As you have learned from previous articles on the subject – and if you are following along with our Positive Thinking Challenge – thinking positively every day has many benefits. It helps with your emotional and physical health, from improving your daily life and relieving stress, to actually helping with your physical health and wellbeing.

If you want to learn how to think more positively every day, here are some tips to get started.

Have More Confidence in Your Own Abilities

More often than not, a lot of your negative thoughts are related to fears you have about your own abilities, and not at all rational. Are a lot of your negative thoughts during the day related to how you think you are failing, or in ways you don’t think you will ever succeed? These are the thoughts that are related to your own self-confidence. Start acting with confidence, understanding your best skills, and really playing them up. Focus on your best abilities and qualities, instead of becoming drowned in the skills you think you don’t have.

Act with Intention

It is also important that you act with intention, which will also help you to reframe your thoughts into more positive ones. When you understand what you are doing and why you are doing it, it automatically gives you more confidence about what you can accomplish. This is going to help you feel good about yourself and what you got done, which alone helps a lot with your positive attitude throughout the day.

Find Your Triggers for Negative Thinking

When you have days where it is difficult to get past certain negative thoughts, try to find reasons for those thoughts. Was it from an unexpected event? Do you have an anxiety disorder that leads to irrational fears? Is there someone in your life causing these negative thoughts? What influence does the news or social media have on your mindset?

These and many other things can be triggers for your negative thinking. When you find triggers, you are able to better to handle those situations, so that you can avoid them and hopefully develop a more positive mindset.

Look for the Humor

Sometimes, bad things happen in your life that create a negative narrative, and you just have to laugh it off. When your car breaks down on the way to work, or you have an embarrassing moment you can’t stop thinking about, just move on, understand you can’t take it back, and laugh it out.

It isn’t easy to just switch turning negative thoughts into positive ones, or even putting a positive spin on a negative situation. Sometimes, you are just having a terrible day and are completely consumed by one derailment after another. These are the days when you need to think a little out of the box if you still want to be a positive person who thinks optimistically about everything in life.

Here are some tips for reframing those negative thoughts into positive ones, even when it seems like everything is going wrong.

Why Bother?

First of all, why do you need to reframe your negative thoughts? Technically, you don’t need to, but it can help to maintain a positive attitude as you go through life. It is not what happens to you that defines you, but how you deal with it. Everyone has things that go wrong or unexpected in their life, but not everyone has a negative attitude about it. Why? Because some people have learned how to cope with the bad things and somehow turn them into good things, even if they are just putting a positive spin on something that had really unfortunate timing.

Write Everything Down

If you are a little overwhelmed by all the negative things happening on a particularly bad day, just take a step back, take a breath, and write it down. Get out your journal and detail everything that has happened. Describe in detail why you are having a bad day, what has happened or gone wrong, and what you have done about it.

In some cases, you find positives just by writing it all down. In others, you just feel a little lighter having vented through journaling. And in other situations, you might find that you didn’t have the best response to something, and you were actually the reason it went bad. This intention is a really important lesson to learn moving forward.

There is (Almost) Always a Positive Spin

This might not be true for all bad things in your life, but there is usually a positive spin you can put on most situations. It might be that you made a mistake, learned from it, and will try harder not to make it in the future. Or the positive spin is just that the bad or embarrassing moment is over, and now you don’t have to relive it.

In other situations, maybe you had to go somewhere new because the place you usually visit was closed, and while this put you in a sour mood, you met someone new at this new place. Cherish and appreciate these unexpected moments, because they really provide you with a lot more positivity.

At the end of the day, when you are still struggling, just appreciate that the day is over and now you can move on from it.

One belief in Hinduism is that of reincarnation. The belief that one would die and be reborn as many times as need be until they obtain Moksha, the ultimate goal of all Hindus. This cycle of death and rebirth is known as the Samara. A person’s quality of life typically determines what caste they would belong after rebirth. The higher the caste, the more the blessings.

The Samsara is said to have begun with religious movements at about the first millennium BCE. These movements include Hinduism, which believes that life is a complicated and repeated process of death and rebirth. They think it as bondage, and Moksha, the liberation.

Basically, people build up karmic connections through their actions. It could be good or bad. It is all dependent on how one has lived. If you live a life of devotion, free of troubles, you transcend into a higher caste, which as aforementioned, depicts more blessings, if you have lived a life causing chaos and increasing pain in the society, you transcend into a lower caste.

