
Do I enjoy heated yoga? Yes.
Is that all there is? Hardly, it’s just the start I think.
If you like Flexibility, Heat, and Asana Yoga you might really LOVE the other 7 Limbs of Yoga.
It’s been a powerful practice for me that started with a simple tutorial from Anne and a yogic hip hop story by MC Yogi.
The challenges of life, the chaos, the ups and downs, the tragedies, all of it don’t disappear when you practice all 8 Limbs. But you gain strength, bravery, love, joy, gratitude, and maybe find a bigger reason and purpose for why you do what you do.
That’s why this practice has been around for so many centuries. Not just because of the downward dogs (which can be electrifying!) It’s because the 8 Limbs of Yoga take you beyond the Flexibility and the Heat and give you MUCH MORE than you could have ever imagined.
Thanks for reading! Comment below with any questions on the 8 Limbs of Yoga.
Check out more 8 Limbs Articles on my Resources Page under Yoga/HIIT/Meditation.
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To Your Health,
Mike
