संस्कार -  Vedic Rituals

 

Ashtang Yog has eight (8) Limbs, explained as below

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Yam (Restraints or Don'ts)

• Satya (Truth)

• Aparigrah (non-collecting)

• Astey (Non stealing)

• Ahimsaa (Non Violence)

• Brahmchary (Celibacy or chastity)

Niyam (Rules or Dos)

• Tap (persistence with focus or Perseverance)

• Shauch (Cleansing of Mind & Body)

• Santosh (Self-Optism or Contentment)

• Swa-adhyaay (Self-study of Vedic scriptures)

• Ishwar Pranidhaan (Realization of Brahman)

Aasan (Stability in a particular bodily position)

• Aasan is a bodily position or posture of a human body. Aasan is done in order to acquire relaxed and comfortable seating position for next step of Ashtang Yog, Pranayam.

Pranayam (Breathing or regulation of life-force)

• Pranayam means Pran (breathing life-force that is Oxygen) + Ayam (the regulation, the way we all should ideally breathe)

Pratyahar (Rest to all senses)

• Pratyahar = Prati (To or towards) + Aahaar (Here Aahaar means focusing internally), that says to take away the attention of all senses from the external world. 

Dhyaan (Meditation)

• Dhyaan is nothing but the absolute meditation based on one's Dhaarnaa (The Source).

Dhaarnaa (Concentrate)

• Dhaarnaa simply means to focus or concentrate on to the Source that dwells within.

Samaadhi (Unification with the Source)

• Samaadhi is a state or stance where one (Aatman) is merged and/or in sync with the Par Brahm, the ultimate source.