Introduction to the Yamas and the Eightfold Path of Yoga (The Yoga Ashtanga).

This piece was originally published as part of the Luna Wave newsletter on 12th May 2021.

Chances are you have been to a class where your teacher mentions kindness, letting go or honesty in some capacity or another. Whether just a passing phrase or a dedicated meditation - these themes are woven through the practice of Yoga and it is no coincidence that teachers come back to them within our physical practice time after time.

All three of the aforementioned themes are actually derivatives of the Yamas. The Yamas are the set of ethical guidelines laid down thousands of years ago by Patanjali. Patanjali is credited as the sage (or group of people - no one can be certain, but let us work with the assumption that he was one guy) who collected and organised the components of what form the bedrock of Yoga. He is also credited with collating the Eight Limbed Path of Yoga, or the Yoga Ashtanga (not to be confused with Patabi Jois’ Ashtanga Yoga style). The Eight Limbed Path is a system of living that aims to elevate your life and ultimately help you find ‘Samadhi’, (bliss/enlightenment) which is the eighth and final limb.

The Yamas are the first limb of the Eightfold Path, which makes sense as each limb moves from more gross and tangible to more subtle. Some like to use the metaphor of a tree to help understand it, so imagine the Yamas as the lowest and first branch of the tree, then imagine that branch splitting into five smaller branches. These are the five Yamas, which ancient Yogis strove to live by. Bringing the Yamas into the modern practice of Asana and your life, can be a wonderful and enlightening way to both deepen your Practice and honour the sacred and rich roots of Yoga, whilst giving you a three-dimensional tone to your connection with it.

Below I have briefly unpicked the Yamas for you so that you might gain some insight into another dimension of our practice and perhaps begin to apply them to life both on and off the mat.

1.     Ahimsa (Non-harming/non-violence).

In Sanskrit the preface ‘a’ means non and ‘Himsa’ translates to violence or harm. The first Yama is not only concerned with how you act towards others within the world but also how you think. Ahimsa is more than just being, or appearing to be kind to others, it is rooted in the kindness of intention towards all. This includes the self. The more often we plant the seed of kindness within our intention and thoughts, the more fluidly we operate from a place of Ahimsa outwardly.

2.              Satya (Truthfulness).

‘Sat’ translates as ‘true essence’ or ‘unchangeable’. So the Yama of Satya has a deeper meaning than just being honest to others and not telling lies. This is about being true to your deepest self and living in tune with your soul. Satya teaches us to align with our essence and not to simply attach ourselves to our thoughts, which (when oversimplified) are the function of the mind in the same way that digestion is the function of the gut. When we live a life with Satya as a guide, we cultivate the ability to see past the shroud of misconception and assumption, which we all inevitably build as a result of our own experiences with life.

3.              Asteya (Non-stealing).

This again, as with the first two Yamas, can seem straightforward. Of course, not stealing from others is a part of what Asteya stands for, but we must also dive deeper to understand the root cause of why we may steal. Asteya is about living from a place of abundance and trust. When we feel safe and trust that there is enough for all, we no longer fear lack. Of course, this is not about eradicating our emotions, but rather choosing to live with trust and practice this too - so we can resist our urges to take what is not ours, or to take credit for the work of others.

4.              Brahmacharya (Moderation of the senses/ correct focus of energy).

This Yama is all about choosing how we expend our energy and in more traditional terms is sometimes translated as ‘celibacy’. Brahmacharya translates to ‘behaviour which leads to Brahman’. Brahman, in Hinduism and Yogic philosophy, is considered “the Ultimate Reality, or Supreme God.” So by consciously choosing where we put our energy, our focus, we can choose what we want to nurture, whether that be our external world or our internal sense of joy. Where our focus goes, our energy flows.

5.              Aparigraha (Non-greed).

This is the Yama from which the all prevalent yoga cue of “let go of what no longer serves you” potentially originates. Aparigraha teaches us to be non-possessive and to detach from that which we have no use for as well as not taking more than we need. Our sense of identity (Ego) is built upon that which we attach to us, psychologically and physically. By practicing detachment from both we keep our ego within a state of manageability, which can help us to stay true to our inner selves, rather than getting caught up in the illusion of the material world, which in Yogic terms is known as ‘Maya’.