You may already be familiar with the word “asana,” as it is the term used to describe the postures taken during a yoga practice. In fact, asana has two meanings: it is both the place where a yoga practitioner sits, and the manner in which he or she sits. This duality is reflected in the word’s two literal translations: “seat” and “posture.”

Asana has a complex history in the Yogic tradition. The Vedas, India’s oldest scriptures, do not contain the word “asana,” though they do include the verbal root “as.” In Sanskrit, “as” is translated into “to sit” or “to be.” “Asana” appears in its fuller form later, in the middle Upanishads, where it refers only to the postures assumed during meditation. Then, the meaning of asana transformed again, with the emergence of Tantra and its focus on using posture to intensify prana, the vital life force. Finally, with the development of Hatha Yoga in 1000 CE, asana took on its most widely-known meaning.

Of the 196 Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, only 3 speak directly to asana. The most well-known is Sutra 2.46: sthira sukham asanam: asana should be a balance between steady, stable, alert effort (sthira) and comfortable, easy, relaxed effort (sukham). Sutras 2.47 and 2.48 go on to describe that asana can only be mastered once the Yogi learns to let go of the natural tendency for restlessness and begins to meditate on the infinite. Once this mastery is achieved, it is believed that one is no longer disturbed by the dualities of life.

Asana are the building blocks of more profound discoveries—and are very often the aspect of yoga that most are introduced to first. In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the most authoritative text on Hatha Yoga, Swami Svatmarama explains that asana are described first because they are the first step of Hatha. With the steadiness and focus that asana provides, the yoga practitioner can then progress to higher goals. “Yama & Niyama…cannot be practiced,” says TKV Desikachar. “What we can practice are asanas and pranayama, which make us aware of where we are, where we stand, and how we look at things.” It is through the practice of asana, BKS Iyengar adds, that the body is made into a “fit vehicle for the spirit.”

Try focusing on practicing each asana with greater awareness. Become more steady and more comfortable in the postures, and be mindful to experience each one fully. It is when we explore our edges and challenge our boundaries that the real magic happens.

In essence, samadhi is the realization—not simply the thought or idea, but the true understanding—that we are all one. That you are reading about it right now does not mean you understand it, for samadhi cannot be explained in words. It can only be experienced.

Thus, the eight limbs of yoga provide the road map for realizing samadhi. But just as holding a road map does not assure you will reach your destination, so reading about the eight limbs of yoga does not assure you will reach samadhi. Integrate the ethical practices of the yamas and niyamas into your life. Attend to the physical practices of asana and pranayama to find comfort in your body and mind. These practices set the stage for the final four limbs of yoga to occur, leading to samadhi. Samadhi cannot be practiced, per se. Samadhi simply happens. Samadhi occurs when the proper conditions have been set allowing the mind to be free from disturbances so that it can know true reality.

According to Desikachar, “In samadhi our personal identity—name, profession, family history, bank account, and so forth—completely disappears.” Whether you are interested in achieving samadhi or not, certainly the core goal of connecting to something greater—whether a higher power, a greater purpose, God, or to the energy that flows within and without us—is worth seeking. Whether you actually achieve it or not does not matter. Remember that it is the journey, not the destination, which we seek. So begin, simply, with your next breath. Inhale. Exhale.

The continued practice of dharana will eventually become dhyana. Dhyana is the second limb of Samyama, the simultaneous practice of the three last limbs of yoga. For meditation, Iyengar recommends placing concentration specifically on the breath because, “nothing penetrates deeper than breath or is more pervasive.” The breath is a common point of focus during meditation, as it is easily accessible—certainly, we can always come back to the breath.

To put dhyana into perspective, think about when you sit for meditation. Let’s say you begin to focus on the breath. Perhaps you choose to notice how the belly moves in and out with each breath. This moment of concentration is dharana. Then you think about how your foot feels—this is a distraction. Then back to the breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Then you think about how you need to stop at the grocery store on the way home. You think about what you need to buy there. Then you notice your mind is distracted and guide it back to the breath. This is the mind. The mind is always on the go, chasing thoughts. Dharana seeks to rein the attention back to the moment—to one single point.

When the moments of dharana become longer, say, a few minutes or more of maintaining your attention on the breath without distractions, the transition to dhyana has taken place. When the mind no longer chases each distracted thought, but rather remains concentrated on the object of choice, without interruption, dhyana is experienced. Dhyana opens up space, so to speak, for the calm that sets the stage for a deeper connection to be made in the next limb, Samadhi.

Next time you sit for meditation, notice the stream of concentration. Do the moments of concentration alternate with many thoughts? Do you notice longer stretches of time when you are able to maintain your attention on your breath (or the object of your focus)? Observe the patterns without judgment. Remember, this is practice. It will always be just practice.

