In a world where we battle for attention, the Yamas as us to practice restraint. 

If a novice practitioner were to consult Instagram to answer the question of “What is Yoga”, they could not be faulted for coming away with the idea that yoga is a physical exercise practice performed by lean people wearing synthetic fabrics in aesthetically pleasing rooms.

But any seasoned yogi would know this is a deceptive picture.

Instead they are an unfolding and evolving practice of interactive restraint that cultivates a calm internal environment. They invite the yoga practitioner to demonstrate the subtle qualities of decency, humility and generosity. In fact, when the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describe the Yamas, handstands and splits are not mentioned at all.

The Yamas are instead described as moral codes that act as stepping stones on the yogic path to enlightenment. Along with the Niyamas, these codes are the foundation of a holistic yoga practice and they are what lend meaning and purpose to all that comes after them in the Eight Limbs narrative…including asana.

To honor these ethical codes means participating in life with mindful attention to both intentions and consequences. This practice demands an awareness of our present moment and of those other beings that surround us. It requires both an awareness of self and an acknowledgement that our behavior impacts both our inner and outer worlds.

The Yamas are described as a guide for practitioners to allow them to move through the world demonstrating respect for others. But these practices can also be interpreted as a means for demonstrating respect for the self. There are generally five Yamas included in the First Limb of Yoga Practice that is described in Patanjali’s Sutras. They include:

AHIMSA. This Yama is often defined as “non-harming” or “non-violence” toward others with thoughts, words and deeds. Another interpretation of this Yama is to refer to it as “compassion” and gentleness toward others.

SATYA. This is the Yama that invites yogis to be truthful in all interactions with others and to be truthful in interactions with the self.

ASTEYA. Literally this Yama is defined as “non-stealing” and it advises practitioners to avoid taking that which does not belong to them. But it may also be inferred as directing yogis to demonstrate generosity and to give to others with an open heart.

BRAHMACHARYA. This Yama has been interpreted as “right use of energy” but it also implies an invitation to exercise moderation in consumption and stewardship of the environment.

APARIGRAHA. A literal translation of this Yama would be “non-greed” or “non-hoarding”. But it can also be understood as an invitation to share openly with others and to avoid the pursuit of accumulation and clutter. This includes material, sensory, intellectual and emotional clutter.

Adhering to such ethical standards can be difficult at times, and in fact failure in this practice can be expected. On some level, asana practice and yoga postures can be a reflection of this moral pathway. We all stumble at some point, but yoga helps an individual to maintain equanimity through that inevitable stumble.

To be ‘moral’ can be a challenge, and those among us with Western sensibilities may even recoil a bit at the judgmental tone of the word “moral”. For some it is more comfortable to water down principles of morality to suit the bland palate that grows from ethical relativism and avoidance of controversy.

But it is important to remember that the word yoga itself is defined as ‘unity’, or ‘connectedness’. Yoga is a lifestyle practice with the ultimate goal of dissolving polarity and separation from a universal life force. It is a practice that aims to quiet the mind and connect individual consciousness with the universal consciousness. This is an effort to free oneself from suffering and all beings from suffering.

Yoga is therefore, at its very essence, an exercise in community building. And this makes it imperative that we begin yoga by being mindful of all of the beings that inhabit this consciousness along with us.

Yes it is important to be mindful, gentle and present in class. Move your mat when someone else needs space, thank your instructor for their efforts, don’t sing during savasana. These are basic codes for decent conduct in the studio.

But if that code of conduct doesn’t translate to off the mat lifestyle practice and manifest in daily interactions with others, the full purpose and benefits of yoga will not be realized. Understanding the Yamas, and the imperfect attempt to demonstrate these moral practices in daily life, is as foundational to yoga as the forward fold.