The last 3 limbs of yoga can be the most difficult to both explain and experience. My teacher Michelle Young says, "The first five limbs are taught, and the last three limbs are caught." 

It can take time and dedication to develop the skills necessary to reach the intense levels of concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and complete absorption and attention (samadhi). These 3 limbs are internal so we need to look deep within ourselves for these experiences.

To practice dharana, we gain control of our own mind by focusing on one single object whether it be a word, a string of words, a sound, our breath, a candle flame, etc. That one-pointed focus allows our mind to become less noisy and more peaceful and therefore primed for meditation.

Dhyana moves us from a state of doing to a state of simply being. We are so still and focused that we understand we are more than our physical body. Our inner Self is observing us observing an object, if you will.

Once we are so engrossed in our "focus of  focusing," we reach samadhi. Everything falls away. We are aware of nothing else, and everything feels clear and light. 

Like I said, it's hard to explain. But when you get there you know it, and it's an incredibly peaceful experience. But it doesn't last forever. So we keep going through all the limbs, ideally all the time. And if we slip, we begin again. And again.  And again.

I hope this exploration of Patanjali's 8 limbs of yoga has been fascinating and helpful. Yoga can most definitely be good exercise, but the "innercise" benefits of yoga are unmatched and arguably more valuable.