A couple of weeks ago we visited the Sutras of the Yamas (one of the Eight Limbs of Yoga). The Yamas are like the Moral Code of a yoga practice. Yama means control or restraint or regulation. We must restrain our worst impulses, our default ways of acting that do not contribute to the greater good of self and others. The Yamas call us into ethical relationship with others. How we treat others demonstrates in real time the effectiveness of our yoga practice by showing us the quality of our inner state of mind made manifest in the social order.
Here are the Yamas:
Ahimsa -- non-harming; non-violence
Satya -- truthfulness
Asteya -- non-stealing
Brahmacaraya -- energy conservation
Aparigraha -- non-greed; non-hoarding
Practicing the Yamas is considered to be "The Great Vow" of yoga. In my study of the Yamas we explored each of these and then during our Asana practice, we grounded each in a series of poses as we literally took "The Great Vow" together. It was deeply meaningful to me.
The Yamas are to be taken seriously and a yogi/yogini will keep this vow uppermost in his/her mind as s/he goes about the day. Challenges will arise and perfectly attending to each Yama may feel in conflict or even impossible.
How can that be? Let's take a closer look:
Ahimsa seems like a no brainer. Few of us would seek to harm another, right? We don't go around picking fights or beating people up or even verbally abusing those with whom we come into contact. But take a step back from the extreme of "harming" and see if you make snide comments, use sarcasm to express yourself, offer a hurtful opinion. Do you post mean memes on Facebook? Do you gossip about your officemate? What if your actions and behaviors feel harmful to another, even if not to you? Is it harmful to eat foods grown in toxic soils (you may be harming yourself) knowing that a farmworker was exposed to chemicals to give you cheaper lettuce? Do you engage in negative self-talk, harming your psyche? Some yogi/yoginis also interpret this Ahimsa as meaning non-harming toward any creature and turn to vegetarianism. What ways do you think you might be causing harm? How can you be more mindful in practicing Ahimsa?
Satya, or truthfulness, is another easy one, right? You likely see yourself as a truthful person. Yet...how many "white lies" do we tell to avoid hurting someone's feelings? Friend: "I love my new red dress, don't you?" You, thinking: "Hmmm....no, it's awful!" You saying, "Yes! So cool!" You've just told a lie to try not to harm (Ahimsa in conflict!) Maybe you could have answered the question with a truth that wasn't a lie: "That is such a vibrant color on you!" Or how many lies do we tell others (and ourselves) to justify our behaviors, to save face, to avoid consequences? Satya is also connected to keeping our word -- to following through on commitments to ourselves and others. Truthfulness means taking a close look at our inner motivations and our personal integrity. Have you caught yourself in a lie? How can you be more mindful in practicing Satya?
Asteya means not taking from others anything not freely given through mutual agreement. You are an honest person and would never think of robbing a bank. You wouldn't go into a store to shoplift. But do you point out when the waitstaff forgets to charge you for your dessert? Do you constantly interrupt others, essentially stealing their ability to be heard? Are you habitually late, "stealing" time from those waiting for you? Have you ever taken credit for someone else's idea? How many instances can you think of when you "stole" something that wasn't really yours to have? How can you be more mindful in practicing Asteya?
Brahmacarya is concerned with keeping us in balance. We need to conserve vital energy in order to move it in more productive directions. The traditional interpretations of this Yama deal with sexual energy -- the idea of controlling those urges and cravings and adhering to fidelity and perhaps celibacy. It is certainly true that sexual faithfulness would fall into this category. In more modern interpretations we broaden the meaning of this Yama to also include finding balance in our lives; to practicing moderation. Do you habitually overeat? Indulge in too many beers? Work at the office until after everyone else has gone home? Watch TV until the wee hours? Work out at the gym compulsively? Meditate to the exclusion of interacting with others? In what ways do you feel out of balance and how does this impact your relationships with others? How can you be more mindful in practicing Brahmacarya?
Aparigraha, or grasping, greed, and hoarding leads to separation. Our Ego wants. Our Ego identifies with using material objects to define us. We become possessive. We shout, "Mine!" like a two-year-old and grieve the loss of our "stuff" as if it had real meaning. The classic example would be of a person who is a hoarder and cannot part with anything. Or a miser who hoards money to feel important. Some lord power over others. Accumulation and "want" are created by advertising, causing us to feel unsatisfied with life unless we have the latest cool gadget. Can you relate? Or maybe you cling to an idea or a dogma and cannot abide an opposing view. Not hoarding things and ideas can free us to realize all is temporary and will pass from us in time -- even our very lives. Can you identify any ways in which you are grasping or greedy? Can you let go? How can you be more mindful in practicing Aparigraha?
There is so much to explore, learn, and internalize in our yoga practice. I hope you've enjoyed this stroll through the Yamas and hope you'll also explore practicing these ethical guides. You will not do it all perfectly and must use your powers of discernment to untangle conflicts, using your own integrity as your guide. Yet even if done imperfectly, living in balance with generosity, truthfulness, compassion, and an awareness of the temporary nature of our human lives can ground and root us in the "now" while also providing a framework to live with increasing confidence, joy, and freedom. It's a practice worth pursuing; will you take The Great Vow too?©
Namaste, donnajurene
Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com
Resource: The Path of the Yoga Sutras - A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga by Nicolai Bachman.
