Yoga

Discipline, observances, posture, exercise of the life-force, introversion of attention, concentration, meditation and illumination (at-onement) are the eight limbs of yoga or the direct realization of oneness. Hence, these limbs should all be practiced together, intelligently, so that the impurities of all the physical, vital and psychological limbs maybe eliminated.

from: yoga sutras Patanjali

The eight limbs of yoga:

Yama:   Precepts of Social Discipline

Ahimsa -- Non-violence.   Not harming other people or other sentient beings.   Not harming onesself.   Not harming the environment.   Tolerance even for that which we dislike.   Not speaking that which, even though truthful, would injure others.

Satya -- Truthfulness.   Note that sometimes we may know our words are literally true, but do not convey what we know to be truthful.   This is a child's game.   Satya means not intending to deceive others in our thoughts, as well as our words and actions.

Asteya -- Non-stealing.   Not taking that which is not given.

Brahmacarya -- Sexual responsibility.   Regarding others as human beings rather than as male and female bodies.   The spirit of this precept is conservation of energy for the purpose of spiritual practice.   This includes not only sexual restraint, but protecting our energy for instance by avoiding endless chattering with no clear purpose.

Aparigraha -- Abstention from greed.     Not coveting that which is not ours.   Avoidance of unnecessary acquisition of objects not essential to maintaining life or spiritual study.

Niyama:   Precepts of Invididual Discipline

Sauca -- Cleanliness.   Not only external cleanliness of the body, but attending to internal cleanliness such as avoiding the impurities of anger and egoism.   Moderation in diet.

Santosa -- Contentment.   Not spiritual complacency, but acceptance of the external situation we are allotted in this life

Tapas -- Austerity.   Deep commitment to our yoga practice.   "Blazing practice with religious fervor."

Svadhyaya -- Self-study.   Spiritual self-education.   Contemplation and application of the scriptures or sacred texts of our chosen path.

Isvara pranidhana -- Surrender of the self to God.  

Asana --posture

pranayama-- exercises of the life force

pratyahara-- introversion of attention

dharana--concentration

dhyana-- meditation

samadhi-- oneness

Yoga philosophy

According to yoga philosophy everything consists of energy. The energy can take on different shapes due to the level of density of the energy. Energy can appear as mass (convex) or as acceleration (wave) and also as a combination of both. Energy starts to become a convex when there are local collisions with other energy vibrations. Every collision causes an impression (samskara). When the speed of the energystream reduces again, wrapping takes place and subtle desire arises which leads to more mass.

The three guna's

The basis of all creation is threefold: harmony (sattva), activity (rajas) and inertia (tamas). From the combination of these three qualities of the energyvibration the multitude of the manifested world arises.

Shiva and Shakti

The energy of heaven (Shiva) and the energy of earth (Shakti) flows through us through the Ida and pingala channels.

The three bodies

Our being consist of three bodies: The causal body (Karana Sharira), the subtle body (Syksma Sharira) and the coarse mortal body (Sthula sharira)

Source; subtle anatomy, Ajita