By Madi Eunis
Yamas: External interactions in the world
- Ahimsa: Non-Violence
- Asteya: Non-Stealing
- Satya: Truthfulness
- Brahmacharya: Self-Control for Devotion
- Aparigraha: Service to Community
Niyamas: Internal interactions in the inner world
- Saucha: Cleanliness
- Santosha: Contentment/Gratitude
- Tapas: Discipline
- Svadhyaya: Self-Study
- Ishvara pranidhana: Surrender to the Divine
Real yoga is more than just the asanas (postures)! In traditional yoga practices, the moral code comes first. Yoga in its fullest capacity is a lifestyle.
What are they?
Yamas and Niyamas, the guidelines to the external and internal life to ensure purity, connection, and spiritual connection. They are the first two limbs of yoga which come before asana yoga: the physical practice of through postures and ‘exercise’ in a lot of yoga studios.
Before we even start practicing asana yoga, it’s important to look at your own lifestyle along with your habits. Yamas and Niyamas are ways to instill a moral code, but also create a strong habitual foundation to have a successful earthly experience. This starts to show that yoga isn’t just a physical practice, but it is a true way of life.
These guidelines seem simple, but when they’re fully practiced, it’s so profound. We don’t realize how hard it is to be a hundred percent truthful all the time. To say things how they are rather than saying a white lie or trying to protect someone's feelings. It’s not easy to study yourself and be truly honest with yourself and your past. Yet all of these things are a part of the yoga path.
To practice yoga, you are agreeing to practice these values. If not, then you’re just practicing asana, which is very different from practicing yoga. Still a beautiful and healthy practice for all aspects of your life, it's just more surface level part of the philosophy.
Self-Research
No one is trying to be a yoga police here, but if you want to practice yoga, it is important to do some research! To learn more about the path than what your hot yoga teacher is telling you in class. Ask them questions after class. Search up the history of yoga. Yoga is an ancient practice that goes deep. No one is expecting you to know everything, but at least begin to learn the culture in which it comes from. How would you feel if someone just took your idea and only showed people a portion of it and made a whole business out of it? Without the ‘moral codes’ or the ethics or the traditions that come with it?
Make yourself Proud!
Needless to say, the yamas and the niyamas give us a guideline to structure our lives, to show up with integrity, to be in service to others and the divine, and to keep ourselves in check.
It takes time to integrate these things into our lives and no one is perfect. Hence why yoga is a practice and everyday is an opportunity to make a decision that will make your future self proud.
Ways you can simply connect with each one:
Yamas
Ahimsa: Not killing the spider that wanders in your house! Let him outside! We’re all life contributing to the ecosystem.
Asteya: Of course, not to steal physical things, but we can also steal things like time from people. So show up on time for a meeting, communicate with the person you were supposed to meet with that you canceled last minute on, etc.
Satya: White lies, cut ‘em out. Be honest, you’re not responsible for other people’s karma. It’s okay to speak the truth without apologizing.
Brahmacharya: Be mindful with your sexual energy. When you feel sexual, put that creative energy into a passion project you’re working on that you know would help people. That’s in service to you, your God, and the world around you.
Aparigraha: Volunteer for something! Raise money for an organization you believe in. Say something kind to the stranger next to you. Not everything has to be a huge act of service, but just taking a small amount of time to do something for someone else.
Niyamas
Saucha: To be basic, make sure you brush your teeth everyday. In Ayurveda, which is the sister practice to yoga, tongue scraping is an amazing practice that you can do every morning after you brush your teeth. Super simple, and cleans out toxins the body digested overnight.
Santosha: Say something you’re grateful for everyday. Make it a priority!!
Tapas: Create structure and discipline by committing to doing one thing that is the same thing every day. Tapas can show up with a daily asana practice. It can be about maintaining the practices I’ve already mentioned! Consistency is key to liberation.
Svadhyaya: Something I like to do is ask myself the ‘whys.’ Why am I doing this task this way? Why do I say negative things to myself when I mess something up or say the wrong thing? Why do I like sweets rather than bitters?
Ishvara pranidhana: This is connection & surrender to something bigger than you, so this can look like a daily prayer to your specific deity, God, Spirit, Universe, whatever calls to you.
Start simple! Be kind with yourself, but ultimately the commitment to these values and practices gives you a structure to life that allows you to be who you are, while moving with respect for the beings around you.