Also known as vimoksha, vimukti, and mukti, moksha is the total liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. Its attainment is the highest goal in Hinduism. A state of freedom and liberation into a higher consciousness. It is derived from the Sanskrit muc which translates to being free, liberation. Moksha is the fourth goal of Hinduism. It is achieved only by overcoming the desires of the flesh, and all worldly sentiments, and living a life of benevolence. It is attainable both in the present lifetime and after death. To further buttress what it embodies, is to simply put that, it is a state where oneness with Brahman, the ultimate reality is attained. A state of peace and blessedness. This stage is known as the paripurna-brahmanubhava; the experience of oneness with Brahman.

Moksha is however thought somewhat differently by the varying school of thoughts in Hinduism. While it is thought of as liberation from the samsara, i.e., the cycle of death and rebirth, it is thought by others to be the end of the sufferings that are accompanied by the cycle of death and rebirth. Moksha is also referred to as kaivalya by some.

In some schools of thought in Hinduism, when Moksha has been attained by an individual during his/her lifetime, it is referred to as jivanmukti, and the person who experiences this liberation, is called the jivanmukta, which translates to self-realized person. Moksha after death is however, referred to as videhamukti.

There are no definite and stipulated ways on how everyone can achieve Moksha. The Hindu books reveal that there are many different paths, all of which lead to liberation. Liberation which has been earlier stated to mean being in a state of oneness with Brahman. A state of absolute detachment from vanity and the outside world, a state of quietness and absolute control of the thoughts, which accordingly, is referred to as the ultimate form of bondage and liberation. This is because the mind suggests multiple thoughts to us, both positive and negative all day long. All of which create noise and some form of chaos in our mental state, disrupting our ability to concentrate and remain in oneness with the Brahman. When one is incapable of quieting their minds, and harmonizing with the Supreme Being, they remain in the state of bondage. However, when they are able to overcome the desires and temptations suggested by the mind, then they can achieve Moksha. The Hindu scriptures rightly states that if one cannot wield total control of their mind, they lack the weapons necessary to achieve Moksha.

In clearer terms, the Upanishads mention that the mind is basically of two kinds. The pure and impure. It is referred to as impure when it is brimming with desires of the flesh, and pure when it gains freedom from them.

Although the paths and processes to attaining Moksha are endless, there are three paths which could be termed as a summary of what the road to achieving Moksha would seem like. They are;

• The karma yoga, also known as the path of action.
• Bhakti yoga, which is the path of devotion.
• Jnana yoga, or the path of knowledge.

As countlessly stated, Moksha comes when one achieves oneness with God. However, there are different basic schools of thought regarding the nature of what oneness with Brahman indicates in Hinduism. One of these thought, and perhaps, most prominent is the Advaita Vedanta, otherwise known as non-dualism. It is the belief that a person’s spirituality is tied to the ultimate reality, Brahman. Its doctrine is that total submission to Brahman is the way to achieve Moksha.

As you know, if you are following along with our Positive Thinking Challenge, a journal is an amazing tool to use for thinking more positively. It isn’t just great for gaining more clarity and venting your frustrations, but for your journey to being a more positive person as well.

Keep reading to learn about all the reasons why you should use a journal to increase your positive thinking.

You Can Reframe Your Negative Thoughts

First of all, you will use the journal to help reframe your thoughts into more positive ones. This is one of the biggest hurdles of thinking more positively, since you can’t control negative things that happen in your life. Almost every day, unexpected events will transpire that might put you in a funk, make you feel sad or frustrated, or just really affect the day you had planned out for yourself.

While you can’t control these events, you can control how you deal with them. You can use your journal to write down your negative thoughts, then look at ways to make them positive. We will talk about this more in a later blog post as well so you really understand how this works.

You Find Out Why You Have Negative Thoughts

As you begin journaling all your thoughts and feelings, you will also discover why it has been hard for you in the past to have more of a positive mindset. There are often patterns in the more negative things you talk about, whether they are all related to goals you haven’t achieved, your work or school life, or even specific people in your life.

It is important to be open and honest in your journal, because that is how you will understand more about yourself and where your frame of mind comes from. By understanding WHY you have negative thoughts, you are able to make changes in your life to be a more positive person.

It Helps You Be More Grateful for the Good in Your Life

Lastly, we really like journaling for positivity because you can express gratitude. Being more grateful is all about understanding the good things in your life, whether it is your health, people, or where you live and work, and appreciating it. You can write down one thing to be grateful for each day in your journal, which immediately puts you in a better mood and helps you to think more positively.

