\u201cPatanjali has offered us guidelines that will allow us to have enhanced emotional and mental well-being and a more fulfilling and meaningful life,\u201d says Joan Shivarpita Harrigan, a practicing psychologist and former director of Patanjali Kundalini Yoga Care<\/a>. \u201cThe Yoga Sutra is specifically designed to lead to greater happiness and spiritual fulfillment for you and everyone around you.\u201d<\/p>\n Patanjali\u2019s Yoga Sutras, thought to have been written between the second century BCE and fifth century CE, outline an eight-limbed path for purifying the body and mind. (This is also called the Eightfold Path of classical yoga, or Ashtanga Yoga). The ultimate goal: to help practitioners cultivate a steady mind, leading toward everlasting contentment.<\/p>\n The yamas (social, ethical restraints) and niyamas (self-disciplines) are the first two stops on the path. These ethical principles guide how we relate to other people and how we take care of ourselves. The other limbs include postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), withdrawal of the senses (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana), and absorption into the Divine (samadhi).<\/p>\n Yoga is more than just asana, says Nicolai Bachman, a Sanskrit scholar who is the author of The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga.<\/a> \u201cIt\u2019s really a way of life.\u201d<\/p>\n The five yamas and five niyamas that make up the ethical precepts, or core values, of yoga. They provide a recipe for living in the world with ease and integrity. Long before the West embraced sweaty asana classes and tight-fitting yoga pants, these principles were a deeply embedded part of yoga culture, providing practitioners with a philosophy for how to make their way through the world. Rather than being a supplement or an afterthought to yoga asana, they are the starting place of yoga\u2014meant to be practiced before you do your very first Sun Salutation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe yamas are really about restraining behaviors that are motivated by grasping, aversion, hatred, and delusion. The niyamas are designed to create well-being for ourselves and others,\u201d says Stephen Cope, the author of The Wisdom of Yoga<\/a>. People sometimes think of them as yoga\u2019s Ten Commandments, but they aren\u2019t concerned with right or wrong in an absolute sense. \u201cThere\u2019s no thought of heaven or hell. It\u2019s about avoiding behaviors that produce suffering and difficulty, and embracing those that lead to states of happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n The five yamas ask practitioners to avoid violence, lying, stealing, wasting energy, and possessiveness. The five niyamas ask us to embrace cleanliness and contentment, to purify ourselves through heat, to continually study and observe our habits, and to surrender to something greater than ourselves.<\/p>\n Many of these principles have multifaceted nuances. For example, Bachman says, the meaning of tapas<\/em>\u2014purifying through heat\u2014isn\u2019t so much about sweating out toxins in a hot yoga class as it is about tolerating the heat of mental discomfort when one habitual pattern rubs up against a new, hopefully more beneficial, one. When Susanna Barkataki, author of Embrace Yoga\u2019s Roots: Courageous Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice<\/a>, studied satya<\/em>, truth telling, she says \u201cI started to understand how seeking truth could also involve self-inquiry. To discern the truth, we have to know ourselves deeply,\u201d she wrote in an essay for Yoga Journal<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n Because these principles were written thousands of years ago and once considered mandatory vows for any yoga practitioner, the yamas and the niyamas can be difficult ideas to market or embrace in a secular, contemporary society. But Deborah Adele, author of The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga\u2019s Ethical Practice<\/a>, describes them less as rigid directives and more as reflective tools that allow us to deepen our self-awareness in yoga class and beyond.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand the meanings of these concepts in different ways every time I study them,\u201d says Adele. \u201cWhen I first ran across the yamas and niyamas, my reaction was, \u2018Well, I\u2019m not violent and I tell the truth.\u2019\u201d But with more reflection, she realized that ills like violence, dishonesty, and stealing have subtler manifestations, too. For example, violence isn\u2019t just firing a weapon; it may also arise in the harsh ways we treat ourselves, such as pushing into a potentially injurious pose to keep up or compete with classmates. Practicing the yama of non-possessiveness (aparigraha) could be interpreted as letting go of old grudges.