The Eight Limbs of Yoga

Patanjali defines yoga as" Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha "- Yoga is the cessation of mental fluctuations." Hence, yoga can be defined as a state of complete stillness of mind. To achieve this goal, Patanjali prescribes the eight limbs or stagesevery practitioner must master. Today, Ashtanga yoga (which means 'eight-limbedyoga') is sometimes thought to be a particular style or series of postures. But these are really the eight stages described by Patanjali.
They are: Yama (moral restraints), Yama (moral restraints), Asana (seat posture with spine erect), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of from the organs of sense and the organs of action), Dharana (deep state of concentration), Dhyana (directing attention to the subject of meditation), Samadhi (complete absorption in super consciousness or divine mind).