यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि ॥ २.२९॥
yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayo’ṣṭāvaṅgāni
The eight auxiliaries are: Yama (restraint), Niyama (observance), Asana (posture), Prānāyāma (breath-control), Pratyāhāra (restraint of the senses), Dhāranā (fixation), Dhyāna (meditation), and Samādhi (absorption).
Counting in yoga is quite common. In our physical āsana practice we count the breath, we count mantra repetitions, the class is of a certain duration in time that is counted and sometimes you might even be counting down how long the class has left.
It’s not just yoga classes that use counting, yoga scripture and philosophy likes to count things like the 8 auxiliaries or limbs of Patañjali or the 4 noble truths of Buddhism are good examples. In fact, Patañjali also has a 5, 3 and 1 step plan, highlighted in a text of only 4 chapters and 195 verses.
In Hindu mythology counting has served a purpose to highlight how vast or immeasurable something is like the years Siva spent meditating or the grouping of the three goddesses also known as Tridevi.
I love discussing yoga topics especially around philosophy and history. The history and philosophy of yoga may not be interesting for everyone but at least taking yoga classes can integrate some of these ideas and it can usually include counting in one way or another.
Counting the breath in an āsana class isn’t for everyone, however it helps keep an evenness to working two sides of the body or being able to stay in an āsana for a set duration of time. Some people find that counting in the practice is distracting (especially when it’s uneven or a number is missed) or too controlling – a common question is what if my breath isn’t matching that of the teachers count?
We know it doesn’t really matter if the count of the breath is missed, skipped or precise as it’s the intention that everyone in the class is breathing on purpose and hopefully together. It’s in this practicing together that the counting of time gradually becomes irrelevant and the ability to keep up or slow down in your practice is not only guided by the teacher but by the other practitioners too. One amazing yoga class where you feel completely in the body and free from negative and distracting thoughts is worth a lot more than several average classes that you just can’t feel comfortable in. So in this case it’s not about how many yoga classes you take per week but how many good yoga classes that work for you (and you’re able to enjoy). Feeling the positive effects that come rather than expecting or counting how many positives you were hoping for is way better for the mind and body.
In the yoga sutra of Patañjali it is highlighted that you can follow the 8 limbs as a guide to your own enlightenment. It’s always important to note that out of these 8 limbs āsana is only mentioned once (and it isn’t even the first or second step!) whereas the internal process of self reflection, control of emotion, concentration and meditation are considered far more important on your journey.
We can discuss how old yoga is and how complex the history of the evolution into a modern day yoga class can be. We can discuss the benefits and pitfalls of how many sun salutations should be in a class and how many minutes savāsana should go for. We can reflect on how many times a week we want to practice in a public yoga class and how much self reflection and meditation we should be conducting on our own.
We can count and try to understand all these things and they will give us a greater understanding of where we feel we stand in the great sphere of the yoga world and we can also follow tried and tested steps from those that have come before us and see if our paths that we walk become similar.
The journey of yoga isn’t as simple as 1, 2, 3 but it also doesn’t need to have infinite confusions. Trying to find that balance between counting and getting lost in the count can be a really important part of the practice, whether we realize it or not.
With any action we are taking, it could be on the yoga mat in the form of movement, posture, breath or prayer, all that counts is the intention and desire behind what we are doing and why. Patañjali is saying that we need to control our social and personal attitudes before we can sit still. The Buddha has described that suffering exists, it is caused by craving and attachment, it can end and its ending can be found by following another eightfold path. The three Goddesses can provide guidance and meaning through life and you can chant 108 rounds of mantra guided by your mala beads.
There are always going to be things to count, list and categorise when it comes to yoga. The beauty of the practice is finding the things that are the most meaningful to you and if they work then they are definitely all that counts.
– Doug Whittaker