<\/p>\n Rather than thinking of the yamas and niyamas as a mandatory \u201cto-do list,\u201d view them as invitations to act in ways that promote inner and outer peace and bliss. They also provide a mirror in which to study your practice and your Self. Viniyoga teacher and yoga sutra scholar Gary Kraftsow says they represent the qualities of an integrated human being. You get there through practice, contemplation, meditation, and working to transform yourself.<\/p>\n \u201cThe path of practice begins with understanding and refining the different dimensions of who you are, and it unfolds progressively, not all at once,\u201d says Kraftsow. \u201cThe whole goal of yoga is Self-realization, which can also be called freedom.\u201d The yamas and niyamas give you infinite opportunities to truly transform your life.<\/p>\n Patanjali doesn\u2019t tell you how specifically to \u201cdo\u201d the yamas and niyamas\u2014that\u2019s up to you. But the promise is that, if you align your life with them, they\u2019ll lead you to the higher calling that many of us aspire to: peace, abundance, harmonious relationships, contentment, self-acceptance, love, and meaningful connection to the Divine. These are considered the essence of happiness.<\/p>\n Here, we\u2019ve asked prominent yoga teachers and philosophers to share their interpretations of each yama and niyama to help you make them a part of your path. (Sutra interpretations that appear throughout this story are taken from Bernard Bouanchaud\u2019s book The Essence of Yoga<\/a>.)<\/p>\n In yoga philosophy, ahimsa\u2014often translated as \u201cnon-violence\u201d or \u201cnonharming\u201d\u2014is the opportunity to relinquish hostility and irritability, and instead make space within your consciousness for peace. \u201cIn that space, all the anger, separation, and aggression resolve themselves,\u201d says Kraftsow. This allows you to let others be who they are, and to relate to the world in a whole new way.<\/p>\n To incorporate ahimsa into your life, look at all the attitudes you have that might be keeping you from feeling at peace. \u201cI encourage students to notice how many times they have an enemy image of something\u2014a neighbor, a co-worker, even the government,\u201d says Judith Hanson Lasater, a renowned yoga teacher and the author of ten books, including A Year of Living Your Yoga<\/a>. \u201cWrite down your five most negative thoughts,\u201d she says. \u201cThese thoughts themselves are a form of violence.\u201d Lasater recommends that you hold your negativity in your consciousness and step back from it a bit. Just noticing the negativity can help you stop feeding the thoughts and lead you toward peace.<\/p>\n \u201cMy favorite description of ahimsa is of a dynamic peacefulness prepared to meet all needs with loving openness,\u201d says Charlotte Bell, a longtime Iyengar Yoga teacher and the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life<\/a>. \u201cThere\u2019s a suggestion of a state of balance that can evolve, that meets each situation in an open and accepting way.\u201d<\/p>\n Many interpretations of the Sutras promise that once you\u2019re fully vested in satya, everything you say will come to be realized. Satya requires that you consider both the spoken and unspoken aspects of your words. You don\u2019t want to mislead through omission; neither do you have to say everything that\u2019s on your mind\u2014especially if it\u2019s hurtful. \u201cDon\u2019t gossip, even if the information you\u2019re giving is true,\u201d says Kraftsow. \u201cInstead, speak only of the highest. Use your words to elevate the listener.\u201d When you do so, you elevate yourself in the process.<\/p>\n Many spiritual seekers find that spending time<\/a> in silence helps them notice the distinction between opinions and reality. Slowing down your internal chatter can help ground you in satya. \u201cSilence is discriminative restraint,\u201d says Cope. \u201cYou are able to examine the roots of speech on an inner level, which enables you to better control your gross outward communication.\u201d You then establish a way of interacting with the world that includes both ahimsa and satya, both peacefulness and truthfulness.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t steal, the Yoga Sutras say, and all good things will come to you. Because asteya is commonly translated to mean refraining from taking anything that is not freely offered, the first things most people think of are money, clothes, food, and other tangibles. But there\u2019s more to asteya than what is found on the material plane.