The Yamas are ethical standards, ways of upholding personal integrity, boundaries & abstinences.

Ahimsa - non-violence or ‘do no harm’

Satya - truthfulness or non-lying

Asteya - non-stealing

Brahmacharya - self-restraint or non-promiscuity

Aparigraha - freedom from avarice or overt desire

The Niyamas are all about self-discipline, gratitude and developing our own practice.

Saucha - cleanliness

Santosa - opening to contentment and finding fulfilment.

Tapas - fervour and austerity

Svadhyaya - the study of self, spirit, education and higher teachings

Isvara pranidhana - surrendering or offering the fruits of our labour to something more, higher and larger than ourselves. You may call this God, Goddess, or Life Force.

Yamas and Niyamas begin to create a perspective and help us focus on the more profound satisfaction that comes from being connected to spirit.

Asanas are physical yoga postures or shapes. Asanas are designed to open the body, connect the body, mind and breath, and ultimately teach us the awareness of our body as a temple. Through Asana, we learn and develop discipline, dedication and concentration, all of which are necessary for meditation.

Pranayama simply means breath control. We first learn or re-train ourselves to breathe naturally. We then gain mastery over our respiratory processes. This control allows us to start recognising the connection between the breath, the mind and emotions.

Pratyahara means withdrawal or sensory transcendence. We draw our awareness internally. We cultivate a detachment from our senses and take the opportunity to take a look at ourselves. We objectively observe our cravings and habits that are perhaps detrimental to our health or are likely to interfere with our personal growth.

Dharana means concentration. Each stage on this journey prepares us for the next. Having relieved ourselves of outside distractions, we can now deal with the distractions of the mind itself. In the practice of concentration, we learn how to slow down the thinking process. We concentrate on a single mental object. This can be a specific energetic centre in the body, an image of a deity, or the silent repetition of a sound.

In asana and pranayama, we pay attention to our actions, constantly shifting our attention and focus. We focus on fine-tuning the nuances of a particular posture or breathing technique. In pratyahara, we become self-observant and highly attuned and aware. In dharana, we learn to hone our attention on a single point. Extended periods of concentration naturally lead to meditation.

Dhyana is meditation or contemplation. Dhyana is the practice of being keenly aware without focus. The mind is quiet, and still, there are no thoughts. The strength and stamina required to reach this state is extraordinary. Yoga is a process and those of us who develop a will glimpse moments of connection, union, and stillness.

Patanjali describes this eighth and final stage, samadhi, as a state of ecstasy. At this stage, the meditator merges with her point of focus and transcends the Self altogether. With this realisation comes peace, the experience of bliss and being at one with the Universe. What Patanjali has described as the completion of the yogic path is what, deep down, all human beings aspire to: peace. This ultimate stage of yoga - enlightenment - can neither be bought nor owned. It can only be experienced.