Dharana is the first limb of Samyama, the simultaneous practice of the three last limbs of yoga. With dharana the focus moves inward. According to Desikachar, “This is what happens in dharana: we create the conditions for the mind to focus its attention in one direction instead of going out in many different directions. We encourage one particular activity of the mind and, the more intense it becomes, the more the other activities of the mind fall away.” He goes on to say that this one point can be anything at all, but it is always just a single object.

The object of concentration could be a certain chakra (energy center), mantra (sound), mental image, or anything you choose. For example, when you sit quietly and maintain your focus only on the breath for an extended period of time, you are practicing dharana. At first, the mind will wander to all sorts of thoughts, but over time, with practice, the distractions fade and the mind becomes more focused.

The practice of dharana can be particularly helpful if you find yourself getting caught up in emotions. During such times, the mind fills with distracted thoughts, many not even based on reality. (Think of the last assumption you made when you were upset. Often, these assumptions are not even real, and thus, not based on reality.) Taking some time to detach from negative thought patterns by first practicing pranayama (to center), then pratyahara (to remove sensory distractions), and finally dharana, can be a great practice for times when your thoughts seem to overtake you.

Pranayama, as the fourth limb of yoga, comes after asana, the third limb, for good reason. Asana practice, the physical postures of yoga we are all familiar with, prepares the body to sit for pranayama. It is most common for pranayama to be practiced while seated with an erect spine, the correct body alignment for proper flow of prana within the body. For most people, sitting for even short periods of time can be uncomfortable. With regular asana practice, however, this discomfort is alleviated.

Though breath control is used as a practice of pranayama, prana itself cannot be controlled. Rather, breath control helps to remove blockages so that prana can flow freely throughout the body. “Prana is distributed throughout the body along nadis, or channels, that are similar to (but are not the same as) the pathways of nerves that run throughout the body. When prana is blocked, energy cannot flow and disease and imbalance set in. When prana is flowing through every cell of the body, we are vital, radiant, strong, healthy, and clear in thought, speech, and action,” states Alan Finger.

Pranayama usually begins with a few minutes of simply observing the breath. This practice alone—noticing the breath and how the body moves in response to the breath—will automatically bring a sense of ease to the breath, and more importantly, to the mind. Once the breath is flowing with ease, any one of a number of pranayama practices can be used. The ujjayi breath, or victorious breath, is a wonderful breath practice to begin with, because it can be easily incorporated into an asana practice. The ujjayi breath involves a slight constriction of the throat, which serves to modulate the flow of breath into and out of the lungs. Essentially, it helps to lengthen, or extend, the breath.

Constriction of the larynx during ujjayi breathing also adds sound to the breath. With each inhalation and exhalation, the ujjayi breath has the sound of a sigh, or waves breaking on the beach. The addition of sound in this pranayama practice is particularly helpful in keeping the mind in the moment, giving the mind a place to focus. To practice ujjayi:

1. Sit in a comfortable posture such as sukhasana (easy pose) or virasana (hero pose). Ujjayi can even be practiced while reclined, or seated in a chair, being careful to maintain an erect spine.
2. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth creating the sound “haaa,” as if you were whispering.
3. Feel the swirl in the back of the throat. Practice this a few breaths.
4. Halfway through your next exhalation, close your mouth, continuing the same sound as the air goes out through your nose instead of your mouth. Practice it a few times. Each time, close your mouth a little sooner until the mouth is no longer open as you are exhaling.
5. Once you are comfortable on the exhalation, try to create the same soft sound on the inhalation. David Swenson recommends gently smiling as you feel the air swirl in the back of the throat.

Just as asana prepares the body for pranayama, pranayama assists the mind in the practice of pratyahara, or withdrawal of the senses, the fifth limb of yoga. Through the eight limbs of yoga, we see how one limb unfolds to reveal the next, and truly, the practice of yoga reveals itself.

Raja Yoga is the royal branch of yoga. It is rooted in meditation, but encompasses all forms of yoga. Also known as Ashtanga Yoga, or the eight limbs of yoga, Raja yoga is a comprehensive practice with an aim of transcending the thoughts of the mind. Raja Yoga is the practice resulting in the “cessation of the fluctuations of the mind,” as laid out in Yoga Sutra I.2. To achieve this state, the eight limbs of yoga are undertaken, as follows.

1. Yamas: Five moral restraints that involve our interactions with others: non-violence, truthfulness, moderation, non-stealing, non-covetousness.
2. Niyamas: Five ethical observances that involve our personal practices: purity, contentment, austerity, study of sacred texts, and awareness of our divine nature.
3. Asanas: Physical postures.
4. Pranayama: Breath control.
5. Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the senses in order to still the mind.
6. Dharana: Concentration.
7. Dhyana: Meditation.
8. Samadhi: The highest state of consciousness.