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are lots of things you can steal,\u201d says Devi. \u201cYou can steal someone\u2019s time if you are late. You can steal someone\u2019s energy. You can steal someone\u2019s happiness. You can steal someone else\u2019s ideas if you represent them as your own.\u201d<\/p>\n To invite asteya into your life, consider what you truly need and refrain from letting your desires persuade you to take more. Have fair trade be your mantra\u2014not only in your shopping habits but also in all of your day-to-day interactions. Respect the time and energy of others, give credit where credit is due, and see if you can help build up the world\u2019s kindness reserves by giving more than you take.<\/p>\n The most talked about interpretation of brahmacharya is celibacy. But you needn\u2019t become a monk or ascetic to be a good yogi. Many people embrace a broader interpretation of this yama. \u201cIt literally means \u2018walking in the way of God,’\u201d says Harrigan. \u201cIt\u2019s about preventing the dissipation of one\u2019s energy through the misuse of the senses. It\u2019s a personal energy-conservation program. When you practice brahmacharya, you are not letting the senses rule your behavior; you are not urge driven.\u201d<\/p>\n Anything that causes turbulence in the mind and stirs the emotions might be seen as a violation of brahmacharya: overstimulating foods, loud music, violent movies, and yes, inappropriate sexual behavior. \u201cWhatever disturbs the mind and body disturbs the spiritual life\u2014it\u2019s all one energy,\u201d says Devi. \u201cBrahmacharya asks you to consider how you spend it. Look at energy like money in the bank: If you have $100, you don\u2019t want to spend it all right away so that you have nothing left. Become a good energy manager.\u201d<\/p>\n Brahmacharya has applications in the physical practice, says Bell. \u201cWhen you\u2019re working with asana, you need to learn to regulate your effort so that you\u2019re not pushing and forcing, which drains the life force,\u201d she explains. \u201cI\u2019ll put my students in a pose and have them consider what they would have to do\u2014or stop doing\u2014to stay in it for an hour. Almost universally, their faces will relax and their shoulders will drop down, and they\u2019ll find that they put energy into things they didn\u2019t need to. Asana should be replenishing your energy, not draining it.\u201d<\/p>\n Experiment with this practice on your mat, then take it into the rest of your life. No matter what\u2019s going on\u2014whether it\u2019s being delayed for your next appointment by a long line at the supermarket, or nervously kissing a new love interest\u2014ask yourself: Can I let go of my tension and relax into this moment?<\/p>\n Notice how the situation doesn\u2019t need your stress to resolve itself. And by not giving so much energy to intense moments\u2014by not squandering your life force\u2014you can be more at ease in all moments.<\/p>\n Aparigraha can mean \u201cnon-hoarding\u201d or \u201cnongrasping,\u201d and it can be a tough sell in this consumer culture of ours. But freedom from wanting more and more is just that: freedom.<\/p>\n \u201cAparigraha is the decision to not hoard or accumulate goods through greed but rather to develop an attitude of stewardship toward the material world,\u201d Harrigan says. \u201cBefore you bring anything into your home, ask yourself: Do I need this for my role in life? As a parent? As a spiritual seeker? Or am I just accumulating stuff out of my own fear and greed?\u201d If you don\u2019t consider these questions, your possessions can take over. \u201cOnce you get so much stuff, you have to take care of and defend it,\u201d Harrigan says. \u201cYou start to get attached to it and identify with it. It\u2019s easy to start thinking you are your stuff, but the truth is that stuff comes and goes.\u201d<\/p>\n The idea is: Just let it go. \u201cIf our homes are filled with old junk that doesn\u2019t apply to us anymore, there\u2019s no room for new energy to come in,\u201d says Bell. That holds true for the nonmaterial ideas and attitudes you cling to as well. \u201cIf you are hanging on to old beliefs about yourself or your relationships, or clinging to a career that no longer feeds you, there\u2019s no latitude to move in a different direction.