Yamas
Ahimsa (Non-violence)
Many of our samskaras or habits are played out unconsciously through our actions, speech and thought. When examining the first yamas, most of us would probably consider ourselves nonviolent people. We could not fathom murder or physically harming another human being or animal. What many of us fail to recognize, however, is how violent we can be toward ourselves and others through our words and thoughts. How many of us, caught up in the heat of an argument or moment say things we later regret? Explore on an average day, how many negative thoughts you have. Acknowledge how often you are critical or judging towards yourself. These limiting thoughts and words harm us and each other at our core level.
One only has to look globally to understand how inattentiveness and negligence spiral out of control. Sogyal Rinpoche reminds us in the book, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, that "over 1 million people out of a population of 6 million have died at the hands of the Chinese." Immaculee Ilibagiza, in her book, Left to Tell, recounts the 1994 Rwandan genocide she survived, in which almost 1 million of her people were brutally slaughtered. We, certainly, cannot forget the horror and sadness of 911.
Are we conscious of where our food comes from? If we choose to eat meat, are we supporting slaughter houses or are we supporting communities that support more humane raising of livestock? Are we willing to spend the extra money on organic food or are we purchasing pesticide soaked crops?
Our indifference extends beyond our fellow man and animal. One only has to watch the Planet Earth series to learn about the devastation we have caused to Mother Nature. The opening paragraph of the book, The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, published in 1998, reads "In the 24 hours since this time yesterday, over 200,000 acres of rainforest have been destroyed in our world. Fully 13 million tons of toxic chemicals have been released into our environment. Over 45,000 people have died of starvation, 38,000 of them children. And more than 130 plant or animal species have been driven to extinction by the actions of humans. (the last time there was such a rapid loss of species was when the dinosaurs vanished.) And all this was just since yesterday."
Ahimsa, when practiced daily, cultivates compassion and tolerance for ourselves and others. We begin to be concerned for the wellbeing of others and feel compelled to help soothe others suffering. Ahimsa is the foundation to building a genuine yoga lifestyle where we support and nurture all living beings.
Satya (Truthfulness)
Truthfulness conjures up all kinds of connotations. On a grosser level, being truthful means not telling lies. Even "little white lies" can impede our personal growth by allowing us to become comfortable with lying. How often do we say, "I'm sorry I can't make it," when we can? On a more subtle level , satya means speaking and following one's truth. This entails honoring yourself by saying no, setting boundaries, etc.
Truthfulness transcends action, speech and thoughts. How honest are we when we file our annual taxes? Truthfulness extends to right speech. In his book, Awakening the Buddha Within, Lama Surya Das reminds us not to talk about anyone, positively or negatively, if they are not present. We must be impeccable with our words. Gossip creates isolation and suffering by verbally causing harm (which violates ahimsa) to another human being which takes us out of our intrinsic nature. We are inherently good. Fear, doubt and uncertainty create obstacles to recognizing this basic goodness.
Truthfulness takes courage, integrity and sincerity. Especially, if these patterns of fear, doubt and uncertainty are deeply ingrained in our psyche. Speaking our truth may cause us to challenge our fears. At some point, however, doing things for others in order to become accepted or liked poses a far greater risk to our health than the initial discomfort of honoring our path, our needs. It is, both, empowering and liberating to embrace our own personal truth.
Asteya (Non-stealing)
When exploring yoga, we always move from the grosser to the more subtle level. Most of us couldn't fathom stealing on the grosser level, like a car or shop-lifting. Where does the line blur between what is acceptable for us to steal and what is not? How often do you begin a conversation on the telephone, "Do you have a minute?" or do you launch into a full assault on how terrible your day was? Asteya asks us to be mindful even of others time.
Stealing, whether financially, emotionally or otherwise creates separation as we begin to perceive another to take advantage of. Stealing breaks the first virtue, ahimsa, as our actions will certainly harm others.
Brahmacarya (Moderation)
When exploring Brahmacarya in modern living we refer to moderation. It is disheartening to explore the American culture where super size and bigger is better has become our creed. As a culture, we desperately try to end our suffering through excess. This creates the opposite result of what we originally seek... peace, balance, wholeness, love. By excess, I mean materialism, over-consumerism, obsession, etc. We are in the age of quick fix and immediate gratification. When we make a conscious choice not to react to impulse we are putting Brahmacarya into action. We are training the mind to remain in the moment, to explore and find the root of our habit patterns of craving and aversion.
