Introduction

Yoga is a lifestyle and a way of being. It improves your health and sculpts your body, and is so much more than just about getting into a fancy backbend and touching your toes.

Although yoga isn’t a religion, it can certainly be a spiritual practice. The very definition of yoga lies in union and connection. It’s a way of slowing down, calming your thoughts, and coming home to yourself.

However, despite yoga’s popularity, very few people actually know and experience the full richness of the practice. Some choose to go to a studio for a few hours each week and that is enough for them. Other people yearn for something deeper and want to learn more. If you’re reading this book, you may be one of these seekers. You may also simply have an interest in yoga that you are yet to explore!

I’ll guide you along the path of yoga, covering everything from where it all started and the ancient yogic philosophies to some foundational poses, breathing techniques, locks, and the basics of sequencing. You’ll learn how to put together your own series of poses and how to breathe properly as you move through these sequences. We’ll end this book with a guided visualization that you can use in your meditation at the end of each practice.

I hope that The Yoga Habit will be like a faithful friend on your yoga adventure. If you apply all you learn, you will inevitably feel more comfortable in your body and feel the positive effects ripple into every area of your life. Ultimately, yoga is about being the best possible version of yourself and feeling good and well. Laughter Yoga (Gendry, 2012) incorporates a song that highlights just the kind of energy I would like to share throughout this book. Let’s take a look at the lyrics as a starting point.

“Every little cell in my body is happy.

Every little cell in my body is well.

Feel so good.

Feel so well.

Every little cell in my body is well.”

Now, let’s get started on your yoga journey!

Chapter 1: What Is Yoga?

What most of us know of yoga involves the practice of combining various poses or body postures in a sequence, and combining it with controlled breathing. Some say it’s a way of stretching stiff muscles, or a way to wind down after a hard day. We carry our mats into a studio, exercise our body, and leave an hour later.

The true essence of yoga, however, is much deeper than that.

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit term yuj which means “union” or “to join” (Living, 2018). Yoga is a spiritual discipline that aims to unite an individual with divine or universal consciousness. It is also a powerful way to achieve harmony between your mind and body, and feel at one with nature and those around you. It’s a practice that brings you home to yourself and aligns your body, your mind, and the energy you hold in your entire being.

Yoga moves way beyond poses on the mat and a few breathing techniques. In fact, as we’ll soon see, this is only a small part of yoga. Yoga began as an entire way of being. For many, it is a lifestyle and a means of personal transformation. Ancient yogis adhered strictly to the various practices of yoga to achieve liberation and enlightenment.

Maharishi Patanjali based his yoga sutras on ancient sacred texts such as the Rigveda. The Rigveda was written around 8 to 10 thousand years ago and classical yoga forms part of this rich Vedic literature. Approximately 5,000 years ago, Patanjali compiled the Yoga Sutras within which he proposed eight limbs or aspects of yoga (A Brief History of Yoga, 2020). Postures and breathwork make up only two of these eight essential components of the practice. It just goes to show—yoga is so much more than we first realized.

Let’s go deeper, shall we?

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras speak about the eightfold path to enlightenment. This path is referred to as ashtanga, which translated means “eight limbs.”

These are essentially eight steps or guidelines on how to live a purposeful life that will result in the soul’s liberation. They include all aspects of moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline, and acknowledge both physical and spiritual aspects of our nature.

A true yoga practitioner doesn’t just practice the poses, but tries to live by all eight limbs. Let’s take a closer look at what each of them involves.

1.    Restraints (Yamas)

The yamas are ethical standards by which we should live. They provide us with a sense of integrity and focus on our individual behavior and how we conduct ourselves. The yamas are universal practices and relate to how we treat others. They are principles we should align ourselves with and adhere to as much as possible.

There are five different yamas:

Ahimsa, which means non-violence.

Satya, which means honesty and truthfulness.

Asteya, which is non-stealing.

Brahmacharya, which means using your energy correctly.

Aparigraha, which means non-covetousness.