If you have ever read about being more positive, changing your life, or any self improvement topic, then you have probably come across the concept of affirmations.

The reason people talk about them and encourage them so much is because of how powerful they can be. An affirmation is just a positive statement you repeat to yourself to get into a positive mindset. It seems so simple, but it truly does make a major difference in how you think and act.

Here are some different ways you can use your daily affirmations.

Write Them in Your Journal Each Day

When you write down affirmations, it is good to have them in a permanent place to reference. Have a page in your journal dedicated to all your favorite positive affirmations. You can either read off this list every day, or actually write new ones down each day.

Every morning when you write in your journal, write down at least one positive affirmation that pertains to something occurring that day, or that will help your mindset for what you have coming up. Writing it down is going to help you use it efficiently, along with saying it out loud to yourself.

Keep Digital Copies of Your Affirmations

It is also a good idea to have your favorite affirmations in other places, to be used any time you need them. Maybe you keep your journal at home, but you need a quick positive affirmation while you are at work or running errands. Try to keep a digital copy of them on your phone, so that you can reference them at any time. This really helps in those unexpected situations.

Set a Timer for Using the Affirmations

Having a hard time remembering to use your affirmations each day? Set a timer! This can be a timer that goes off at the same time each day, like shortly before you typically get ready for work, or in the evenings around bedtime. You can also have different timers each day depending on what your schedule looks like.

Use Event-Specific Affirmations

There might also be times in your life when you need a positive attitude about a certain situation that is causing you stress or anxiety. For example, if you have a big oral presentation coming up soon at work or school, you might be worried about all the things that could potentially go wrong. Instead of focusing on those, focus on something positive. Create affirmations that help you understand you are capable of doing this presentation, remind yourself that you are prepared, and that you are brave and strong.

Pro Tip – Make sure the affirmations you choose are only for yourself, and not others. These are all about you and your own mindset. They should not reflect any other person in your life. They are personal and private, and you don’t need to feel like you should share them with anyone.

If you want to start making a change in your outlook by bringing  more positivity into your life, a great starting block is to make a list of reasons why you want to think more positively.

You may struggle with this because you might not be aware of the many ways it can benefit you! So, here are some amazing reasons to be more positive every day.

You Can Reduce Your Anxiety and Depression

First of all, if you feel unhappy in general, or struggle with depression or anxiety, you definitely want to learn how to think more positively. This is not going to cure these mental illnesses, but it can definitely help reduce some of their side effects. If your anxiety disorder causes severe panic attacks any time you worry about a specific thing, and learn how to think more positively, you might want to learn how to cope better and ease those panic attacks a little.

It is also going to help you with general happiness each day, where you are not as affected by some of the negative things that might happen.

Stress Doesn’t Affect You as Much

In addition to helping with anxiety and depression, thinking positively can also help tremendously with your stress levels. Stress can affect just about every area of your life, including your physical and mental stress, home life, work and relationship with co-workers, personal relationships, and so much more. To get a handle on your stress, start to learn how to think more positively.

You Develop Better Coping Skills

Another great benefit to keep in mind is that you learn how to cope better. You can’t prevent anything negative from happening in your life, as that is what makes you human. But you can definitely control how you react to unexpected situations, and learn how to cope a little better.

When you are a more positive person, you take these little hiccups as learning experiences. You are able to see the good and bad in any situation, and find at least one positive thing to say about it. This can really help you deal with anything from losing a job or ending a relationship, to a traumatic event.

You Surround Yourself with Positivity

Don’t forget that attitude and moods are contagious. (If you want to explore this further, be sure to sign up for the 7-Day Positive Thinking Challenge below.) For now, just know that when you are more positive, others will be as well. It spreads rapidly throughout other people, so you are actually helping everyone in your life to be surrounded by more positivity.

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Both negative and positive thoughts travel through the same brain cycle when formed. Thoughts are like a tree with numerous branches, including electrical impulses, chemicals, and neurons. All five of your senses – sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste – are your contact between the outside world and your internal world, thereby activating your mind.

As the data from your five senses pours into your brain, your brain is gathering electrical impulses through your peripheral nerves. These senses become the entry way into your intellect, influencing your free will and your feelings.

The first step in the process, the forming of thought and the gathering of electrical impulses, makes sense of the information coming in from your five senses. This incoming data then goes through some outstanding cerebrum structures that flavor, enhance, and circulate the data along the way.