\u201d<\/p>\n To invite aparigraha, try a simple practice. \u201cAcknowledge abundance and practice gratitude,\u201d says Devi. \u201cYou don\u2019t need more and more if you are grateful and feeling fulfilled with what you have in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Saucha\u2019s the first of the niyamas, the active observances. It involves keeping things clean, inside and out. \u201cFor me, [the concept of] saucha means both physical and mental hygiene,\u201d says Cope. \u201cYou want to keep your thoughts uncluttered so you can feel free from afflictive emotions. You keep your body and environment in order, to create a sense of calm.\u201d A mind trained by meditation has more complexity and orderliness. Physical orderliness can also affect the mind. So get rid of clutter, scrub your floors, simplify your life\u2014all these are expressions of saucha.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t get too hung up on the idea of literal purity. \u201cWhen you work at purifying the body, you begin to understand that it will never be perfectly clean,\u201d Kraftsow says. Patanjali says, \u201clook more deeply at what the body is: The more you clean it, the more you realize that it is an impermanent, decaying thing. Saucha helps break up excessive fixation with your body, or the bodies of others.\u201d<\/p>\n When you learn to dis-identify with the body, the Yoga Sutras suggests, you can get in touch with your essence\u2014the part of you that\u2019s pure and free from aging, disease, and decay. When you understand your true undying nature, it\u2019s easier to stop striving for physical perfection and instead rest in joyful awareness.<\/p>\n Nearly every translation of Yoga Sutra II.42 interprets santosha as the greatest happiness. It is the underlying joy that cannot be shaken by life\u2019s tough moments, by injustice, hardship, or bad luck. \u201cContentment is really about accepting life as it is,\u201d says Bell. \u201cIt\u2019s not about creating perfection. Life will throw whatever it wants at you, and you ultimately have little control. Be welcoming of what you get.\u201d<\/p>\n You can practice this on the mat quite easily, by acknowledging your tendency to strive to do a perfect pose and accepting the pose that your body can do. \u201cThere\u2019s no guarantee that you\u2019ll get enlightened when you do a backbend with straight arms, or touch your hands to the floor in Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold),\u201d says Bell. \u201cThe process of santosha is relaxing into where you are in your pose right now and realizing that it is perfect.\u201d Lasater compares santosha to the deep relaxation possible in Savasana (Corpse Pose). \u201cYou can\u2019t run after contentment,\u201d Lasater says. \u201cIt has to find you. All you can do is try to create the space for it.\u201d<\/p>\n If you release your mind from constantly wanting your situation to be different, you\u2019ll find more ease. \u201cIt\u2019s not fatalism; it\u2019s not to say you can\u2019t change your reality,\u201d says Cope. \u201cBut just for the moment, can you let go of the war with reality? If you do, you\u2019ll be able to think more clearly and be more effective in making a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n During those times when you don\u2019t feel content, just act for one moment as if you were. You might kick-start a positive feedback loop, which can generate real contentment. It might feel absurd when your inner landscape isn\u2019t shiny and bright, but the simple physical act of turning up the corners of your mouth can have amazing effects. \u201cSmile,\u201d suggests Devi. \u201cIt changes everything. Practicing smiling<\/a> is like planting the seed of a mighty redwood. The body receives the smile, and contentment grows. Before you know it, you\u2019re smiling all the time.\u201d Whether you\u2019re practicing asana or living life<\/a>, remember to find joy in the experience.<\/p>\n You can translate tapas<\/em> as \u201cself-discipline,\u201d \u201ceffort,\u201d or \u201cinternal fire,\u201d and the Yoga Sutras suggest that when tapas is in action, the heat it generates will both burn away impurities and kindle the sparks of divinity within.<\/p>\n \u201cTapas<\/a> is the willingness to do the work, which means developing discipline, enthusiasm, and a burning desire to learn,\u201d says Bell. \u201cYou can apply tapas to anything you want to see happen in your life: playing an instrument, changing your diet, cultivating an attitude of loving kindness, contentment, or non-judgment. In yoga, it\u2019s often seen as a commitment to the practice. You figure out what you can do, and do it every day. If it\u2019s only 10 minutes, fine\u2014but make that time sacrosanct.