2.    Self-Discipline (Niyamas)

The second limb includes the niyamas which have to do with spiritual observances and self-discipline. Examples of niyamas in practice include having a daily shower, doing self-inquiry and reflection, and developing a meditation practice.

These are the fiveniyamas:

Saucha, which means cleanliness.

Santosha, which means contentment despite circumstance.

Tapas refers to heat and spiritual austerities (burning away of desire).

Svadhyaya is the study of sacred scriptures and self-reflection.

Isvara pranidhana is a complete surrender to God.

3.    Poses (Asanas)

The third limb includes the asanas (poses) which are the yoga postures you perform on your mat. This is what most of us have come to know as yoga. In ancient yogic philosophy, the body is considered a temple of the spirit. Taking care of the body is a sacred practice. By practicing asanas, you will develop a strong habit of discipline, improve your concentration, and through these attributes be more successful with meditation.

4.    Breath Control (Pranayama)

Pranayama, or “breath control” is the fourth limb of yoga. Breathing techniques are designed to master the respiratory process and through this control, connect the breath, mind, body, and emotions. You can practice breathing control (which we will cover in great detail later on) as an isolated modality, or you can include it as part of your physical yoga practice.

You may have noticed that the first four parts of Patanjali’s eight limbs have concentrated on refining your personality, gaining control over your body, and developing an astute energetic awareness. This is all preparation for the next four limbs which involve mastering the senses, fluctuations of the mind, and gaining a higher state of consciousness or being.

5.    Sensory Withdrawal (Pratyahara)

The fifth limb is known as pratyahara, which is sensory withdrawal and transcendence. This involves making a conscious effort to pull your awareness from the external world and distractions. By maintaining this inward focus and drawing our attention away from our senses, and in a way detaching from them, we are able to take a keen look at ourselves. This introspection allows us to take note of our cravings and habits that may be detrimental to our health and that may be interfering with our spiritual growth.

This sense withdrawal prepares us for the next limb of yoga, which involves the focusing of our thoughts and developing advanced levels of concentration.

6.    Concentration (Dharana)

Dharana means concentration. During the process of pratyahara, you absolve yourself from outside distraction. Through dharana, you are able to deal with distraction within your own mind. Concentration precedes meditation and involves learning to slow down our thoughts by focusing on a single mental or physical object. This is called drishti–a focused gaze or concentration. What you choose to focus on can be an energetic center in the body, a photograph of a spiritual influence, or perhaps the repetition of a mantra or sound.

As the limbs build on each other, you may start to notice the intelligence of the evolution in the practice of yoga. We start with harnessing our focus in the poses (asanas), controlling our breath and the energies in our body, and then withdrawing our senses, and now learning to take control of our thoughts and attention spans. The more we are able to expand and extend these periods of concentration, the better prepared we will be for meditation.

7.    Meditation (Dhyana)

The seventh limb of ashtanga yoga is dhyana, or meditation. This is an uninterrupted flow of concentration and focused contemplation. There is a distinct difference between concentration (dharana) and meditation, even though they may appear very similar.

Dharana is the practice of a single point of focus and attention. Dhyana, on the other hand, is about being in a state of awareness with no focus at all. The mind is quiet and produces little to no thoughts. It takes a remarkable sense of stamina to reach this point, and that is why it is important to move through all the stages patiently. Yoga is a process and a journey. It’s not about the perfect Instagram pose or a sublime state of consciousness–it’s about the evolution into the very best person we can be.

8.    Bliss (Samadhi)

This eighth and final limb is described by Patanjali as samadhi (a state of ecstasy and bliss). The yoga practitioner, through meditation, merges with their point of focus and transcends the self completely. There is an experience of divine connection and oneness with the universe and everything around you. There is a sacred sense of interconnectedness and a sublime sense of peace. This state of transcendence, or enlightenment, is the ultimate goal of yoga.

Benefits of Yoga

As you now know, yoga is about so much more than doing a few poses and potentially working up a sweat in a studio. Yoga is a journey of self-development and overall improvement. There are hundreds of documented benefits of the practice, but I’ll mention the 50 most important ones here (yes you read that right—50!).