yama (यम, yama) = (iic.) respect for others; ethical and moral codes of conduct; codes of conduct
niyama (नियम, niyama) = respect for yourself; code of conduct vis-à-vis yourself
asana (आसन, āsana) = body posture; seat; harmony with your body
pranayama (प्राणायाम, prāṇāyāma) = breath control; harmony with vital energy
pratyahara (प्रत्याहार, pratyāhāra) = (iic.) withdrawal of the senses; harmony with emotions
dharana (धारणा, dhāraṇā) = (nom. pl. m./acc. pl. f./nom. pl. f.) concentration; harmony with thoughts
dhyana (ध्यान, dhyāna) = (iic.) contemplation; meditation
samadhayah (समाधयः, samādhayaḥ) = (nom. pl. m. from samadhaya (समाधय, samādhaya)) ecstasy; samadhi; goal of yoga; enlightenment; transcendent state
ashta (अष्ट, aṣṭa) = respect
angani (अङ्गानि, aṅgāni) = (acc. pl. n./nom. pl. n. from anga (अङ्ग, aṅga)) limbs

I will now discuss the individual stages along the eight-fold path.

Preparatory stages

The preparatory stages along the path to yoga – yama (यम, yama) and niyama (नियम, niyama) – for the basis for the actual practice of yoga.

Practice of yoga

The practice of ashtanga yoga (अष्टाङ्गयोग, aṣṭāṅga-yoga) itself comprises asana (आसन, āsana), pranayama (प्राणायाम, prāṇāyāma), pratyahara (प्रत्याहार, pratyāhāra) and dharana (धारणा, dhāraṇā), i.e. from the physical to the ethereal, as follows: asnana (आस्नन, āsnana): harmony with the physical body; pranayama (प्राणायाम, prāṇāyāma): harmony with the energetic body; pratyahara (प्रत्याहार, pratyāhāra): emotional harmony; dharana (धारणा, dhāraṇā): harmony of thought.

Stages in meditation

However, dharana (धारणा, dhāraṇā) is also the connecting link to the inner stages of ashtanga yoga (अष्टाङ्गयोग, aṣṭāṅga-yoga). The three stages of meditation (samyama) are dharana (धारणा, dhāraṇā), ~dhyana (ँध्यान, ɱdhyāna) and samadhi (समाधि, samādhi), or concentration, contemplation and absolute knowledge.

Conclusions:

Although the physical practice of the asana vinyasa (आसनविन्यास, āsana-vinyāsa) system forms the basis for ashta“nga yoga (अष्टा“न्ग योग, aṣṭā“nga yoga), this system should not be confused with asana (आसन, āsana), for the practice of asana vinyasa (आसनविन्यास, āsana-vinyāsa) begins with the physical sphere and evolves organically to the mental sphere via energy and the emotions in such a way that a new person emerges. The consequent changes are not confined to the excercises you do on a yoga mat, for they alter the shape of your entire life.

The following sentences of the yoga sutra describe the various stages and practice stages of ashtanga yoga. The meditation stage is described in the third section.