Are there 8 steps to Yoga?

Essence of Yoga is equanimity

To understand whether there are 8 steps of Yoga as the word Ashtanga is many times translated, first it is important to correctly understand what Yoga is.

Leaving aside the shallow association with flexibility and health, it is defined by many as union. If asked union of what, the answer would be union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness. But is there such a thing as individual consciousness? Is consciousness personal at all? How can there be division in consciousness in the first place for union to happen? If these questions are inquired into, then one arrives at the true meaning of Yoga which is simply being in awareness as defined by Vyas (yuj samadhau) or to be in equanimity as Krishna puts it (samatvam yoga uchyate).

So Yoga is simply being, not becoming anything. But it is not simple for us because we are so conditioned to becoming. Becoming involves steps. To become an expert in any skill, one has to go through various steps of ascent. But can there be steps in being? Either we are in equanimity or not, either we are aware or not. To be equanimous or be choicelessly aware only requires a direct recognition of our essential being from within, not learning any new skill from without.

So ashtanga or the 8 parts described by Patanjali are an expression of the various aspects of being in equanimity. The word anga literally means part and has no association with step. It is similar to the various parts of the body that make one whole being. The heart, liver, lungs, brain all are parts of one body which is a perfect being. When the body is nourished, all parts are equally nourished and not step by step. Another edifying parallel with the body is that the state of being is not idleness but tremendous activity. Every part of the body is active perfectly with highest intelligence and yet without any notion of becoming anything in time. Such state of being tremendously active while in perfect equanimity is Yoga. Krishna brings this out beautifully in the Gita through many verses.

Now to take the very first Yama, it is non violence which is also described as the highest dharma elsewhere. True expression of non violence is possible only when the falsity of individual ego is transcended. So the first step is the last step as it were. Or more precisely, there is no step at all.

To realize this and to simply be is jnana, bhakti and yoga. It requires us to be alert and vigilant every moment to all desires of becoming that rise up and simply be aware of them without indulging or surrender all activities within and without to the one perfect Being.