Yamas: The first limb of the yoga philosophy
What they are and how they can positively impact your life.
Hola hola!
In this issue of MindfulMess we’ll talk about Yamas, the first of the eight limbs of the yoga philosophy. We’ll look at the five yamas and how you can apply them to your modern life to reap the benefits of such an ancient practice.
And yes, you can still apply the yoga philosophy to your life even if you never step on a mat. Yoga is much more than the physical practice that the Western world makes us believe is the only aspect of yoga. However, just like your brain needs to learn new things to fulfill its purpose, it’s good to move your body daily.
Where does yoga come from?
Yoga has its roots in ancient India, dating back over 5,000 years to the Indus Valley civilization. As I’ve said before, yoga is not just about those bendy poses you see everywhere! The word "yoga" actually comes from the Sanskrit word "yujir-yoge," which means to join or unite. It’s all about connecting our individual selves with the universal spirit (but it’s not a God as the Western religions see God).
The philosophy of yoga is beautifully detailed in ancient texts like the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, written around 400 CE, are super important and outline the Eight Limbs of Yoga. These limbs include ethical guidelines, self-discipline, breath control, sensory withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and ultimately, achieving a blissful state of union with the universe.
While many people today know yoga as a physical practice (asana), that's just one piece of the puzzle. These poses help prepare our bodies for deeper spiritual practices by keeping us healthy and calm. But the heart of yoga is really in its philosophy, which encourages inner peace, mindfulness, and a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us.
Yoga takes us on a beautiful journey toward self-discovery and spiritual enlightenment. It’s all about finding balance and living in harmony with everything around us. And in this hectic modern world we’re living, I see yoga as an antidote to the chaos in the world around us, and also in our inner world.
Sure, as a certified yoga teacher, I want my students to gain flexibility, become stronger, and work on keeping their bodies healthy and mobile, but I always talk about the yoga philosophy. Why? Because I believe the power of yoga is in all the learnings that we can apply to become more centered people and that when we bring the yoga philosophy to our lives we’re not the only ones to benefit from it. Our friends, families, colleagues, and anyone around us we’ll be positively impacted by our yogic ways.
As my yoga school in India put it: “Yoga is the wisdom of life. It is the intelligent and self-conscious effort of man to achieve peace. [...] Yoga is about the joining of oneself with one’s true nature, unconditional and uninterrupted joy.”
Now that we know where yoga comes from and that it is comprised of eight pillars. Let’s talk about the first one: Yama.
Yamas: The yogic values
According to Patanjali, the first two pillars of yoga (Yamas and Niyamas) are the fundamentals of the whole philosophy. They are similar to some of the ten commandments described in Christianity, but also to many other values seen in other philosophies. This to me is a sign of their importance for humans.
These are the five Yamas:
Ahimsa
Satya
Asteya
Brahmacharya
Aparigraha
Ahimsa: non-violence
Ahimsa, meaning non-violence, is one of the most fundamental principles in yoga philosophy. It’s about more than just avoiding physical harm; it encompasses our thoughts, words, and actions.
Practicing Ahimsa means cultivating compassion and kindness towards others (humans, animals, and plants) and also towards ourselves. It pushes us to live in a way that minimizes harm and promotes peace.
To practice it, start by realizing how you treat yourself internally. Are you judgemental, hateful, and hurtful towards yourself? Work on that first. Then continue to extend that compassion to other living beings.
This value is also super important in the physical practice of yoga. It’s ok to push our bodies but if we are hurting ourselves it won’t matter that you can do a cool handstand, or touch your head with your feet, you’ve betrayed yourself.
Satya: truthfulness
Satya involves being honest in our thoughts, words, and actions. However, the value of Satya goes beyond mere honesty. It’s about understanding and expressing our deepest truths while respecting the truths of others.
If the truth would hurt someone (ahimsa) you have to think twice about how you are going to express it, or even if you need to express it at all. That’s why Satya is the second value because non-violence is more important than truthfulness. You should never lie, but silence is always an option.
Another way I like to think about Satya is that every lie we tell splits us. Say, for example (and this is a very silly example), that you really dislike olives. However, you were at a dinner and the host had made some olive-centered dish and you made an effort not to throw up and eat it all up. You wanted to be polite. And when they asked you how it was, you said, “Oh, Karen, it was delicious! Thank you so much.”
Now, there are two versions of yourself, one where you like (and apparently even love) olives, and one where you can’t stand to see them even from a mile away.
With one tiny lie, you’ve split yourself.
Now imagine when we talk about more serious lies or the ones that will have to follow the initial lie. Following the example of the olives, you will now have to constantly worry about who you tell you love or hate olives. And, as I say, this is with a super mega silly example. With something more serious in life, just imagine the constant walking on eggshells you would have to do just to keep track of all the lies.
Additionally, the need to lie comes from not accepting reality as it is. If you accepted yourself fully as you are, or you accepted that people around you are just as capable as you are of handling the truth, then why would you lie?
