Get to know yoga’s ethical guidelines.
What they are:
The Yamas and Niyamas are the first two limbs in what is known at the 8-fold Path outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. They are a set of ethical guidelines that invite us into deeper relationship with who we are and into greater awareness of how we interact with ourselves, life and the world at large. These ideas are not unique to yoga – in fact they are a part of many wisdom traditions – which makes them an even more powerful resource for supporting our desire to live on purpose regardless of our personally held religious, ideological or philosophical beliefs. In this way, they are fundamental and a committed exploration of the wisdom they hold will naturally lead us to live more skillfully, more consciously and more authentically.
The Yamas include Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (non-excess), and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness). They are often referred to as “restraints” and provide us with a road map for being in mature relationship with life. They ask us to take full responsibility for balancing our very real needs with the very real needs of the collective and guide us toward navigating that balance with more skill, honesty and integrity.
The Niyamas include Saucha (purity), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (self-discipline), Svadhyaya (self-study), and Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender). They are often referred to as “observances” and offer us a roadmap for inner exploration. An intentional exploration of the Niyamas guides us toward a mature and loving relationship with ourselves, pointing us in the direction of our inner wisdom and personal power.
How to incorporate them into your practice/life:
The Yamas and Niyamas serve as a guide for gaining awareness of the qualities and attitudes that we bring to our inner and outer lives. They invite us into honest and loving relationship with ourselves and challenge us to be a clear and authentic expression in the world. There is no right or wrong way to approach an exploration of these concepts and as you spend time with any one concept, you will inevitably be drawn into an exploration of the others. The very “best” way to incorporate them into your life and practice is to do so with curiosity. Here are some questions to get you started (you may find it useful to use them as journal prompts or as points of reflection to carry into meditation):
Which of these concepts feel comfortable for me to explore? Why?
Which of these concepts do I feel a little uncomfortable exploring? Why?
How might I incorporate (choose a concept) more intentionally into my life today?
Which of these concepts feel challenging for me to incorporate into my day?
Ready to learn more?
If you are interested in exploring more on your own, one of my favorite books on the topic is The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele. If you’d like to explore in community, we will be exploring each of the Yamas and Niyamas together starting next month with Ahimsa (non-violence). Look for insights, inspiration and ideas in our weekly emails, here in the online journal and on our social media pages. We are also adding a monthly workshop on the second Sunday of the month from 3-5pm to dive a little deeper and be curious about what we are finding together in community.