| Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga has eight limbs(parts). In my | | | | four - body, Prana(breath), mind, and bliss(soul). If any |
| earlier article, Yama and Niyama have been described | | | | one of these is brought under control, others will come |
| briefly. Yama and Niyama are external limbs of Yoga; | | | | under control automatically. In Asana, body is kept |
| these are to be practised while leading social life. The | | | | motionless and as a result Prana(breath) and mind are |
| rest six limbs - Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahar, Dharana, | | | | brought under control. When everything is brought |
| Dhyana and Samadhi are internal limbs of Yoga. While | | | | under control and becomes motionless, one feels the |
| practicing these six limbs one concentrates one's mind | | | | bliss of soul or true self. |
| on true self and realises the divine truth. In this article | | | | Pranayama(breath control) |
| Asana and Pranayama have been described. | | | | For common understanding Prana(life) is breath or |
| Asana(posture) | | | | breathing air. But in reality it is more than the air we |
| Asana is a posture of the body by which the body | | | | breathe. It is the life force that moves out and moves |
| rests on a plane surface. For different actions man | | | | in and these movements are expressed through the |
| chooses different postures. For Yoga one should | | | | exhalation and inhalation of air. When this life force |
| choose a comfortable posture by which one may | | | | goes outside it mingles with the universal life force of |
| concentrate mind on true self. For choosing a posture | | | | all living beings and when it moves in, it touches every |
| Patanjali describes - posture should be motionless and | | | | living cell in the body. The body functions because of |
| comfortable(II.46). So in Yogasana one rests one's | | | | this life force. The energy of this life force is unending. |
| body in a comfortable and static posture so that all | | | | Through our numerous births this Prana works from |
| other succeeding limbs are practiced easily and one | | | | birth till death. Body does not depend upon food solely, |
| reaches upto the last limb i.e. Samadhi. | | | | but it depends upon Prana solely. There are people |
| Different Schools of Yoga teach different Yogic | | | | who do not take food for months and years; but still |
| exercises in the name of Yogasana. These Yogasana | | | | they are able to work and live. |
| should be included in Tapa, a type of Niyama. In Tapa | | | | In reality body, Prana and mind are one. When any one |
| a practitioner imparts warmness or heat to the body | | | | of these three becomes motionless, the other two |
| through the practice of Yogic exercises and thereby | | | | become motionless. In Sukhasana when the body is |
| the body becomes strong and diseaseless. Tapa and | | | | kept motionless for half an hour, Prana and mind |
| its exercises is external limb of Yoga; however the | | | | become motionless. When Prana is motionless there is |
| third limb of Yoga i.e. Asana is internal limb. Through | | | | no inhalation or exhalation or breathing takes place in a |
| Yogasana which involves exercise of the body, one | | | | very subtle manner. This is Pranayama. Patanjali |
| cannot be motionless or feel comfortable. So in these | | | | teaches - after one rests in Asana, there is cut off in |
| postures one cannot enter into Samadhi. In true Asana | | | | the movements of inhalation and exhalation and this |
| rests one's body comfortably and rises up above the | | | | cut off is Pranayama(II.49). This can be scientifically |
| gross mind, body and senses and realises the true self. | | | | explained also. When the body is in motion, the rate of |
| So for a motionless and comfortable Asana one | | | | metabolism in the body is higher and so one breathes |
| should lie on a plane surface on one's back with hands | | | | in quick succession. Conversely whe one is in rest the |
| and legs streched. This is called Sukhasana. In this | | | | rate of metabolism is less and one breathes after a |
| posture all the six internal limbs of Yoga may be | | | | long pause. Again, when mind is restless, one breathes |
| practiced well. A human being may be partitioned into | | | | quickly and when mind is calm, one breathes normally. |