If you’ve ever wondered about yogic ethics, the yamas and niyamas are often used as a solid starting point. Through the ethical training they offer, you can find greater equanimity and meaning in life. 

In the Yoga Sutras attributed to Sage Patanjali, a collection of aphorisms dated from 200 BCE to 500 CE, there are many different ethical guidelines. Among the most popular in the West today are the yamas and niyamas. This collection of ten ethical concepts are introduced as part of a solution to avoid/overcome our suffering. The text explains that the root of suffering lies in our ignorance of our true nature. So these ethical rules aren’t just guides to live a righteous life — they also can help us realize our true nature, which is what some call enlightenment. Here’s a list of the yamas and niyamas, along with my interpretation based on my studies with Mukunda Stiles, Dharma Mittra, and readings of five different versions of the Yoga Sutras.

Yamas 

• Ahimsa: Active love. Love in thought, word and deed. Non-harming or non-violence.
• Satya: Honesty. Truthfulness in thought, word and deed. 
• Asteya: Non-stealing in thought, word and deed. 
• Brahmacharya: Translating the root terms, Brahma can mean universal soul or everything-ness or God. Charya is translated as conduct, alignment with, or to walk with. Thus, brahmacharya can be understood as action in harmony with the Universe or God. This is different from actions undertaken for the purpose of benefiting the individual ego, senses, thoughts, or feelings. 
• Aparigraha: Non-greed in thought, word and deed. This relates to having faith that one has enough, allowing for contentment. 

Niyamas 

• Saucha: Purity in thought, word, environment, body and deed. This relates to keeping boundaries. For instance, dirt in the garden is harmonious but dirt in one’s ear is not. 
• Santosha: Contentment, involving seeing and accepting the present. Contentment does not convey passivity. Instead, accepting how things are in the present enables us to change them for a better future. 
• Tapas: Discomfort from which progress is made. This includes performance of austerities in a manner that burns or transform impurities such as desire and attachments into energy for self realization. It is not gratuitous pain.
• Svadhyaya: study of the self, reflection on the true nature of things. This does not have to be study of religious scriptures, as noted in some texts. 
• Isvara Pranidana: Isva comes from the Sanskrit root “one” or “oneness” which may give rise to “holy one.” “Holy one” may give rise to the interpretation of ishvara as “God” or universal oneness. Pranidana translates to “exertion,” “vow,” or “respectful conduct.” This may give rise to the popular interpretation of ishvara pranidhana as surrender or devotion to oneness or God. 

Where do we start? 

Here are some ideas to help you consciously focus on some of the yamas and niyamas.

Ahimsa: Dharma Mittra says that without “ahimsa there is no yoga.” He teaches that ahimsa is the “highest of the yamas and niyamas, “ and that one automatically satisfies all the other yamas and niyamas if one is always grounded in ahimsa. Before any word or deed, consider if love is the cause and non-violence the effect. Every morning ask yourself, “What will I do in thought, word and deed to practice ahimsa today?” 

Satya: Be honest with yourself, your teachers, and others. Beyond telling the truth, this practice may compel us to convey the truth whenever others have incorrect information. Dishonesty can inspire a harmful thought pattern in your mind, which the mind can too easily make into habit. This is part of why even “small” lies can cause harm just as terrible as “big” ones. 

Saucha: Try practicing saucha cleanliness at the studio, any place you work or rest, as well as in relation to your body and speech. You’ll notice that each day usually starts with the practice of saucha in the form of cleaning one’s self, wearing clean clothes, removing distracting smells, etc. At the studios, before each class we prepare the space to ensure we have a clean, non-distracting environment to practice in. In your speech, explore word choices that are loving, inclusive, and clear. 

Svadhyaya: What types of thoughts do external and internal practices of saucha, ahimsa and satya promote? What types of feelings and thoughts come up when you do not practice saucha, ahimsa and satya? The presence of those feelings can alert you to the possibility that you are not practicing saucha. 

We offer breaks in our teacher trainings, we often have breaks in life, we have breaks from work. These breaks are the perfect time to reflect on your personal ethics. Svadhyaya (self-reflection, reflection on truth and one’s experiences, etc.) can transform what might be seen as “free time” into a rich opportunity for you to embody the teachings.