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Yamas and Niyamas

The Yama's and Niyama's are just 2 of the 8 limbs of yoga, core values of yoga originally meant to be practied before yoga, before the first sun salutation's . Yama's being restraints, or ethical principles and Niyama's being observances, or personal disciplines. The yamas and niyamas are sort of reflective guidelines to help deepen our self-awareness in yoga classes, but also beyond into our lives. Tools to help live in this world with ease and integrity. When we pay attention to the aspects of yoga that don’t involve balancing upside down or doing the splits, we begin to realize that there is a much deeper meaning to our practice, and that the path of yoga has so many amazing gifts to offer. 

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The five yamas are Ahisma, Satya, Asteya, Bramacharya, and Aparigraha

Ahimsa means onn-violence or nonviolence.

  • Ahisma in Asana: 

  • Let go of expectations, in these asanas and also in your thoughts.  Our bodies work with us, not against and harmful thoughts and unrealistic expectations can do more harm than good. 

  • Ahimsa in thoughts- Everything may be going great and feeling great, but fii your thoughts are harmful, you can bet you won’t feel that great.  Ahimsa means being mindful of your thoughts. Not just towards or about ourselves. These negative thoughts can appear as jealousy, judgement, anger, resentment. Loving, kind thoughts cause dopamine to be released in the body. The good “relaxation” chemical. This can create more joy in your life and those around you. 

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  • Release hostility and irritability. Create space for peace

  • Look at the attitudes you have that might be keeping you from feeling at peace

  • Notice your negativity - then step back. 

  • My favorite description of ahimsa is of a dynamic peacefulness prepared to meet all needs with loving openness,” says Charlotte Bell, a longtime Iyengar Yoga teacher and the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life. “There’s a suggestion of a state of balance that can evolve, that meets each situation in an open and accepting way.

  • Yoga Sutra 2:35 - In the presence of one firmly established in non violence, all hostilities cease.”

  • Ahimsa in asana- Remembering Ahimsa throughout your practice guides you to let go of thinking negatively about yourself; to accept  yourself completely. Forget about judging yourself on how strong or flexible you are. In the physical sense, through our yoga asanas, non-violence means we don’t push ourselves over the edge. Challenge yourself, yes. Find the edge that might be hard but know not to push yourself to harm. Respect your boundaries, listen to your body, find a sustainable practice. 

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  • “Watch your thoughts; they become words.   Watch your words; they become actions.  Watch your actions; they become habit.  Watch your habits; they become character.  Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” – Lao Tzu 

  • 5:40 Let’s start this class with an open and accepting mindset towards ourselves and others. Good, kind thoughts. Losing the expectations we have. Being proud of our bodies and where we are in this moment.

  •  Ahimsa is a dynamic peacefulness prepared to meet all needs with loving openness. There’s a suggestion of a state of balance that can evolve, that meets each situation in an open and accepting way.” 

  • -Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life

  • How can you practice ahimsa in your life?  

  • Notice your negativity. Then step back.Look at the attitudes you have that might be keeping you from feeling at peace. Begin to notice these negative thoughts before they build. Create space for peace. Speak kind words, think kind thoughts and remind yourselves and others that you are strong, capable, and intelligent. 

  • Think about this throughout the week. Next Thursday we will talk about the second yama, Satya or truthfulness. 

  • Satya: Truthfulness

    • Be sure not to confuse your POV with the truth. 

    • Each moment I ask - am I speaking the truth? Or am I just giving my opinion filtered through my mind and my prejudices/bias?

    • Consider both spoken and unspoken aspects

      • Don't mislead through omission

      • Don’t say everything on your mind - especially if it is hurtful.

    • Use your words to elevate and speak the highest

    • Silence can help distinguish between opinions and reality. 

      • Able to examine the roots of your speech and thoughts on an inner level

  • Asteya: Non Stealing

    • Not only tangibles

      • Can steal time, energy, happiness, ideas, etc

    • Respect the time and energy of others. Give more than you take.

  • Brahmacharya: Energy Moderation

    • Literally means “walking in the way of god”

    • Preventing dissipation of energy through mis-use of senses

    • When you practice brahmacharya you don't let your sense rule your behavior, you are not urge driven

    • Whatever disturbs the mind and body disturbs the spiritual life - overstimulation, foods, loud music, violent movies, etc

    • Look at energy like money $ how do you want to spend it?

    • Asanas: learn to regulate effort so you're not pushing/forcing or draining life force/breath 

      •  “I’ll put my students in a pose and have them consider what they would have to do—or stop doing—to stay in it for an hour. Almost universally, their faces will relax and their shoulders will drop down, and they’ll find that they put energy into things they didn’t need to. Asana should be replenishing your energy, not draining it.”

      • Experiment with this practice on your mat, then take it into the rest of your life. No matter what’s going on—whether it’s being delayed for your next appointment by a long line at the supermarket, or nervously kissing a new love interest—ask yourself: Can I let go of my tension and relax into this moment?

      • Notice how the situation doesn’t need your stress to resolve itself. And by not giving so much energy to intense moments—by not squandering your life force—you can be more at ease in all moments.

  • Aparigraha: Non grasping

    • Freedom from wanting more and more is true freedom

    • Choice not to hoard/accumulate goods through greed.

      • Instead - change your attitude about the material world.

    • When accumulating more ask yourself

      • Do I need this for my role in life

      • Am I accumulating this out of fear or greed

    • Stuff comes and goes

    • The idea is: Just let it go. “If our homes are filled with old junk that doesn’t apply to us anymore, there’s no room for new energy to come in,” says Bell. That holds true for the nonmaterial ideas and attitudes you cling to as well. “If you are hanging on to old beliefs about yourself or your relationships, or clinging to a career that no longer feeds you, there’s no latitude to move in a different direction.”

    • To invite aparigraha, try a simple practice. “Acknowledge abundance and practice gratitude,” says Devi. “You don’t need more and more if you are grateful and feeling fulfilled with what you have in the moment.”

 





 

5 Niyamas-self disciplines- active observances

  • Saucha: Purity

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  • Santosha: Contentment

  • Tapas: Self-Discipline / effort

  • Svadhyaya: Self-Study

  • Ishvara Pranidhana: Dedication to the Highest

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