The data is taken to a place where you can decide on the permanence of that data and whether it becomes part of your identity. Here, the brain can react to positive and negative thoughts as well as accepting or rejecting them.

When the data enters your brain through any of your five senses, it passes through a major transmitter station (the Thalamus) that screens and processes this information. The Thalamus is the meeting point for all the nerves that interface with the distinctive parts of the brain. There isn’t a signal from your environment that does not go through the Thalamus. [Click here for extensive NYTimes article on the topic.] 

The Thalamus connects the brain to the body and the body to the brain. It allows the entire brain to receive large amounts of important data from the external and internal worlds simultaneously. The Thalamus transmits the electrical information throughout your brain, activating existing thoughts (or nerve cells) in the outer part of the brain, the cerebral cortex, to help you understand the incoming information.

This wonderfully complex transmission of information through the cerebral cortex alerts and activates attitude. Attitude is a state of mind that influences our decisions as well as what we say and do as a result of these choices. If the attitude activated in the cerebral cortex is negative, then the emotional reaction will naturally be a negative or stressed feeling within the depths of your mind.

While the feeling will be peaceful if the attitude is positive, the fact is your attitude will be uncovered regardless of how long you try to hide it. Then the activated attitude – positive or negative – is transmitted from the Thalamus down to the Hypothalamus. The Thalamus signals the Hypothalamus to prepare a response to your thoughts chemically.

The Endocrine System is an accumulation of glands and organs that mostly produce and regulate your hormones. The Hypothalamus often controls things like thirst, hunger, body temperature, and the body’s reaction to your emotional life. This implies that if you are anxious or stressed about something, the Hypothalamus responds to this anxious and worrying attitude with a flurry of stress chemicals engaging the Pituitary Gland.

The Endocrine System secretes the hormones responsible for organizing the trillions of cells in your body to deal with any impending threats. Negative thoughts shift your body’s concentration to a mode of protection and decreases your capacity to process and think with wisdom or develop sound thoughts.

If you change your attitude positively, the Hypothalamus will cause the discharge of chemicals that encourage the feeling of peace, and the rest of the brain will respond by releasing the right formula of neurotransmitters for thought building and clear thinking. You can choose to reject the presently–activated thoughts and the incoming data, or you can let the information make its way into your mind, and spirit, eventually subsiding in your non-conscious, which dominates who you are.

You can’t always control your conditions, and especially outside influences, but you CAN make decisions that will help you control your response to your conditions and keep toxic input out of your brain.

Being prepared with tools such as responding over reacting, daily gratitude, and/or keep a steady practice of meditation, will help you filter out negative reactions to outward stimuli so you can maintain a positive attitude – in both mind and body.

Ganesha, the Hindu god of wisdom, is granted the task of helping us get past all of life’s difficulties. He represents the will and power we have to overcome our challenges and is the protector and guide when we go through difficulties, no matter how hard they seem.

Born to the gods Parvati and Shiva, Ganesha is a symbol of growth and potential as a baby, with maturing responsibilities to us in his older age.

Ganesha is known by the epithet vighnesvara in Sanskrit. It means, ‘the master of what agitates us.’ This simply means Ganesha is capable and always available to help us solve distressing problems, and is in absolute control over situations that causes us anxiety. His duty is to place these obstacles on our path, while always watching over us, and helping us get on with them, for the purpose of spiritual growth. Ganesha aids us with understanding of how to deal with the obstacles we encounter. He teaches us that problems are only a means to an end. So these challenges aren’t exactly obstacles, but provide a path leading us to self-realization and a greater truth.

He is also the representation of the Pratyahara. He helps us attain self-withdrawal; for us to intently detach ourselves and aim concentration on the inner without any distractions from the external. Simply put: a gradual process of learning to refrain from outside stimuli and focus more on internal awareness.

As the god of wisdom, he is further dubbed the ‘master of the mind.’ He guides us to make the right decisions, and bestows us with wisdom from the inside. He propels our creativity and intelligence, and always comes to the rescue when he is called upon. He further serves as a guide to help us distinguish and envision through the gates of perception. He helps access the memories and knowledge we’ve accumulated in the course of living our lives, to keep us in tune with the development of our inner cycles and intuitions, or nudges.

Ganesha is the god you look for when you seek protection, or seem to be at a loss or crossroads, or looking for a new beginning. He is there to offer us timely insight.  He is everything you want him to be. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, guardian of the gates, the master of the mind, the Lord of new beginnings.

