Raja (Ashtanga) Yoga

Raja Yoga, sometimes called Royal Yoga is known as the path of spiritual kings. Raja Yoga a systematic practice to assist one in reaching enlightenment.This path of yoga is also referred to as Ashtanga yoga, or the Eight Limbed Path. It's branches are also referred to as an eight runged ladder. These eight rungs are:

• Yamas - Restraints

• Niyamas - Observances

• Asanas - Postures and Cleansings

• Pranayama - Breathing exercises/ expansion of the life force

• Pratyahara - withdrawal of the sences

• Dharana - Concentration

• Dhyana - Meditation

• Samadhi - Absorption, bliss

The first two branches of Raja Yoga:

The Yamas and Niyamas have to do with how we relate to and interact with ourselves and others. They also have to do with our behavior towards ourselves, others and the world around us. As stated by Sri Desikachar, "The attitude that we have toward people and things outside of ourselves is called yama in yoga, and how we related to ourselves inwardly is called niyama. In a nutshell, yamas and niyamas deal with our social attitude, lifestyle, how we interact with people and our environment. They are also a key as to how we might deal with the problems that may arise in our lives. You can find them in Yoga Sutras II.29-45.

Yamas and Niyamas are ten good common-sense guidelines for leading a healthier, happier life – bringing spiritual awareness into a social context. They help you view yourself and others with compassion and awareness, balancing your inner growth with outer restraint.


Yamas and Niyamas are not about right and wrong. They are about being honest with ourselves.
Yoga is more than a physical discipline. By doing asanas alone, without the incorporation of Yama and Niyama, there will be very little advancement upon the spiritual path. So, Yama and Niyama are methods of yoga in themselves and are very important to serious aspirants along this path.


Yamas: self-restraints, controls
Yama is the first step in the Eightfold Path of Patanjali. The Yamas are really the first step in a practice that addresses the whole fabric of our lives. Yama tells us what to avoid doing because it would do harm to others. All Yamas apply to actions, words, and thoughts.


1. Ahimsa: non-violence, non-injury, harmlessness, compassion for all living things
Refers to not only physical violence, but also the violence of words or thoughts
To practice this is to be constantly vigilant, to observe ourselves in interaction with others and to notice our thoughts and intentions In considering Ahimsa it's helpful to ask, “Are my thoughts, actions, and deeds fostering the growth and well being of all beings?”

2. Satya: truthfulness, honesty
This Yama is based on the understanding that honest communication and action form the bedrock of any healthy relationship, community, or government, and that deliberate deception, exaggerations, and mistruths harm others
Speak with the intention of being truthful, given that what you call the “truth” is filtered through your own experiences and beliefs about the world. Not lying, not gossiping, not concealing the truth, not exaggerating

3. Asteya: non-stealing, honesty, non-misappropriativeness
Often understood as not taking what is not ours, it can also mean not taking more than we need
Not robbing people of their own experiences and freedom. Non-desire for another’s possessions, qualities, or status

4. Brahmacharya: moderation, sexual continence in thought, word and deed as well as control of all the senses .
This does not just mean giving up sex, it also means to transmute the energy of sex into something else, principally, devotion to God / Divine Spirit. Ultimately it is not a matter of whether we use our sexual energy but how we use it
In looking at your own relationship to sexual energy, consider whether the ways you express that energy that bring you closer to or farther away from your spiritual self

5. Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, non-greed, non-selfishness, not grasping
Voluntary simplicity, not accumulating things beyond what is necessary, non-attachment to possessions
Greed is not just confined to material goods - we may hunger after enlightenment, difficult asanas, spiritual powers, or perfect bliss. The practice of Aparigraha also requires that we look at the way we use things to reinforce our sense of identity - objects such as the right clothes, car, house, job, or image to maintain this illusion.


Niyamas: observances, disciplines, devotion
Niyama is the second step of the Eightfold Path of Patanjali. Like the five Yamas, the Niyamas are not exercises or actions to be simply studied. Compared with the Yamas, the Niyamas are more intimate and personal. They refer to the attitude we adopt toward ourselves.

1. Shaucha: purification, cleanliness
Involves maintaining a cleanliness in body, mind, and environment
The deepest and most subtle aspect of Saucha is purity of thoughts and feelings
You might be purifying your relationships, maybe letting go of some toxic people in your life to make room for something more pure.

2. Santosha: contentment, peacefulness, modesty, happiness
Feeling of being content with what we have, to live in this moment, to be present
Santosha encompasses our mental activities such as study, our physical efforts, and even how we earn our living
It is about ourselves-what we have and how we feel about what has been given to us, it is about our whole outlook on life. Do we look at a cup as half empty or as half full?

3. Tapas: burning enthusiasm, austerity
Literally translated as "fire" or "heat" Tapas is the disciplined use of our energy, directing it to keep us on track so that we don't waste our time and energy on superfluous or trivial matters. When we can generate an attitude of burning enthusiasam, the strength of our convictions generates a momentum that carries us forward, boring or unpleasant tasks can be transformed when we work with vigor and impulsion.

4. Svadhyaya: introspective self-study, spiritual study
The word Svadhyaya literally means "to get close to something" - It means to get close to yourself, that is, to study yourself .One focus of this Niyama is learning from our own lives, we are our own teachers and our lessons are everywhere . How does Svadhyaya show up for you in your life? What are you studying? How do you study? Who is your teacher? Is study a part of your everyday life?

5. Ishwara Pranidhana: surrender, offering of one's life to the Divine Spirit
Carry out all our actions, spoken, or unspoken, without desiring their fruit, and offering them to the Divine Spirit
Believing that we have done all that we can and then trusting that things will work out. When we sit in meditation we are practicing surrender.