The 8 limbs of yoga: Yamas
Ashtanga, the Eight Limbs of Yoga
The core of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is an eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for yoga practice. Upon practicing all eight limbs of the path it becomes self-evident that no one element is elevated over another in a hierarchical order. Each is part of a holistic focus which eventually brings completeness to the individual as they find their connectivity to the divine. Because we are all uniquely individual a person can emphasize one branch and then move on to another as they round out their understanding.
Yamas (Moral Precepts):
It’s about attitude and behavior towards living in harmony. When my words express the same thing that is in my mind and prove it through my actions in order to have harmony with the world.
We have to take personal responsability in our lives. We must place one foot in front of the other to make the journey ourselves, to live in harmony.
With skill in action and equanimity we may be able to transform poison into medicine. Stand up for yourself, just always remember you mustn’t bite.
In order to have harmony in our lives we must seek to engage in the right actions and be in harmony with the world.
The yamas are broken down into five “wise characteristics.” They tell us that our fundamental nature is compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful.” They are as follows:
Ahimsa: Non-violence
Non-violence is the central principle of Yoga. When we no longer harm ourselves, our fellow beings or Mother Earth, peace blossoms forth like a radiant flower unfolding the morning sun.
Gandhi urged each of us to be the change we seek in the world, knowing that to change the world we must first change ourselves. Peace begets peace.
Satya: Truthfullness
If we firmly establish ourselves in truth, we no longer need worry about sustaining deceptions or what the consequences of being discovered might be. We move further from ignorance and closer to the Divine.
Patanjali addresses Satya in this way: “To one establish in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient.”
Asetya: Non-Stealing
When we release greed, we no longer need to steal. When we learn to give, we no longer need to take. When we learn to serve, self-centeredness dissolves and Grace arises. Dr. David Frawley puts in his book Yoga and Ayurveda, “true willpower is not measured by the ability to get what we want, but by our ability to transcend desire.
On the emotional level, if we spend to much time seeking validation and comfort from others and making a drama of our petty concerns, we are engaging in emotional theft. We are stealing the energy and attention of family and friends when we should be trying to understand the lessons of our situation and seeking to make appropriate shifts in our lives. This doesn’t mean we should not reply upon those close to us in times of crisis, but we should be mindful not to make this a chronic habit in times that fall short of true crisis.
Patanjali addresses Asetya in this way: “To one established in non-stealing, all wealth comes.”
Bramacharya: Continence, abstention
We should live to the fullest and rejoice in every single moment. It is when we become attached to our senses, seeking fleeting pleasure only through them and habitually overindulging ourselves, that we endanger our well-being.
Patanjali addresses Bramacharya in this way: “For one established in contience, vigor is gained”.
Aparigraha: Non-possessiveness
To live from the heart, as mindfully as possible and in a spirit of loving kindness, we must face all aspects of greediness within us and be willing to make the necessary changes. This is the practice of Aparigraha.
“When non-greed is confirmed, a thorough illumination of the how and why of one’s origin arises.” Patanjali is telling us in this sutra that when we let go of greed we come to understand the true meaning of our birth and existence. We realize that life is not all about what’s in it for us. From awareness compassion arises, along with understanding, acceptance and generosity. When we release greed we are more likely to give rather than to take, to shift away from focusing on our desires and petty concerns, and to seek to serve others less fortunate than ourselves. Practicing Aparigraha helps us to release the self-centeredness of the ego, and brings us closer to understanding the oneness of humankind.
Looking more deeply, we can see how the Yamas overlap and intertwine, bringing us to greater awareness and conscious living.
Design by: Gregory Ryan Klein
