What are the Yamas and Niyamas?
“Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise so I am changing myself.”
The Yamas, as I see them, are a self reflection tool. How do I interact with myself? How do I interact with others, my environment and the whole world? I have done a blog on each of the Yamas.
The Niyamas, as I see them, are a guide for self care, self love, self awareness, expansion and growth. I will be doing a blog piece on each of the Niyamas over the next two months.
The Yamas and Niyamas are steps one and two on the Eight Limbs of Yoga discussed in Patanjali’s sutras. Patanjali regularly referred to the Eight Limbs of Yoga as a guide and not a doctrine. He stated that everyone needed to decide for themselves what their path would be. Similarly Buddhists reflect on the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddhism and Yoga are not religions. They serve as a guide or a form of philosophy.
There are five Yamas and five Niyamas. They are not a tick the box exercise but more of a fluid, interacting group of values and principles. Each Yama and Niyama will have some of all the Yamas and Niyamas in it. Unlike a religious doctrine or dogma which generally teach there is only one way, the Yamas and Niyamas are a guide to finding the way that works for the individual. The meaning of the Yamas and Niyamas will be different for each individual, will change over time and will also change depending on what stage a person is at in their life journey. We are all autonomous human beings who have the ability to decide for ourselves, to be creative and imaginative in our lives and to listen to the voice within.
The five Yamas:
Ahimsa (non violence/compassion/kindness)
Satya (truth)
Asteya (nonstealing)
Bramacharya (continence/moderation)
Aparigraha (non attachment/nongreed/nonhoarding)
The five Niyamas:
Saucha (cleanliness/purity)
Santosha (contentment)
Tapas (to burn/ heat)
Swadhyaya (study for self improvement)
Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to a higher power)
Resources:
Threads of Yoga by Pamela Seelig, 2021
https://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras.htm
https://www.yogaspace.ie/blog/eight-limbs-of-yoga
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali , Translation and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, 2019
The Heart of Yoga, Developing a Personal Practice, T.K.V Desikachar, 1995