Raja yoga is the royal path—the king of yoga. You can practice Raja Yoga to quiet your own mental chatter and calm the mind, ease the body, and inspire the spirit. On your yoga mat, you practice asana and pranayama quite obviously. But you also practice pratyahara when you fix your gaze on one point during practice. In this way, you rely less on looking around or at yourself as you do actually feeling what is happening during the practice.  On and off the mat, you likely already engage in various yamas and niyamas.

The first five limbs require action on the part of the practitioner. The last three limbs simply arise as a result of the work put into the first five limbs. Like the branches of a tree, the eight limbs of yoga develop at the same time, but often at a different pace. Take a note of what limbs you currently practice and how your awareness has changed as a result. This is Raja Yoga.

Yamas

Ahmisa: To cultivate ahimsa, or non-harming, notice when you think or speak of someone in a negative way. If you find yourself doing this, remember that you are mostly hurting yourself with these thoughts and words. Take three rounds of breath to help the negativity dissolve on its own. Over time, this will be your pattern, and the thoughts and words themselves will fade.

Satya: To promote satya, or truthfulness, in your life, be honest with others and yourself as you go about your day. It is important to integrate satya with ahimsa, however, so as to not tell a truth that deliberately harms another. In this case, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

Asteya: To establish asteya, or non-stealing, don’t take what is not rightfully yours. Did you burrow a friend’s sweater and conveniently forgot to return it? Did you use someone’s ideas, presenting them as your own? These are forms of stealing. Notice where you may need to let go.

Bramacharya: To bring about bramacharya, or the upholding of the highest energy, remember to aspire towards your greatest good. Bramacharya is also translated as the practice of celibacy, but since we Westerners tend to be householders, Bramacharya refers to responsible use of sexual energy. Again, aspiring towards your greatest good applies here.

Aparigraha: To cultivate aparigraha, or non-possessiveness, we must find contentment (see santosha below) with what we have and with what is. Next time you find yourself longing for the social or financial status of an acquaintance, remember that comparing yourself to another only causes suffering.

Niyamas

Saucha: To attain saucha, or cleanliness and purification of body and mind, practice yoga and eat well. Seems simple, but it’s true.

Santosha: To find contentment, remember that you are simply the witness of your experiences. When you are able to take a step back and notice all that you are involved in without getting wrapped up in the dramas of day to day life, contentment will settle in.

Tapas: To train the senses, the practice of tapas, we must draw inward. One of the best ways to do this is through meditation practice (see ishvarapranidhara below), which helps brings awareness of how we are influenced by our senses. We begin to notice that we are drawn to certain sensations, sometimes in an unhealthy way. Noticing these cravings, as opposed to giving in to them, will help us to let them go.

Svadhyaya: To practice svadhyaya, we must seek to study the self and study of sacred texts. Perhaps you’d like to begin your study with the Yoga Sutras to deepen your knowledge of yogic philosophy. There are many great translations available.

Ishvaraprandihana: Here, we meditate. This year, if you haven’t already, why not start? Begin with five minutes daily. Find a comfortable seat, set a time, and bring your attention to the breath. Over time your practice will lengthen and deepen. Start small so that you establish the habit firmly. And see what happens from there.

The gland associated with Sahasrara is the pineal gland, responsible for the production of certain hormones including melatonin, which regulates circadian rhythms in charge of the wake-sleep cycle. When Sahasrara chakra is in balance, all of the chakras are in balance. Sahasrara is the chakra of enlightenment, or Samadhi.

When Sahasrara is imbalanced we are unable to see through the mind chatter that clouds our perception. We may be consumed with worldy activities and the accumulation of “stuff.” We may experience spiritual skepticism or feel that we are intellectually or spiritually better than others. Sahasrara offers us the ability to connect with our true selves—with that divine light that exists within each of us—and in that way, realize that we are all, truly, one.

The mantra OM may be chanted to bring about the consciousness of Sahasrara. An asana, or posture, that serves to balance Sahasrara is Sirsasana, or Headstand. Headstand challenges us to turn our perception on its head so that we can see the world from a different angle.

Regular meditation practice, the goal of which is enlightenment, will also help to reach Sahasrara. In fact, meditation is the practice best suited for balancing Sahasrara chakra. If you do not yet have a regular meditation practice, consider beginning with a simple five to ten minute session each day. Before bed or after awakening are ideal times to fit in a meditation practice. Find a quiet place, a comfortable cushion, and a timer. Make yourself comfortable, set your timer, close your eyes, and follow your breath. Then do it again the next day, and the next day, etc. Once you establish this routine, it will simply be a part of what you do.