In a latest submit, I wrote concerning the Eight Limbs of Yoga. The Eight Limbs are a framework for working towards all facets of the system of yoga. The primary of those limbs is named yama. 

I take into account yama to be the inspiration of the entire system. Yama means “restraint.” On this context, restraint refers to utilizing clever discrimination to contemplate your actions on the planet, so that you simply create an moral floor from which to behave. The yamas usually are not commandments, nevertheless. They’re pointers for making a peaceable life by means of your actions on the planet. The yamas ask us to contemplate whether or not the actions we want to undertake are prone to trigger hurt or to result in happiness—for ourselves and others.

Like all of the limbs of yoga, yama is a follow that we refine as we evolve in our lives. Making use of the ideas of the yamas in our lives requires that we take into account them anew with every scenario we discover ourselves in. So, being aware is vital. The truth that there aren’t any hard-and-fast guidelines makes the follow dynamic, and permits us to deepen our understanding as we transfer by means of our lives.

What follows is a quite simple, very quick synopsis of the yamas. Every one is worthy of a lifetime of research and follow. When you’re concerned with inquiring additional, my first e book, Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe, devotes a chapter to every yama, and contains methods you’ll be able to incorporate the yamas into asana follow. The knowledge under can maybe act as a springboard for additional inquiry.

The 5 Yamas

Ahimsa (Non-Harming)

If yama is the inspiration of the Eight Limbs of Yoga, then ahimsa is the inspiration of that basis. All the opposite yamas are refinements of the idea of non-harming. Ahimsa asks us to contemplate the doable penalties of our actions. It additionally asks us to concentrate on our intentions. Alistair Shearer defines ahimsa as “dynamic peacefulness.” I like this fashion of describing it, as a result of means we’re not merely avoiding inflicting hurt. We’re deliberately cultivating a peaceable method of being, in order that over time, performing with kindness and care turns into computerized.

Satya (Truthfulness)

Truthfulness is the inspiration of all our interactions on the planet. To ensure that any relationship to develop and thrive, it have to be based mostly in reality. Being untruthful harms us by strengthening untruthfulness as a behavior. It harms others as a result of they’ll by no means really feel protected once they can’t belief our intentions, phrases or actions. Right here once more, mindfulness is vital. As a way to acknowledge—after which act from—fact, we have now to know what’s true within the first place. We do that by wanting deeply at our beliefs, habits and motivations.

Asteya (Non-Stealing)

Asteya asks us to chorus from taking what isn’t provided. This contains materials items (cash, valuables) and likewise mental property. So we don’t “assist ourselves” to others’ possessions if we’re not invited to take action. In the identical vein, asteya guides us to ask permission and to credit score others after we share their phrases and concepts.

Brahmacharya (Smart Use of Sexuality)

Our sexual vitality is the supply of our creativity. It’s a highly effective vitality that has nice potential to result in happiness, or to trigger hurt if we misuse it. Sexual encounters should all the time be consensual, and should not be employed merely for our personal self-aggrandizement. The misuse of this vitality, particularly by individuals in positions of energy, is ubiquitous in all walks of life—together with the yoga world. Like the opposite yamas, clever follow is difficult. Donna Farhi’s e book, Instructing Yoga: Exploring the Instructor-Scholar Relationship, delves deeply into the teacher-student relationship, together with the follow of brahmacharya.

Aparigraha (Non-Greed)

In line with Buddhist follow, greed is without doubt one of the three sources of struggling. (The others are hatred and delusion.) It’s a supply of struggling as a result of it might by no means be glad; it might solely be briefly quelled. Once we get no matter it’s that we wish, we could really feel glad, a minimum of for some time. Nevertheless it’s not lengthy earlier than another need arises, and leads us to pin our hopes on the following object we expect we should have. Greed applies not solely to materials possessions, but additionally to relationships, experiences and the necessity for consideration. The true sources of happiness is contentment, gratitude and appreciation for our lives as they’re. This doesn’t imply we shouldn’t attempt to attain our aspirations. It merely signifies that we perceive that all the pieces in our lives comes and goes. Happiness is out there to all of us, and its potential is already inside us. The antidote to greed is to follow generosity. Once we domesticate a behavior of giving, we perceive extra deeply the enjoyment of letting go.

Straightforward Does It

Generally it might appear overwhelming to attempt to incorporate all these ideas into your life. I recommend committing to follow one by one. It may be useful to decide to, say, a yr working towards a single yama. The deal with one precept may also help you incorporate it into your life extra simply. Determine which of the yamas resonates most deeply for you. Then start to use it to the alternatives you make in your life.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the creator of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third e book is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and people sextet Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.