His physical representation is a person with an elephant-head, adorned with a crown. He’s got a big belly, and is often depicted riding on a mouse adorned with a jeweled carpet. He has four arms, one of which holds sweets and other an axe.

These physical representation show him as an embodiment of the encumbrances of our daily lives; the axe symbolizes his admonition to us to cut down and destroy our attachments to the past and the things of the world.

We are urged to practice the Ganesha Maha Mantra whenever we encounter challenges, in order to gain deeper insights and understanding on how to tackle them, and imagine Ganesha coming to your aid as one of his boundless attributes. The mantra helps ward off bad vibes and keeps your thoughts in place. The Ganesha Maha Mantra:

OM GAM GANAPATAYE NAMAHA

It is to be chanted before starting a new venture, and meditated upon to gain a higher understanding and deeper revelation. The mantra is connecting to Ganesha (aka Ganapataye) and the speaker is offering salutations to Ganesha linked with the universal sound of OM.

Remember that Ganesha is ready for you whenever you need help with an obstacle in your path. Keep Ganesha in mind as needed throughout 2019!

Plant-based protein powders are gaining traction in diets around the world. If you are reading this article, you probably know the biggest reason behind the trend: ensuring a robust, nutrient-dense diet. Fortunately, the market is becoming filled with products that offer an alternative to whey proteins and the undesirable side effects of artificially filled bottled products. Especially for vegans, quality powder supplements are an essential addition to maintaining a healthy diet.

While I have a recommended brand (below) to try to get your huge benefits, for now, let me share with you the benefits of drinking plant-based protein powder:

1. It Boosts Metabolism
   If you want to shed weight, it is essential to eat more protein to help kick your metabolism into gear. Plant-based protein powder does double duty for you to help you achieve your weight loss goals as high levels of fiber and protein are conveniently served together.

2. It Controls Calorie Intake
   No arguing that fruits and veggies are awesome for great digestion,  but for those who are counting calories, plant-based protein powder provides a great bang for the buck, and is tremendously nutrient-dense. You can easily replace breakfast or lunch with a plant-based protein powder shake and intake only have half the calories.

3. Simple Ingredients
   The best protein powders offer simple ingredients. Healthy sources such as pea protein, brown rice protein, pumpkin seed protein, chia seed protein, apple, kale, broccoli, spinach, carrot, parsley, beet, green cabbage, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, tomato, probiotics, spirulina, and rice hull are especially desirable additions to good protein powders.

5. Minerals and Vitamins Galore
   Plant-based powders offer many additional extra vitamins and minerals to your diet. A protein powder that gives more than just protein is an excellent investment in  your health. Such powders have the protein that your body requires. Besides, there are plenty of minerals that your body can use to keep it healthy and strong. The truth is, adding fruits, veggies, and other plants to your protein powder is an excellent idea. Protein powders are such simple and highly effective ways to get the nutrients you need.
6. No Antibiotics or Growth Hormones
   Domestic animals are usually treated with antibiotics and growth hormones. That can conveniently translate into the whey protein you may want to use for your exercises. Although it is straightforward enough to find a whey protein that is made from cows that have not been treated with all of that unhealthy additives, some of you may feel more comfortable avoiding whey protein completely. With plant-based protein powder, you will not have to worry about any of those hormones or antibiotics!
7. Friendly Fiber
   Plants are packed with fiber, which is good for us. Fiber contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. It is the insoluble fiber that helps our digestive system run smoothly. The soluble fiber keeps us feeling full and happy after we eat. Plant-based protein powder naturally keeps you feeling full while also keeping you regular. It is like a double win! On top of that, Fiber can also help with heart health! A happy heart is essential to proper exercise and dieting.
8. Allergy Free Ally
   Plant-based protein powder can be the top pick for individuals who do suffer from a whey allergy. It can also be a fantastic choice for those who have gluten allergies. Plant-based protein powder is often gluten-free and hypoallergenic. As long as you don’t have a specific allergy to any one of the ingredients in your plant-based protein, your protein powder is a safe choice from major allergy concerns.

In a nutshell, if you want to realize your weight loss and workout goals, let plant-based protein powder help you out. As long as you use it appropriately, along with proper diet and exercise, you should have no problem getting your body to where you want it to stay.

If you are looking for a start to your plant-based nutrition, I would highly recommend Plant Vital Nutrition’s product. Since I’ve been using this powder in my shakes, I see my energy really amped up!