\u201d<\/p>\n Connect to your own determination and will. \u201cHolding a posture is tapas,\u201d says Cope. \u201cYou are restraining yourself from moving and are watching what happens. In this way, you build the capacity to tolerate being with strong sensation, and you get to answer the question: What is my real limit? And you develop the skill of witnessing, which is one of the most important skills of classical yoga.\u201d<\/p>\n The effort you use when you engage tapas is directed toward cultivating healthful habits and breaking unhealthful ones. \u201cAsana is tapas, but if you become an asana junkie, then your tapas is to stop practicing asana,\u201d says Kraftsow. \u201cOne goal of tapas is to stop anything you do mindlessly because you\u2019ve become habituated.\u201d When you use your will to overcome your conditioning, you free yourself from the many unconscious actions that cause suffering. Yes, discipline is actually a path to happiness.<\/p>\n Happiness is our nature, and it is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside. To tap into the wellspring of happiness that lies within each of us, try dedicating yourself to svadhyaya, the art of self-study, of looking within and asking the eternal question: Who am I?<\/p>\n The Yoga Sutra suggests that the study of the Self leads you toward communion with the Divine. It\u2019s a lofty aim, but you can develop svadhyaya as you move through everyday life. \u201cSome traditions see study as a contemplation of the ultimate. Others see it as study of how you are: your functions, habits, and the ways your karma is playing out,\u201d explains Cope. \u201cFor most of us, the most fruitful practice will be looking at the Self. Are you on time and orderly? Or are you sloppy and late? What makes you mad or happy? How do you feel about that person on the next mat who\u2019s invading your space?\u201d<\/p>\n Develop the capacity to find the answers without chastising or lauding yourself in the process. \u201cSvadhyaya is a skillful and systematic investigation of how things are,\u201d says Cope. \u201cWhen you practice self-observation, you begin to uncover and address the unconscious patterns governing your life.\u201d When you can notice, but not judge, what you are doing and how you are feeling in every moment, you open a window to empathy for yourself and gain the stability you need to extend it to others.<\/p>\n Bell recommends another aspect of svadhyaya: the study of sacred texts, such as the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Buddhism\u2019s Heart Sutra, or the Bible. \u201cThat\u2019s where the wisdom side develops,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you are only looking at the Self, it is easy to lose perspective. When you read the texts in service of svadhyaya, you\u2019ll read something that really resonates, and you\u2019ll begin to understand that\u2026all beings experience these things.\u201d Study helps you understand the universality of life experiences and thereby increases your compassion for yourself and others.<\/p>\n Few dispute that the last of the niyamas, Ishvara pranidhana, is the pinnacle of spiritual practice. Yoga Sutra II.45 says that liberation\u2014the highest happiness\u2014comes only from a love of, communion with, and surrender to, God.<\/p>\n To embrace Ishvara pranidhana, it helps to understand what \u201cGod\u201d is. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to believe in an anthropomorphic representation of God to accept that there is a divine design, a benevolent essence in the universe,\u201d says Harrigan. \u201cIt\u2019s about offering oneself to the divine matrix. It\u2019s letting our own holy essence guide our actions and catching the sacred power of life. This higher power is there for all of us, Patanjali says. That is the promise of the Yoga Sutra.\u201d<\/p>\n The yamas and niyamas don\u2019t have to be practiced in a linear way. It\u2019s possible to capture, say, ishvara pranidhana in any moment, Harrigan says. \u201cYou can always pause to look for the higher essence in any situation,\u201d she explains. \u201cYou can ask yourself, \u2018What is the best goodness here?\u2019 You can imagine that you have your own wise inner adviser, and ask, \u2018If I were to set aside my own desires and aversions and concerns for comfort, what would you advise for me?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The benefits of practicing the yamas and niyamas may not seem to be as instantly gratifying as a good asana class, but they can be deep and long lasting. Contemplating them can shine the light of awareness on parts of ourselves that we don\u2019t always notice, and help us live in a way that doesn\u2019t cause harm, which in turn allows for less regret and a more peaceful mind, explains Adele.