The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Exploring Limbs 4, 5, & 6

Pranayama

Pranayama, or breath control, is the fourth limb of yoga. Derived from the Sanskrit words "prana" (life force) and "yama" (control), Pranayama teaches us how to direct our energy and deepen our connection between mind and body.

Our breath is the bridge between the physical body and inner world. Between the old and the new. Between ourselves and the universe. And between the conscious and the unconscious. (That's a powerful bridge!) The air that we breathe has been in existence for longer than the human mind can comprehend, passing through limitless cycles of oxygen consuming animals and carbon dioxide consuming plants - it is natures dance of perfect harmony. This same air that we are breathing right now will continue its journey through future generations, long after our own journey here is complete. Through different breathwork practices we can connect to the infinity of the universe, the balance and harmony that nature gifts us, and indeed the limitless possibilities around us and within us. And as if through some kind of mystical fortune, breathing just happens to be the thing that we will do more than anything else in our lives.

There are a myriad of Pranayama techniques and practices that can be found throughout different styles and teachings of yoga, each with their own intentions and benefits. Science is catching up to what ancient wisdom already knew - that by tuning into our breath, we can reduce stress, increase energy, and improve our mental clarity. Whether you're practicing Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) or Ujjayi breath (roughly translating to breath with vibration), pranayama helps us deepen our yoga practice both on and off the mat and can be practiced in any moment by bringing the unconscious breath into conscious focus. Start your journey today and notice the subtle yet transformative power of conscious breathing . We will delve deeper into some specific Pranayama practices in future posts.

Pratyahara

Pratyahara, the 5th limb of yoga, invites us to withdraw from the external world and dive deeper into our inner selves. Pratyahara is about tuning out distractions and refocusing our senses inward to cultivate clarity, peace, and inner harmony.

In our busy lives, today more than ever we are constantly bombarded with sensory overload. Pratyahara teaches us to pause, breathe, and reconnect with our inner calm. By turning inward - we can better understand our emotions, thoughts, and intentions - gaining control over how we react to the world around us.

To bring our awareness away from something we may first have to be aware of our awareness of it. Take a moment to first turn into the environment around you, the sounds - can you notice the furthest away sound? Now the closest? Come closer in and notice the air against your skin, your body against the ground. Now slowly let all of that drift away into the background and consciously come inwards, notice how you are feeling right now, be aware of your body and your mind, and come into the place of the observer. If you have attended our yoga classes these practices may sound familiar.

This step on the 8 limbs of yoga is a powerful step towards mastering the mind and moving deeper into meditation (the following limbs). Ready to explore this powerful practice? Join us in our treehouse studio to discover how Pratyahara can help you find stillness and mindfulness in an ever-busy world.

Dharana

Dharana, the sixth limb of yoga, is all about cultivating a single point of focus. In a world full of endless distractions, Dharana invites us to steady the mind and direct our attention to one simple thing; be it the breath, a mantra, or sometimes a specific object.

By practicing Dharana, we train the mind to move beyond scattered thoughts and experience true concentration. This focused attention is the foundation for deeper meditation and inner clarity. It's the practice of being fully present in the moment, no matter where we are, and as with many of the limbs of yoga, can be practiced both on and off the mat.

Through Dharana, we discover that stillness and focus are already within us - we just need to tap into them. Like many aspects of yoga, and indeed life, Dharana may sound relatively easy on paper, and then proves itself to be a little more complicated when we start to practice it. Also like the other aspects of yoga, watch it become easier and bring greater and greater benefits with each day of practice. Distractions will always come in, what we will find is that we start to get longer and deeper moments of focus the more we practice, and shorter moments of distraction before we realise we have become diatracted. And with this we will likely start to deepen our sense of calm and inner peace. A saying we like to come back to here is "everything is hard before it's easy".

Join our classes at the treehouse studio to practice Dharana and strengthen your mental focus both on and off the mat.