Being honest is seen as a good thing to do for others, but in reality, it is just a basic principle we should apply to ourselves. Don’t lie to yourself about who you are, and whatever you are accept it, and don’t lie to others, respect them enough to be truthful and show your acceptance of the reality as it is.
Asteya: non-stealing
Asteya, or non-stealing, is about more than just not taking things that aren’t ours. It’s about being content with what we have and not always wanting what others have.
Practicing Asteya means respecting other people’s time, energy, and belongings, and having a mindset that there's enough for everyone—trusting that the universe is abundant enough for everyone to have what they need.
Asteya also touches on our misconception that happiness is outside of what we already have. Truth is, if you’re not happy right now with what you have, having a boyfriend, getting a million dollars, or finally getting X job won’t make you any happier. Sure, maybe for a few minutes or days, you would get happier if you thought that’s what you wanted, but eventually you would go back to your regular mood.
Asteya asks us to appreciate what we have, without having to compare ourselves with others. And asks us to acknowledge that other people’s achievements, time, and thoughts need to be recognized.
To apply this value to your life, give credit where credit is due, and become grateful for what you are and who you are right now.
Brahmacharya: self-control
Have you heard about the concept of celibacy in many religions? Well, Brahmacharya sometimes is likened to that because it talks about self-control.
However, it doesn’t mean you can’t have sex. No, it only tells us to be mindful that our energy and time on earth are limited, and if we were to so deeply focus on one thing and one thing only we would be missing out on many other areas of our lives.
So, yes, spending time on your hobbies is key for mental health, but imagine you’re so obsessed about one of your hobbies that you invest so much of your time, mental power, and energy into it that you stop caring for your family, your friends, your health, your other hobbies and so on. Would you be seizing the time you have on earth? Probably no.
Humans are multidimensional and placing enough energy into all the things that give us joy and that make us better is important.
By embracing this principle, we conserve our energy and use it purposefully, leading to greater vitality, clarity, and focus in our lives.
Aparigraha: non-possessiveness
Lastly, we have Aparigraha, or non-possessiveness or attachment. It’s about appreciating what we have without becoming attached to material possessions or outcomes.
Practicing Aparigraha means living simply and mindfully, focusing on what truly matters, and avoiding the trap of consumerism and accumulation. By embracing this principle, we free ourselves from the stress and burden of wanting and hoarding, fostering a sense of inner peace and contentment. This mindset helps us to live more sustainably and with a greater sense of gratitude and generosity.
Like all things with yoga, it not only applies to the world around us but also to ourselves. How many of us are so attached to the idea that we have of ourselves that we don’t try new things or that we struggle with accepting that we’ve changed our minds?
Take the non-attachment or non-possessiveness to all areas of your being and even to your experiences. Don’t be so attached to an experience (or your expectations of it) that you don’t enjoy the present moment.
Accept the now as it is, and let go of the past.
Let’s now take a look at how these Yamas can be applied to modern life.
Applying Yamas to your modern life: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Let’s talk about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs—a very useful framework for understanding human needs. It is a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow that outlines five levels of human needs, arranged in a pyramid.
The lower levels must be satisfied before higher-level needs become important. At the base are physiological needs like food, water, and shelter. Next are safety needs, including security and stability. Above these are love and belongingness needs, which encompass relationships and social connections.
The fourth level is esteem needs, which involve self-respect, recognition, and status. At the top is self-actualization, the pursuit of personal growth, fulfilling one’s potential, and self-fulfillment. Maslow's theory suggests that as individuals satisfy each level of need, they are motivated to achieve the next, ultimately striving for personal and psychological growth.
The five Yamas can help us fulfill the needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs like this:
Physiological needs: Ahimsa ensures we care for our bodies by fostering a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Safety and security needs: Satya builds trust and reliability, creating a secure and stable environment.
Love and belongingness needs: Asteya promotes respect and integrity, strengthening relationships and community bonds.
Self-esteem needs: Brahmacharya supports self-discipline and balance, enhancing self-esteem and earning self-respect.
Self-actualization needs: Aparigraha encourages focus on true purpose and potential, leading to self-fulfillment and personal growth.
As you can see, all of these values and principles can have a mega-positive effect on your life. But if you take only one key takeaway from this pillar of the yoga philosophy it would be this: love and accept yourself as you are but do not become attached to the idea you have of yourself. This, in my opinion, would allow you to do no harm to yourself and others, be truthful, not steal, have self-control, and let things be as they are and not as you hope them to be.
Of course, there’s much more to say about each of the Yamas principles/values, but this is a little summary of what each of them is and how you can start to apply them to your life.
Although many of these values are not new (many other philosophies and even some religions have them) the way that yoga explains them resonates with me and has truly helped me become more conscious and more peaceful. And hopefully, they do the same for you. 😊
That’s it for today!
As always, thank you for reading!
See you soon in the next issue of MindfulMess where we’ll talk about the next pillar of the yoga philosophy: Niyamas.
With MindfulMessy love,
Cris. 💌