To achieve the ultimate goal of yoga: liberation from suffering and union with the divine.

Maharshi Patanjali in Yoga Sutras has enunciated 8 limbs of yoga. Many people think that the eight limbs are eight steps, one after another. However, the limbs are not sequential; they are parts of the whole. It's like the human body. The whole body develops together. All the organs develop together, but at their own suitable pace. Patanjali also says that the purpose of yoga is to stop misery before it comes. Whether it is greed, anger, jealousy, hatred, or frustration, all these negative emotions can be healed or re-oriented through yoga.

~ Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji

Beautifully explained! Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji's analogy of the human body and its organs developing together at their own pace is a great way to understand the 8 limbs of yoga. It's important to recognize that these limbs are not a linear progression, but rather interconnected aspects of the yogic path.

As Patanjali's Yoga Sutras outline, the 8 limbs are:

1. Yamas (universal ethics)

2. Niyamas (personal observances)

3. Asanas (postures)

4. Pranayama (breath control)

5. Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)

6. Dharana (concentration)

7. Dhyana (meditation)

8. Samadhi (absorption in the divine)

Each limb stoupports and complements the others, and they should be practiced in harmony  to achieve the ultimate goal of yoga: liberation from suffering and union with the divine.

Gurudev's emphasis on yoga as a means to heal and reorient negative emotions is also crucial. By cultivating awareness, self-regulation, and inner peace through yoga, we can indeed overcome destructive tendencies like greed, anger, and hatred, and instead embody compassion, love, and wisdom. Thank you for sharing this inspiring message!