Though one scoop of powder is recommended for 8 ounces of liquid, I usually double the liquid, and also add in fresh fruit like pineapple, kiwi, or mango, and veggies like kale, spinach, and/or carrot to increase the density. So many varieties, and the powder is like liquid gold in the mixture!

Plant Vital Plant-Based
Complete Protein Powder

ASHTANGA is Sanskrit for eight limbs. It is a two word phrase incorporated as one: ashta, meaning eight, and anga, meaning limbs. This eightfold system of yoga dates as far back as 2,000 years ago, and was taught by Patanjali.

The eight limbs of yoga are basically guides on how to live a more productive, aligned, purposeful, and intentional life. All of the eight limbs are intertwined; understanding and practicing them opens someone to a realization of one’s true self and consciousness, destroying all obstacles standing in their way, as well as the impurities of the mind and body. It also results in directing focus towards our health, and aids in the acknowledgement and development of our spiritual inclinations.

The 8 limbs of yoga include; Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. Each is to be practiced individually, however, all should be allowed to flourish synchronically.

1. YAMAS: The first of the eight limbs encompasses morality and advocates living by upright values. It promotes ethical behavior to allow for a more peaceful and just society. The Yamas are universal principles of life. There are five yamas, all of which are strategically put in place to align our inner beliefs with the external environment.

• AHIMSA: This refers to nonviolence. It means to abstain and stay free from violence in thoughts, words, and actions. Practicing the art of nonviolence constitutes and propagates peaceful living and coexistence among humans.
• SATYA: Satya means truthfulness. And just like Ahimsa, it is a virtue that should be reflected both on the inside and outside. We must learn to be truthful both in words, and in actions. By virtue of this Yama, we are also admonished to follow a true and honest path, in alignment with our hearts. Satya preaches that by being honest and truthful, your actions become more successful.
• ASTEYA: Asteya preaches against stealing. It encourages refraining from stealing of property, ideas, works, wealth, credit, etc. It further stipulates that by engaging in non-stealing, wealth and jewels are accorded.
• BRAHMACHARYA: Brahmacharya refers to abstinence. It endorses living a life dedicated to finding self realization, and attaining a higher truth, and restraining from pursuing vanity. It promotes spiritual development through abstinence.
• APARIGRAHA: This means non-possessiveness. It teaches how to overcome greed, possessiveness, discontent, in order for one to gain knowledge of the past, present, and future.

2. NIYAMAS: These are observances, personal spiritual practices to aid spiritual growth. There are five niyamas that encompass the values upon which we interact with ourselves. They are: Sauca, Santosha, Tapas, Svadhyaya, and Isvara Pranidhana.

• SAUCA: Sauca means purity. Its teachings are centred on maintaining internal and external purity by keeping the mind, body, and environment clean.
• SANTOSHA: This means contentment. Santosha presents us with the need to appreciate what we have and have accomplished, for it is the only way to gain true inner peace. It encourages satisfaction with what we already have.
• TAPAS: This refers to self discipline, or spiritual austerity. It is a medium through which the body, and mind are cleansed.
• SVADHYAYA: This means the study of self and the sacred scriptures. Observance of the Svadhyaya results in spiritual awakening and tuning of one’s mind to spiritual unfoldments.
• ISVARA PRANIDHANA: This refers to absolute submission to God. By so doing, one is able to attain Samadhi.

3. ASANAS: This is what most people call “yoga” but it is actually only the poses one makes during yoga class. It is the third limb, and its practice results in a synchronism between the mind and body. The asanas help us develop self-discipline, and the ability to concentrate, both important factors of meditation.

4. PRANAYAMA: This literally means “life force extension.” It is the fourth limb, and basically refers to gaining control over the respiratory process. Simply put, mastery of breath control.

5. PRATYAHARA: The Pratyahara is the fifth limb. And it is the withdrawal from the external world to focus on our inner cycle. It is detachment from the attractions and distractions from the outside world. It preserves the mind, and keeps it from engaging in unintentional activities.

6. DHARANA: The sixth limb. It is referred to as the one pointed concentration. It involves deep concentration in order to bring the mind under absolute control.

7. DHYANA: Dhyana is seventh on the list. It is meditation; a process that involves absolute focus and control of the mind. It doesn’t allow for distractions to disturb the process.

8. SAMADHI: This is the final limb, and is referred to as a state of self-realization, and consciousness.

With so much knowledge of the 8 limbs of yoga, Ashtanga, where will you start first on your journey to samadhi?