The Yamas
This post will be the first in a series of posts that review the living practice of yoga. The Yamas are the code by which yoga practitioners treat not just others but also themselves.
The first of the Eight Limbs of Yoga as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras has five parts:
- Non-Harm (Ahimsa)
- Truthfullness (Satya)
- Non-Stealing (Asteya)
- Non-wasting of Vital Energies (Brahmacharya)
- Non-Greed (Aparigraha)
The Yamas are something that relate to oneself and to others. The Yamas are a code of conduct that can be used in daily life. For the purposes of this post, we will focus on how the Yamas apply to our own lives. We have to first focus on our behavior towards ourselves before we can look at our behaviors towards others. Oftentimes as I teach, I will use one of the Yamas as a theme. In a yoga practice, I invite students to begin an inward journey to consider whatever the theme may be. I ask students to consider how the specific Yama applies to their life. Each of the Yamas are complex and you may find that each Yama may have more than one meaning. I find that the Yamas are personal and while they have a definition outlined in the Sutras, the application of the Yamas is something personal. The concept of truth or non-harm can differ from person to person.
Application of the Yamas
Ahimsa
There are multiple applications for each of the Yamas. Take Ahimsa for example. This is the Yama of non-harm. Does non-harm mean that you have to be a pacifist? Does this mean that you have to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet? Does this mean taking a vow of silence so that you never utter any negative words? The meaning of Ahimsa is personal and will be different from person to person. While one might eat a vegan diet, there are others like Jain nuns, that wear face masks so that they avoid injuring any flying critters.
The application of Ahimsa is personal and is something that needs careful consideration. There is a lot that goes into developing a practice of non-harm. For someone in the military or police force, how can they practice non-harm when they may have to take the life of someone while in the line of duty? The honest answer is that by taking the life of someone a police or military officer may be practicing non-harm by preventing further harm from happening.
Satya
Practicing truthfulness seems like common sense but there are depths to this concept that we do not ordinarily think about. For example, being truthful with oneself. I find this the hardest aspect of Satya. Having a level of self-awareness to recognize when something needs to change. I recognize that there are times when I need to take a moment to breath before continuing what I am doing. Ignoring the need to take a moment and continuing to work is lying to yourself. You need to be honest with yourself and accept that it is okay to take a moment. Deluding yourself into thinking that you can keep going and maintain the quality of your work is not acceptable. That is not practicing Satya. Another way to look at Satya is saying what you mean. Don’t live life sugar coating the truth. Be frank with yourself and others but do so in a way that honors the practice of Ahimsa.
More to come in part two when I look at Asteya and Brahmacharya.