Because the physical postures of Hatha Yoga are so strongly emphasized these days, many people mistakenly believe the postures are Yoga. Not so! The physical postures comprise only one branch of the 8-limbed tree of Yoga. To ignore the other seven branches makes for a very lopsided tree, and a very incomplete yoga practice. Something I love about Kripalu Yoga is how all eight aspects of yoga are incorporated into the practice right from the very first time on the mat!
Take, for instance, Trikonasana, Triangle Pose:
As you begin to enter the pose, remind yourself that you are going to listen to your body, and not force the body to go farther than is appropriate for your body today. This is ahimsa, or non-violence, the first restraint in the ethical code of yoga, the Yamas and Niyamas. True yoga cannot be practiced without first practicing the Yamas and Niyamas in our life off the mat, as well as in our practice on the mat, so it is vital that you make yourself familiar with them, and strive to practice them daily.
At the same time, you make the intention to come to your edge in the pose, that point where to do less would be unproductive, but to do more would be unwise. This is tapas, one of the Niyamas, which has to do with austerity, determination, effort. The very fact that you get on your mat each day, reflects tapas.
At the same time, you are aware of and in control of your breath, pranayama. Appropriate breathing is essential to yoga, as the breath not only keeps life force, or prana, flowing in the body, but is an indicator of the level of relaxation or stress that is present. Since asana means "a still, easy place" you want to do your best to be in that place of acceptance and peace in the pose. Pranayama or "breath control" is the fourth branch on the tree.
Pratyahara, or "sense withdrawal" is the next branch. This is sometimes a difficult aspect to master, but it gets easier with practice. To begin, simply notice, from a place of non-judgmental awareness, all that you are feeling, both physically and emotionally, as you hold the pose. We call this employing the witness consciousness. This is also where you practice the 5 points of awareness: breathe, relax, feel, watch, and allow. As you focus on each of these points in the hold, you are able to withdraw from the urge to release or run away from any discomfort; discomfort becomes simply sensation. You can allow some discomfort to be present, in the interest of making progress with your practice by holding the postures a little longer.
Dharana, or "concentration" follows closely on the heels of pratyahara. Here, the mind is absorbed in the experience of asana, and with practice you might even find yourself forgetting the body altogether as you continue to hold, with maybe some micro-movements to address sensations, a deepening of the breath, and are able to experience a sense of becoming the pose. The urge to release dissipates, and you feel at ease.
For me, the next branch, Dhyana, or "meditation" manifests as I slowly release from the pose, keep my breath flowing steadily, and without letting thoughts take hold in my mind, allow my body to slowly flow into any counter-movements that the body is asking for in response to the holding. This could be a brief series of "loosening up" movements, or, as often happens, my body will slowly and spontaneously move into a flow of postures, actual or non-traditional, that will last 15 - 20 minutes, in response to the flow of prana released throughout my body, and my body's own inner wisdom. This spontaneous posture flow is a meditative, healing, deeply relaxing aspect of yoga that is unique to Kripalu Yoga. At times I have had deep emotions of grief or joy release while in this experience, and I always feel deeply relaxed and whole at the completion, when I gently evolve into Shavasana.
For me, the final branch on our yoga tree, Samadhi, a continual state of mental clarity and peace, is experienced at the conclusion of a practice in which I have included all the branches of yoga. After a deeply meditative practice, the effects with stay with me throughout my day, as a deeper sense of equanimity.
While your practice is not likely to be this deeply meditative every day, keeping in mind the 8 Limbs of Yoga can help you get more out of your practice. You are not just doing calisthenics, seeing how many postures you can achieve. Rather, you are impacting your life. True yoga is a powerful method of uniting all aspects of our being, body, mind and spirit. Go deeper, and experience how Yoga enriches your relationships, your perceptions of self and others, your diet, your personal goals, your self-forgiveness, your sense of self-worth, how you waken in the morning and how you go to sleep at night. Don't be satisfied with nibbling at the table of Yoga, enjoy the entire banquet!
In conclusion, I want to emphasize the importance of a regular daily practice of seated meditation to support your asana practice. Even as little as 10 or 15 minutes a day, first thing in the morning, will train your mind to become focused, and help you live each day more consciously, on or off your mat!
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