Aparigraha (Non-greediness)
It is, in my opinion, a blessing and a curse to be living in today's society. What a challenge to stay focused on our path when we are constantly bombarded by messages of promised happiness through consumerism, materialistic life satisfaction and the urgency to buy into the concept of more is better. Aparigraha teaches us restraint. In not satisfying every craving or running away from every discomfort, we learn to re-channel and transform our energy. We are able to explore the roots of our habits, perhaps fear of not having enough, fear of not being good enough, etc. Non-greediness is another opportunity to get outside of ourselves to serve others. Little things, such as cleaning out our closets, removing clothes we haven't worn in 6 months, and donating them to a homeless shelter can be an amazing way to feel connected to humanity as a whole.
Niyamas
Sauca (Cleanliness)
When applying sauca to our actions, bathing daily and practicing asanas consistently will help purify our body. Of equal importance is our selection of food and beverages. The food we ingest will either help to nourish and revitalize our body or it will continue to contribute to our negative habit patterns. Do we look towards sugar and sweets when we are bored or emotional? Choosing food and beverages without hormones and pesticides is not only better for us physically, it also allows us to practice ahimsa. If we consciously want to purify the mind, we need to be conscious of the types of television shows we watch, the music we listen to, the friendships we create, etc. These must all directly contribute to our personal growth. Finally, sauca asks us to observe our thoughts and become aware of thoughts that are damaging to ourselves and others.
Santosa (Contentment)
Contentment lies in our ability to remain equanimous. It is not that our life experiences are good or bad, it is our reactions to them that produce suffering. Santosa teaches us how to remain in the moment, regardless if that moment is pleasurable or uncomfortable. Equanimity means becoming aware of emotions, sensations, feelings and thoughts as they arise without trying to change or control the outcome. In this way, awareness becomes the seed of the witness, the observer. Santosa generates an unshakable internal stillness, calmness, balance and peace.
Tapas (Heat)
Georg Feurstein defines tapas as "any practice that pushes the mind against its own limits and the key ingredient of tapas is endurance." Through the practice of postures and meditation, we begin to see how deeply ingrained our habit patterns are. With patience, perseverance and determination we begin to challenge belief systems, through patterns and behaviors that contradict the yogic lifestyle. Instead of reaching for chocolate cake when we feel bad about ourselves (which reinforces the self-loathing process) or responding with unkind words in an argument (which creates guilt for not practicing ahimsa) tapas invites us to practice restraint. Choosing to remain non-reactive, even for a moment, allows us to explore the root of our patterns. Truly feeling the sadness and isolation self-loathing or anger, hurt or fear in an argument gives us permission to let it go.
Svadhyaya (Self-study)
Self-study helps us to see where we, personally, generate our perceived notions of separation and isolation. There are many paths to journey inside. Making a commitment to practice Pantajali's eightfold path on a daily basis sets the tone for the yoga lifestyle. Journaling, visualization and studying various texts and other books are all ways to extend beyond our capabilities. Letting go of patterns that no longer serve us gives us insight to our inner gifts. Harnessing our compassion, creativity and many of our other talents allows us to share them more freely with all those who we come in contact with.
Isvara Pranidhana (Surrender to "God")
Isvara Pranidhana refers to your connection to the divine, whatever that means to you. For some, it is the universe, for others it is simply recognizing that something greater than him/her self exists and yet for others it is more of a defined connection to God. According to Stephen Cope, "Isvara Pranidhana means, "aligning oneself with Isvara (yoking) aspect of conscious life to the perspective of Pure Awareness." When practicing Isvara Pranidhana we see every individual as an extension of the divine- pure love, pure knowing...each thought, word and action comes from a place of pure devotion, heart and love. Isvara Pranidhana also means surrendering the fruits of our actions. We attain this goal by living our lives, on a daily basis, without attachment to a desired outcome. We learn to remain present to each moment, without living in the past, without anticipating the future. In learning to remain present, we experience the beauty and awe of each moment.