In short
The eight limbs of yoga, described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, are yama (ethical restraints), niyama (personal observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath regulation), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption). Postures are only the third limb; the path moves from how you live, through body and breath, to a still mind.
Most people meet yoga through its third limb, the postures, and are surprised to learn there are seven others. The eight limbs are the most widely used map of what yoga is for: a path from how you treat other people, through the body and breath, to the stillness of meditation.
If you are new to the physical side of that path, start with what Hatha Yoga is. This page covers the whole map.
- Source
- Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
- Listed in
- Sutra 2.29
- Outer limbs
- Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama
- Bridge
- Pratyahara
- Inner limbs
- Dharana, dhyana, samadhi
- Postures are
- The third limb
Where the eight limbs come from
The eight limbs, ashtanga in Sanskrit, are set out in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a collection of short aphorisms usually dated to around two thousand years ago, though scholars debate the exact period. The limbs are listed in sutra 2.29 and described in the verses that follow. Patanjali’s Yoga is one of the six classical schools of Indian philosophy; Vedanta is another.
The eight limbs at a glance
| # | Limb | Meaning | In everyday life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yama | Ethical restraints | How you treat others |
| 2 | Niyama | Personal observances | How you treat yourself |
| 3 | Asana | Posture | A steady, comfortable body |
| 4 | Pranayama | Regulation of the breath | A calm, even breath |
| 5 | Pratyahara | Withdrawal of the senses | Not being pulled by every distraction |
| 6 | Dharana | Concentration | Holding attention on one thing |
| 7 | Dhyana | Meditation | Attention that flows without effort |
| 8 | Samadhi | Absorption | Complete stillness of mind |
The five yamas: how you treat others
| Yama | Meaning | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Ahimsa | Non-harming | Including not forcing your own body into pain |
| Satya | Truthfulness | Honesty that is also kind |
| Asteya | Non-stealing | Including others’ time and credit |
| Brahmacharya | Moderation, wise use of energy | Not overdoing anything |
| Aparigraha | Non-grasping | Holding things, and outcomes, lightly |
The five niyamas: how you treat yourself
| Niyama | Meaning | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| Saucha | Cleanliness | Of body, space and mind |
| Santosha | Contentment | Practising with the body you have today |
| Tapas | Discipline | Turning up to practise when you would rather not |
| Svadhyaya | Self-study | Study of texts, and honest self-observation |
| Ishvara pranidhana | Surrender | Letting go of control over the outcome |
Asana and pranayama: the limbs you meet in class
Patanjali says remarkably little about posture: essentially that it should be steady and comfortable. The detailed postures came later, through Hatha Yoga. Breath regulation follows, preparing the mind to turn inward. Our beginner’s guide to pranayama teaches six practices step by step.
The inner limbs
Pratyahara is the hinge: drawing attention in from the senses. Dharana is holding attention on one point. When that holding becomes effortless, it is dhyana, meditation. Samadhi is complete absorption, where the sense of a separate “meditator” falls away. The last three are often practised together; our guide to meditation in Fort Kochi is a practical starting point.
Steps, or limbs?
The limbs are often drawn as a ladder, and there is a logic to the order: ethics and a steady body make a steady mind possible. But they are called limbs, not rungs, for a reason. They grow together. A patient, non-forcing asana practice is already ahimsa; turning up every morning is already tapas.
The eight limbs in a traditional class
A traditional Hatha class touches most of them. In our classes in Fort Kochi, the opening relaxation begins pratyahara; pranayama and asana are the fourth and third limbs; the deep final relaxation invites concentration and stillness; and the non-competitive attitude we ask for is the yamas and niyamas in action. Our separate meditation class goes further into the inner limbs.
Practise with us in Fort Kochi
Traditional two-hour Hatha Yoga classes, mornings 7:30–9:30 am and afternoons 3:30–5:30 pm. All levels, no booking needed. Message us for the day’s schedule.
The seventh limb in practice: how to meditate every day. The eight limbs are raja yoga, one of four classical paths of yoga.
Common questions
What are the eight limbs of yoga?
Yama (ethical restraints), niyama (personal observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath regulation), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption), as described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
Who wrote the Yoga Sutras?
The Yoga Sutras are attributed to Patanjali and are usually dated to around two thousand years ago, though scholars debate the exact period. The eight limbs are listed in sutra 2.29.
What are the yamas and niyamas?
The yamas are non-harming, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation and non-grasping. The niyamas are cleanliness, contentment, discipline, self-study and surrender.
Which limb of yoga is asana?
Asana, or posture, is the third of the eight limbs. Patanjali describes it simply as a steady, comfortable seat; detailed postures developed later through Hatha Yoga.
Do I have to follow all eight limbs to practise yoga?
No. Most people begin with postures and breathing. The other limbs tend to become relevant naturally as practice deepens, and they are best seen as growing together rather than as a checklist.
What is samadhi?
Samadhi is the eighth limb: complete absorption, in which the mind is fully still and the sense of a separate observer falls away. It is described as the culmination of concentration and meditation.
Known to his students as Achu, Aksharanand trained in the Sivananda tradition and holds an Advanced Teacher Training Certificate. He has taught Hatha Yoga, pranayama, meditation and Vedanta philosophy in Fort Kochi for over fifteen years, across more than 5,000 group classes.