Patanjali

Choose one daily time. Sit comfortably with a tall spine. Pick one anchor (breath at nostrils OR a simple word). Practice 10 minutes: notice distraction, label softly, return. Add 1 minute on day 4 if consistency is strong. Journal 2 lines after: 'What pulled attention most?' and 'How did I return?'

Pick exactly one Yama from (ahiṁsā, satya, asteya, brahmacharya, aparigraha) and exactly one Niyama from (śauca, santoṣa, tapas, svādhyāya, īśvara-praṇidhāna). Example: ahiṁsā (gentle speech) + santoṣa (one gratitude note daily). Each evening: 'Where did I tighten or react?' and 'What changed when I softened?'

Choose one daily 15-minute window with notifications off. Sit or walk quietly. Each urge to check the phone becomes a dhāraṇā rep: notice urge → soften → return to anchor. This trains the 5th limb (sense-withdrawal) and reduces restlessness.

Practice friendliness and compassion: recall one person to wish well, one person suffering, one success to appreciate, one neutral scenario to meet with equanimity. Use simple phrases: 'May you be well.' This steadies emotion and clears agitation.

Identify which of the five kleśas is most active this week: avidyā (confusion), asmitā (ego-reactivity), rāga (craving), dveṣa (aversion), or abhiniveśa (fear). Write one sentence describing how it shows up. Write one practice to weaken it.

At week's end, identify which of the nine antarāyas blocked your practice most (illness, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, over-stimulation, false perception, failure, instability). Match it to one targeted remedy and apply it the following week.

What are the exact five Yamas in Patañjali's system?

Ahiṁsā (non-harming), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (conservation of vital energy), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness). Exactly five, from YS 2.30. No others.

What are the exact five Niyamas in Patañjali's system?

Śauca (purity/cleanliness), santoṣa (contentment), tapas (disciplined effort), svādhyāya (self-study), and īśvara-praṇidhāna (surrender to a higher principle). Exactly five, from YS 2.32. 'Ishta' is NOT one of them.

Is 'Ishta' a Niyama?

No. 'Ishta' (or 'Ishta-devata', meaning chosen deity) is not a Niyama in Patañjali's system. The five Niyamas are: śauca, santoṣa, tapas, svādhyāya, and īśvara-praṇidhāna. Do not use 'Ishta' as a substitute for any of them.

Is Pratyāhāra a Yama or Niyama?

No. Pratyāhāra is the fifth of the eight limbs (YS 2.54). Yama and Niyama are the first and second limbs respectively. They are categorically distinct. When asked about Yamas or Niyamas, pratyāhāra does not belong in that answer — though it is highly relevant as a related practice.

Which Yamas and Niyamas help most with reducing phone reactivity and notification checking?

The best matches from the Yamas are: ahiṁsā (reduce nervous system harm from overstimulation), brahmacharya (conserve attention deliberately), and asteya (do not steal your own attention). From the Niyamas: śauca (digital mental cleanliness), svādhyāya (observe the urge-pattern), santoṣa (loosen the 'something better' reflex), and tapas (hold the boundary consistently). Pratyāhāra (5th limb) is the broader practice of sense-withdrawal itself.

What is the difference between Yama and Niyama?

Yamas (YS 2.30) are social/external ethical restraints — how we relate to the world and others. Niyamas (YS 2.32) are personal/internal observances — how we cultivate our own character and practice. Yamas stabilize relationships; Niyamas stabilize the inner life.

What are the eight limbs in exact order?

1. Yama, 2. Niyama, 3. Āsana, 4. Prāṇāyāma, 5. Pratyāhāra, 6. Dhāraṇā, 7. Dhyāna, 8. Samādhi. This is from YS 2.29.

What does Āsana mean in the Yoga Sūtras?

In Patañjali's coding, āsana means a steady, comfortable seat for meditation (YS 2.46: 'sthira-sukham āsanam'). It does not refer to a physical fitness sequence. Posture is the third limb — a preparation, not a goal.

What are the five Kleśas?

Avidyā (ignorance/misperception — the root), asmitā (ego-identification), rāga (attachment), dveṣa (aversion), and abhiniveśa (fear of death/clinging to life). From YS 2.3. Avidyā is the root from which all others grow.

What are the nine Antarāyas (obstacles)?

Vyādhi (illness), styāna (apathy), saṁśaya (doubt), pramāda (carelessness), ālasya (laziness), avirati (sensory over-indulgence), bhrāntidarśana (false perception), alabdhabhūmikatva (failure to attain stages), anavasthitatva (instability once attained). From YS 1.30.

What are siddhis and are they the goal of yoga?

Siddhis are supernormal abilities described in Vibhūti Pāda (YS Chapter 3) as byproducts of deep concentration (samāyama). They are explicitly NOT the goal. Patañjali treats them as obstacles to liberation (kaivalya) when attached to.

Is Patañjali yoga the same as modern yoga classes?

Usually not. Modern yoga classes often focus on āsana as exercise. Patañjali's system is primarily mind-training. The full path includes ethics, breath refinement, sense-withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and absorption.

What does 'yogaḥ citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ' mean in practice?

It means learning not to be carried away by mental movements (thoughts, emotions, reactions). Thoughts still arise, but you stop identifying with them so awareness becomes clear and steady.

How do I start if I'm busy?

Start with ONE Yama + ONE Niyama and a 10-minute sit. Consistency matters more than intensity. Add small pratyāhāra: 15 minutes/day without notifications.

What is Kaivalya?

Kaivalya is the goal of Pātañjala Yoga — liberation through discernment (viveka). It means awareness resting stably in its own nature, no longer misidentifying with the movements of the mind. It is reached through sustained practice of the eight-limbed path.

How does Patañjali's yoga differ from Vedānta or Tantra?

Patañjala Yoga is based on Sāṃkhya philosophy with a dualist metaphysics (puruṣa vs prakṛti). It uses different vocabulary and framework from Vedānta (non-dual; uses Ātman/Brahman) and Tantra (uses kuṇḍalinī, chakras). These are separate systems and should not be conflated.

Which translation or commentary should I use?

For doctrinal precision: Edwin Bryant's scholarly translation. For practice orientation: Desikachar's 'The Heart of Yoga'. For integrated posture guidance: Iyengar's 'Light on the Yoga Sūtras'. Start with one — Bryant if you want accuracy; Desikachar if you want application.