Awareness In Action
The Yamas & Niyamas
As the sage Patanjali laid out in his Yoga Sutras, the yamas & niyamas are the first two limbs of yoga. These are essentially mindfulness practices that force us to
cultivate self-awareness in how we engage with ourselves and the world around us
let go of behaviors, emotional reactivity, and beliefs that create internal and external conflict
consciously choose our actions, thoughts, and words instead of operating from habit and reactivity
dedicate ourselves to a spiritual and healing journey
The Sutras list the yamas and niyamas in ascending order of difficulty. The yamas generally concern behavior - don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t harm, etc. - making them somewhat easier to access than the niyamas, which require deeper introspection, unpacking emotional baggage, examining unconscious beliefs, and breaking/making habits. Likewise, the first of the yamas (ahimsa/nonviolence) is generally easier to access than the last (aparigraha/non-grasping), and the first of the niyamas (saucha/cleanliness) is generally easier to access than the last (ishvara pranidhana/surrender).
It’s important to bear in mind that the yamas and niyamas do not dictate morality or how a person should live: adherence to them doesn’t determine whether a person or action is “bad” or “good”. These are practices intended to shift the yogi’s spiritual and energetic alignment toward existing as One with everything: they are paths toward Union and freedom.
Yamas - 1st Limb of Yoga
The Sanskrit word yamas translates to “restraints”, referring to controlling our behavior. The yamas are five yogic principles that guide actions, thoughts, and words:
ahimsa (nonviolence)
satya (truth)
asteya (non-stealing)
brahmacharya (right use of energy)
aparigraha (non-grasping, non-attachment)
Niyamas - 2nd Limb of Yoga
The Sanskrit word niyamas translates to “observances” and is often interpreted as rules or guidelines intended to “purify” the body and mind. (Personally, I prefer the direct translation - observances - which implies watching or seeing: in this case, the practice of seeing oneself clearly.) The five niyamas are a process of examining unconscious motivations, cleansing the body, and clearing out emotional baggage:
saucha (purity, cleanliness)
santosha (contentment, acceptance)
tapas (discipline)
svadhyaya (self-study)
ishvara pranidhana (surrender)
Living Your Practice
During asana practice, you apply the yamas and niyamas regularly, whether or not you realize it! You hold a pose and stay present with your breath (tapas) while observing the emotions or reactions that surface (svadhyaya) and allowing them to process through your system with tears or Lion’s Breath (satya). When going deeper into a pose is beyond the healthy capability of your body, you stay present in a modified version (ahimsa), letting go of the ego trip trying to push you past your limits (aparigraha). You seek out the ways in which a stretch feels delicious or connected instead of ruminating on the fact that you’re so tight (santosha). You sweat and breathe deeply throughout practice (saucha), channel energy through your system with breath and awareness (brahmacharya), and conclude practice with savasana, releasing control of body and breath entirely (ishvara pranidhana).
Two phrases commonly used in yoga culture - “live your practice” and “taking your practice off the mat” - refer to incorporating the yamas and niyamas into daily life. You already practice them on the mat with your asana sessions - the next step is to consciously take this awareness off the mat and truly live your practice!
Keeping checking in as we go through each of the yamas and niyamas in turn, exploring the nuances and intentions behind them and how to apply them off the mat.
Next up: Ahimsa - “Do No Harm”
What have you already taken from your mat into your daily life? Can you find a correlation to the yamas or niyamas?