<\/p>\n So how can you incorporate these time-tested moral and ethical codes into your own life and practice? There are many ways to embody them. Start with poses, mudras (hand-and-finger gestures), and mantras (a sacred utterance repeated continuously), designed to help you embody and explore all ten yamas and niyamas. \u201cPracticing the ethical codes from every perspective helps fortify the concepts within the body and the mind,\u201d says Coral Brown, an internationally recognized vinyasa yoga teacher and psychotherapist, who developed the practices below. \u201cAnd what you practice, you become.\u201d<\/p>\n Each of these practices embodies a yama or niyama, helping you to reflect on the unique lessons it provides. The asana is accompanied by a mudra, meditation,<\/a> and mantra that focus you on the subtle and not-so-subtle ways each yama or niyama plays out in your life. Hold each pose, with its mudra, for three to five breaths as you mindfully chant (aloud or internally) its accompanying mantra. Do each practice on its own or link them together as a sequence.<\/p>\n Ahimsa (non-harming)<\/a> Tapas (purification through discipline)<\/a> Explore more about The Yoga Sutras<\/a> at YogaJournal.com<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n See also<\/em><\/p>\n Teaching the Yamas in Asana Class<\/a><\/p>\n Teaching the Niyamas in Asana Class<\/a><\/p>\n Get to Know the Eight Limbs of Yoga<\/a><\/p>\n Please note that we independently source all of the books and products that we feature on <\/em>yogajournal.com. If you buy from the links on our site, we may receive an affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.<\/em><\/p>\n About our contributors<\/strong><\/p>\n Hillari Dowdle is a former Editor-in-Chief and long-time contributing editor for Yoga Journal<\/em>. She is a writer, editor, producer, author, and content strategist who writes frequently about health and mind, body, and spiritual wellness.<\/p>\n Kate Siber is a freelance journalist and a correspondent for Outside<\/em> magazine based in Durango, Colorado. She writes about a range of topics, including science, the environment, social issues, mental health, and the outdoors for magazines, newspapers and websites.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yoga is more than bending, breathing, and meditating. These core principles can help you expand your understanding of yoga and yourself.<\/p>\n The post A Beginner’s Guide to the Yamas and Niyamas<\/a> appeared first on Yoga Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[37,35,36],"class_list":["post-10056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ayurveda","tag-blogs","tag-yoga","tag-yogacourseware"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Following the Branches of the Eightfold Path<\/h2>\n
The core values of yoga<\/h2>\n
What are the yamas and niyamas?<\/h2>\n
![\"Slihouette](\"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/a-beginners-guide-to-the-yamas-and-niyamas.jpg\")
Practicing the yamas and niyamas can transform your life<\/h2>\n
The Yamas<\/h2>\n
Ahimsa: Nonharming<\/h3>\n
Satya: Truthfulness<\/h3>\n
But be careful not to confuse your point of view with the truth. \u201cYou have to have integrity and humility to realize that the truth may be bigger than you,\u201d says Nischala Joy Devi, the author of her own interpretation of the Yoga Sutras, The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman\u2019s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras.<\/a> \u201cIn each moment, you must ask yourself: Am I speaking the truth? Am I just giving my opinion, filtered through my mind and all my prejudices?\u201d<\/p>\nAsteya: Nonstealing<\/h3>\n
Brahmacharya: Energy Moderation<\/h3>\n
Aparigraha: Nongrasping<\/h3>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/a-beginners-guide-to-the-yamas-and-niyamas-1.jpg\")
The Niyamas<\/h2>\n
Saucha: Purity<\/h3>\n
Santosha: Contentment<\/h3>\n
Tapas: Right Effort<\/h3>\n
Svadhyaya: Self-Study<\/h3>\n
Ishvara Pranidhana: Dedication to the Highest<\/h3>\n
Bringing the Yamas and Niyamas Into Your Practice<\/h2>\n
Yoga Practices for the Yamas<\/h2>\n
Satya (truthfulness)<\/a>
Asteya (non-stealing)<\/a>
Aparigraha (non-possessiveness)<\/a>
Brahmacharya (maintenance of vitality)<\/a><\/p>\nYoga Practices for the Niyamas<\/h2>\n
Santosha (contentment)<\/a>
Saucha (purity)<\/a>
Svadhyaya (self-study)<\/a>
Ishvara Pranidhana<\/a> (devotion to a higher power)<\/p>\n
\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/yogacourseware.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/a-beginners-guide-to-the-yamas-and-niyamas-2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n