Yamas and Niyamas

Yoga in the US often focuses on the physical practices of poses, or asana. This is where many (myself included) are first introduced to yoga. While this is a great place to start, yoga has eight limbs, and asana is actually the third limb in this hierarchical structure. 

So, what comes before asana? The first two limbs, the yamas and niyamas, are ethical principles that direct our way of living. There are many ways to translate yamas and niyamas from Sanskrit to English, but one that resonates with me is yamas as moral restraints and niyamas as moral obligations. In other words, they are the do’s and don’ts of living according to yoga. 

I first delved into the philosophical study of yoga during my 200-hour teacher training, and am nowhere near an expert. Here we will walk through a simple overview of the yamas and niyamas. Keep in mind that there are many, many more layers than can be explored in a short list. 

Yamas

• Ahimsa (nonviolence) calls us to treat ourselves, others, and everything around us with loving compassion through our thoughts, words, and actions. 
• Satya (truthfulness) calls us to be our true selves, even when it is uncomfortable or doesn’t fit the societal mold. 
• Asteya (nonstealing) calls us to allow things (events, other people, ourselves) to be as they are and to appreciate them without our own agenda. 
• Brahmacharya (nonexcess) calls us to enjoy life to the fullest without overindulging or creating addictive actions that end up controlling us. 
• Aparigraha (nonpossessiveness) calls us to let go of our attachments so we can be ready to receive the gifts that life has awaiting us. 

Niyamas

• Saucha (purity) calls us to purify ourselves so that we can be truly present during each moment of our lives.
• Santosha (contentment) calls us not to seek externally a fulfillment of our preferences, but rather to allow our internal sense of calm to guide us through each moment without seeking. 
• Tapas (self-discipline) calls us to stoke our internal flame and do difficult things to prepare us for all the challenges of life. 
• Svadhyaya (self-study) calls us to peel back and understand all the layers that surround our core selves. 
• Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender) calls us to let go of everything and surrender to the higher power in our lives. 

Stay tuned for the next blog post including reflection questions to help you start thinking about how these ethical principles show up in your life.