Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra – Yamas & Niyamas
In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the eightfold path is called ashtanga, which literally means “eight limbs” (ashta=eight, anga=limb). These eight steps basically act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; they direct attention toward one’s health; and they help us to acknowledge the spiritual aspects of our nature.
The first limb, the Yamas, deals with one’s ethical standards and sense of integrity, focusing on our behaviour and how we conduct ourselves in life. Yamas are universal practices that relate best to what we know as the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
The five yamas are:
Ahimsa: Nonviolence. Be gentle to yourself and others refraining from criticism and judgment.
“Being firmly grounded in nonviolence creates an atmosphere in which others can let go of their hostility.” Sutra 2:35
“Being firmly grounded in nonviolence creates an atmosphere in which others can let go of their hostility.” Sutra 2:35
Satya: Truthfulness. Avoidance of all falsehood and fabrication.
Asteya: Nonstealing. Do not take or covet what belongs to someone else, whether it be credit for someone’s idea or physical objects.
“For those who have no inclination to steal, the truly precious is at hand.” Sutra 2:37
“For those who have no inclination to steal, the truly precious is at hand.” Sutra 2:37
Brahmacharya: Moderation. Avoid excess in all areas.
Aparigraha: Non-possessiveness. Abstain from greediness, hoarding or possessing beyond one’s needs.
“Freedom from wanting unlocks the real purpose of existence.” Sutra 2:39
“Freedom from wanting unlocks the real purpose of existence.” Sutra 2:39
Niyama – Personal observances and disciplines.
Niyama, the second limb, has to do with self-discipline and spiritual observances. Developing your own personal meditation practices, or making a habit of taking contemplative walks alone are all examples of niyamas in practice.
The five niyamas are:
Saucha: Cleanliness. The practice of keeping our minds, hearts and bodies pure.
“Purification also brings about clarity, happiness, concentration, mastery of the senses, and capacity for self-awareness.” Sutra 2:41
“Purification also brings about clarity, happiness, concentration, mastery of the senses, and capacity for self-awareness.” Sutra 2:41
Samtosa: Contentment. Acceptance of life, being satisfied with ‘what is’.
Tapas: Determined Effort. Literally, “that which generates heat”. The discipline of ‘fire’ to help bring about any kind of change.
Svadhyaya: Self-study. This has two basic parts – the study of oneself and study of scripture.
Isvara pranidhana: Surrender. Be open-minded – the concept that there is a force greater than ourselves guiding us.
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