A Journey Through the Yamas & Niyamas

Written By Casey Deschene

Yoga is a complex word and its meaning is nuanced. Many of us know yoga to be a physical practice, but what is lesser known is that yoga is actually made up of 8 limbs, only one of which is Asanas, the posture practice. The first two limbs are called the Yamas and Niyamas. These are ethical principals to follow that form the foundation of a strong yoga practice and yogic lifestyle. These moral codes are separated into two categories, the Yamas are things not to do, or restraints, while the Niyamas are things to do, or observances.

The Yamas and Niyamas are presented in Yoga Teacher Training and often are the first exposure students have to these principals. As a teacher and a trainer, I have found immense benefit from returning to these lessons time and time again. There always seems to be something new to uncover and a new application for every stage of life.

Below is a list of the 10 principals. Over the next 10 blog articles, we will unpack these principals one by one and discover more ways to look at the life code that the yoga teachings provide us for “right living”.

Yamas:

  • Ahimsa: nonviolence

  • Satya: truthfulness

  • Asteya: non-stealing

  • Brahmacharya: non-excess

  • Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, non-greed

Niyamas:

  • Saucha: purity

  • Santosha: contentment

  • Tapas: self-discipline, training your senses

  • Svadhyaya: self-study, inner exploration

  • Ishvara Pranidhana: surrender 

Casey Deschene https://www.light-houseyoga.com
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Yamas: Ahimsa