8 Limbs of Yoga

最近多了學生在課堂前後問我關於瑜伽的問題，好像大家也有興趣了解更多。

大多數人以為伸展身體便是瑜伽，瑜伽便是體式練習。其實體式練習 (asana) 只是瑜伽的一小部分。

瑜伽是關於我們生命的本質。

根據Patanjali 的瑜伽經，瑜伽包含了八肢瑜伽，也可以說是修習瑜伽的八個層面：

1. Yamas (持戒)

2. Niyamas (內修)

3. Asana (體位法)

4. Pranayama (呼吸調息法)

5. Pratyahara (感官收攝)

6. Dharana（集中 / 專注）

7. Dhyana (禪定 / 冥想 / 靜坐)

8. Samadhi（三摩地 / 覺醒 ）

若我們認真地根據八肢瑜伽去練習，我們便能離苦得樂，每一刻也在喜樂中。

這就是為什麼瑜伽是這麼重要的一個練習。

大家在課堂上接觸得比較多的是體位法及呼吸調息法。

而課堂開始的身體掃描，讓我們靜下來，放下頭腦，放下一切，專注於呼吸，身體及瑜伽練習，便涉及了感官收攝及集中/專注。

在某些課堂，我們也有靜坐練習，讓大家練習觀照着一切，純粹觀照，就像一個第三者那樣觀照着呼吸，身體的感覺，思緒，情緒，練習觀照而不被任何思緒，感覺帶走。漸漸頭腦便不再像猴子那樣跑得那麼瘋狂，我們開始能駕馭它。

隨着恆常，誠懇的練習，有一天我們達到了三摩地的境界，成為頭腦的主人，了悟到我們的本質是什麼，發現我們並不是那些思緒，情緒，我們亦不是這個身體，我們感受到我們就是存在的意識，感受到我們無處不在，合一。

這就是瑜伽，合一。

Recently more and more students have been showing interest wanting to know more about yoga.

I think in general most people thought stretching is yoga, yoga is asana. In fact, asana is just a small part in yoga.

Yoga is about us, about who we are, about liife.

There are eight limbs in yoga practice according to Patanjali:

1. Yama (restraints)

2. Niyama (observances)

3. Asana (steady posture)

4. Pranayama (expansion of life force/vital energy)

5. Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses from objects)

6. Dharana (concentration)

7. Dhyana (meditation)

8. Samadhi (enlightenment)

If we practise with devotion and sincerity, we can end all our sufferings. That's why yoga is so important for everyone.

If you have a closer look, our sufferings is caused by the mind, the mind clutter is creating all the misery and sufferings. The mind created fear, comparison, competition, anger..., a lot of dramas stopping us to live life as is, to taste the purity and simplicity of life, the sweetness and beauty of life.

With devotion, if we practise the 8 limbs of yoga, gradually we can become master of the mind, then all sufferings end.

We realize we are not the thoughts, we are not the emotions, we are not the body. We realize we are pure consciousness, we are bliss.

This is yoga.