a yogic lifestyle
the 8 limbs, or petals, of patanjali's yoga sutras form the philosophical foundation for the practice of hatha yoga. rather than steps or stages, they are actually interdependent aspects of a holistic way of life and include guidelines for cultivating the body, the mind, and the spirit. the 8 limbs are: ethical standards (yama), and self-discipline (niyama) - such as non-violence, honesty, non-stealing, purity and study - that lay the groundwork for the practice itself, posture (asana), breathing (pranayama) - which brings the mind into harmony with the body, sense restraint (pratyahara), for keeping the energy from dispersing, concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), for realizing our true nature, and ecstacy or final liberation (samadhi).
