Ashtanga Yoga 1. Forbearance or Yama (a) Ahimsa or not killing or paining others.

(b) Satya-truthfulness (c) Asteya-non stealing (d) Brahmacharya i.e. self-restraint from desires. (e) Aparigraha non-conveting i.e. not desiring for one self, the means of enjoyment physical or mental.

2.

Self Discipline or Niyama (a) Saucha- Purification (i) Physical (ii) Mental (b) Santosha - contentment (c) Tapa - Austerity (d) Swadheya - self-realisation. (e) Ishwarpranidhana - Surrender to God.

3.

Asanas or yoga postures. The special postures devised for the purpose of yoga. They would become steady and pleasant with continuous practice.

4.

Pratyahara or Restraint. Indifference to the sense objects.

5.

Dharana or Concentration. Fixing or focussing the mind.

6.

Dhyana or Contemplation. Dharana leads you to Dhyana.

Continuous state of

7.

Samadhi or Meditation. One becomes merged in self. The last three limbs do not have the exact equivalent

in English. Tentative translation is given. Thus the science of Raja Yoga proposes to put before us a practical and scientific procedure to reach our ultimate destination Freedom. The first set of rule is moral training without which we cannot get to our goal. Then taking care of the body and mind to reach the higher state. This part of the

Raja yoga is similar to hatha yoga in which the physical body needs to be very strong. When we do Yamas and Niyamas are followed for physical strength it is Hatha Yoga. But if we do it for mental purification it is called Raja Yoga. A progressive sadhana of Hatha Yoga leads to the accomplishment of Raja yoga. Hata Yoga is the leader to ascend to the peak of Raja Yoga. Through constant devoted practice the mind opens up and reveals new facts to us. God alone is our goal. The most important requirements to reach God are

concentrated on truth and all sensuous enjoyments to be abandoned. Then that urge to reach God longing to reach out and again control the mind going astray and restrain the mind going outward, restrain the senses, turning the mind inward, accepting everything as it is, and focussing of the mind come out of the superstitions. All these disciplines will help us to realize the ultimate good. To get success in Raja Yoga these Ps are needed.

Purity.

Physical and mental all uncleanness to be

abandoned. Patience. achieved. Perseverance. Practice. Meditation helps us to burn all the impurities. The internal organ or the mind has four aspects Manas - the thinking faculty. Buddhi - the will. Ahankara the ego. Chitta - the substance in and through which all the faculties act. Yoga is the science, which helps us to stop chitta getting into entanglement. The mind is not the body but matter in a finer form. By controlling the senses the mind can be controlled; then we can control the universe, as the world is what the senses bring us. Very important. Practice, Practice, Have patience and work, the aim will be

We can stop the mind from breaking intro waves we would put an end to the bodies. Controlling the mental powers is the first great aim in yoga practices. As we have already seen this yoga is known as the eight fold yoga. Yama is most important and has to govern the whole life. It has five divisions. Non-injury to any one by thought, word or deed. Non-covetousness in thought, word and deed. Perfect chastity in thought, word and deed. Perfect truthfulness in thought, word and deed. Non-receiving of gifts. The second - Niyama - the bodily care, bathing daily, dietary etc. Third - Asana - Postures. Hip shoulders and head must be held straight leaving the spine free. Fourth - Pranayama control of the prana and extension of prana. Fifth - Pratyahara - turning the mind inward and restraining it from going out ward.

Sixth - Dharana One pointedness. Seventh - Dhyana - Meditation Eight - Samadhi - Enlightenment Yama and Niyama are life long processes. In Rajayoga breathing enters the psychic plane and brings us to spiritual. It acts first on the Lungs - Heart - Circulation Brain - Mind. Pranayama has 3 parts. Inhaling - Puraka. Holding - Kumbhaka Exhaling - Rechaka. There are two currents passing through the brain and circulating down the sides of spine crossing at the base and returning to the brain. One of these currents is called the sun-surya (Pingala) starts from the left of the brain crosses at the base of the brain to the right side of the spine and re-crosses at the base of the spine. The other current Moon (Ida) reverses this action and move like figure of eight crossing each other. The Sun and

Moon currents are intimately connected with breathing and by regulating this we get control of the body. A vehicle or the chariot is driven by a charioteer and the reins are used to control like the intelligence as the driver and well controlled mind as reins and the body as the chariot reaches the end of the journey - the highest state Brahman (Kathopanishad). All great yogis control every current. They stop it at the base of the spine and force them through the spinal column and become the current of knowledge only in yogis.