The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is an ancient yoga text written in India nearly four thousand years ago. The eight limbs are a series of steps and practices that ultimately lead to enlightenment. Although the third limb, asana, is the best known, the physical exercise is just one of the eight steps.
The eight limbs as described in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are Yama (universal morality with others) Niyama (universal morality towards self), Asanas (physical yoga poses), Pranayama (control of prana through breath), Pratyahara (control of senses), Dharana (concentration and stillness), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (enlightenment).
The seventh of the eight limbs is Dhyana. Dhyana is a Sanskrit term that describes devotion or religious meditation, focusing on the divine. The idea is to focus on the divine to know the true nature of the self and the divine.
Through meditation and concentration, the goal is to build awareness of the nature of reality. In meditation, we begin to recognize much of what has been perceived as real is not real. Through this realization, we are able to let go of the fear and unhappiness that often prevents people from living life fully.
The ultimate goal of dhyana is to lead to Samadhi or enlightenment, the eighth limb. The prior six limbs have been building up to and preparing the body and mind for dhyana. Through a regular yoga and meditation practice, this stage will be reached over time and the meditative state will become a natural state of being.
As the individual learns to focus, concentrate and clear the mind, they are able to reach this level of meditation gradually. This isn’t a set of exercises or procedures that provide a road map with a clear time frame. Each person reaches this stage at his own pace.