My Daily Thread
Today we’re taking another pass at satya, the second yama from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The sutra we’re focusing on is YS 2.36: satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṁ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam—when one is firmly established in truth, their actions bear fruit. This is a powerful idea. It suggests that when we are rooted in truth, what we say comes to life. Something here touches on the modern idea of manifestation but is grounded in yogic ethics—truth as a force, not just a concept. But Satya isn’t just “don’t lie.” That’s only the surface level. The deeper understanding is about...
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YS 2.36 says: satya-pratiṣṭhāyām kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — “When one is firmly established in truthfulness, then their words become so powerful that the result of action rests upon them.” We’re back in the section of the Yoga Sutras that deals with pratiṣṭhā, being deeply and firmly established in a state of being. This time, the quality is satya, truthfulness. Patanjali says that when truth becomes our natural state—when we’re rooted in it, consistent with it—then even our words start to carry the power of truth. It’s not that we control outcomes like magic. But...
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Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we return to ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being established in non-violence—as taught in Yoga Sūtra 2.35. We’ve already explored how the yamas and niyamas are not just rules, but deeply personal practices—moral and ethical disciplines that offer a framework for living. Simple? Yes. But easy? Not always. They are practices for managing our lives skillfully, for creating relationships rooted in integrity, peace, and...
info_outlineMy Daily Thread
Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, then all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we reflect again on ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being firmly established in non-harming. Patanjali teaches that this is not a casual virtue but a transformative power: when someone has deeply integrated non-violence into their being, conflict and aggression fall away in their presence. We see examples of this principle embodied in historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Fred Rogers,...
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Today, we return to our study of aṣṭāṅga yoga, the eight-limbed path outlined by Patañjali. As a reminder, the eight limbs are: Yama – ethical restraints Niyama – personal observances Āsana – posture Prāṇāyāma – breath regulation Pratyāhāra – withdrawal of the senses Dhāraṇā – concentration Dhyāna – meditation Samādhi – absorption or union The first four limbs are external practices—disciplines that we can actively cultivate through behavior and intention. The final four, the internal limbs, arise naturally from the consistent and...
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Today we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace those that are harmful or negative. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...
info_outlineMy Daily Thread
Today, we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace harmful or negative ones. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path. We begin by revisiting YS 2.33: "vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam" Negative thoughts, such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in...
info_outlineMy Daily Thread
We continue our journey with Yoga Sūtra 2.33, and now deepen into the next verse — 2.34. If 2.33 gave us the prescription — pratipakṣa-bhāvanam — then 2.34 shows us the diagnosis, the depth of the problem. Let’s start by recalling the previous sutra: vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate their opposites.” Vitarka refers to thoughts that are harmful, unwholesome, or negative — especially those rooted in violence, attachment, or...
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We continue our exploration through the Sādhana Pāda, arriving again at Yoga Sūtra 2.33 — a powerful and practical teaching that has everything to do with the life we’re living today. vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥ “When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate the opposite.” It’s deceptively simple yet deeply profound. This teaching lives not in theory but in everyday experience. It’s all too easy to be swept up in negative thoughts or drawn into negative...
info_outlineMy Daily Thread
Let's review Yoga Sūtra 2.32, which lists the five niyamas, or personal observances — and in reviewing this sūtra, what strikes me most is the elegant simplicity of the path it offers. These teachings, though ancient, are profoundly relevant today — perhaps even more so in our overstimulated, fast-paced world. Let’s revisit the niyamas through a simple lens of choice: Śauca (शौच) – Choose simplicity over excess. Santoṣa (सन्तोष) – Choose gratitude over striving. Tapaḥ (तपः) – Choose effort over escape. Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय)...
info_outlineJumping right in, friends—today we’re working with Yoga Sūtra 2.29, where Patañjali gives us what is often considered the classic blueprint of yoga: the eight limbs of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga.
Yama-niyamāsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayo’ṣṭāvaṅgāni
“Yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi are the eight limbs of yoga.”
These eight limbs aren’t just philosophical fluff—they’re the framework, the structure, the entire arc of yoga as a path of inner transformation.
Now, in North America and much of the modern yoga world, we often hear yoga described in all kinds of ways—hot yoga, yin yoga, vinyāsa flow, hatha yoga, power yoga… But let’s get honest: almost everything we’re doing in yoga studios today falls under the umbrella of hatha yoga, and more specifically, it’s mostly āsana—the physical postures.
That’s okay! But Aṣṭāṅga Yoga—literally "the eight-limbed yoga"—also known as Rāja Yoga, or “the royal path,” offers so much more.
If we take it on as a holistic practice, yoga can support us in transcending so many of the mental and emotional challenges we face.
And true to his style, Patañjali first names the eight limbs here in 2.29, and then goes on to define each one in the following sūtras. So over the next few episodes, we’re going to flow into these limbs one by one.
Here’s a quick overview of each limb:
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Yama – The ethical restraints; how we relate to others. This includes non-violence (ahiṃsā), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), moderation (brahmacarya), and non-possessiveness (aparigraha).
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Niyama – The personal observances; how we relate to ourselves. These are purity (śauca), contentment (santoṣa), discipline (tapaḥ), self-study (svādhyāya), and surrender to a higher power (īśvarapraṇidhāna).
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Āsana – Steady and comfortable posture, ultimately for meditation. But in today’s world, it also means creating strength, balance, and stamina in the body.
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Prāṇāyāma – Control or expansion of the breath and life force. Prāṇa means life energy; āyāma means to extend, expand, or regulate.
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Pratyāhāra – Withdrawal of the senses. The practice of bringing the mind inward, pulling it back from distractions. It’s about taking control of our attention.
These first five are often called the external limbs—they're the ones we can do something about directly. They're our tools, our techniques.
The final three are internal:
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Dhāraṇā – Concentration. One-pointed focus. Holding the mind steadily on a single object.
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Dhyāna – Meditation. A continuous flow of awareness toward that object.
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Samādhi – Absorption. The merging of the meditator with the object of meditation. A profound state of unity.
These internal limbs aren’t something we do in the same way. They arise as natural fruits of deep, sustained practice.
Yoga, in this classical sense, is so much more than what we’ve reduced it to on the mat. It’s a pathway to wholeness. It’s about freedom—kaivalya. And it all begins here, with awareness and intention.
🙏 And if you want to explore this more deeply with us in real life, we’d love to see you at one of our retreats in San Pancho, Mexico.
Check out upcoming events at:
www.jefflichty.com/events