25/05/2026
Today in class, we referred back to seeing how Yamas and Niyamas fit with self reliance, strength of mind and self control relative to one's recovery and the 12 steps.
FIRST AND SECOND LIMBS OF YOGA - YAMAS AND NIYAMAS
This article will focus on the first two limbs of the eight limb framework of Yoga. The first two limbs of the eight limbs, being Yamas and Niyamas. To create a simple understanding of Yamas and Niyamas this article will give an overall summary of what they are and the implications towards ‘taking them off the mat and applying them in our lives.’
A well know yoga author Donna Fahri refers to Yamas and Niyamas as the ‘core principles that form the central vein from which all other yoga practices stem from. Rather than being a list of ‘dos and don’ts’ one can perceive them as telling us that our ‘fundamental nature is compassionate, generous, honest and peaceful’, when we connect to our true essence, inner self or divine source. So more specifically Yamas, the first limb relate to moral conduct and the manner in which we live our lives and how we use our energy in relationship to others and ourselves. And Niyamas relate to ethical conduct that ‘constitutes a code for living in a way that fosters the soulfulness of the individual and has to do with the choices we make’.
The following explanation makes use of the Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati (Swami J) explanation for both Yamas and Niyamas as follows:
Yamas- codes of restraint, abstinences and self regulations:
Swami J describes Yamas in terms of having to do with training your actions, speech and thoughts in relation to the external world, particularly with other people. As they are gently, lovingly practiced over time, they gradually evolve into great vows for living they include:
• (Ahimsa) non-violence, non-harming, non injury
• (Satya) truthfulness, honesty
• (Asteya) non-stealing, abstention from theft
• (Brahmachary) walking in awareness of the highest reality, continence, remembering the divine, practicing the presence of God.
• (Aparigraha) non-possessiveness, non-holding through senses, non greed, non-grasping, non-indulgence, non-acquisitiveness
Building relationship with the world:
It should be self evident that having a good relationship with the world and other people is imperative if we wish to sit for meditation and experience the depths of self-realisation. The five Yamas are a means of building that relationship.
Niyamas – ethical codes having to do with your relationship with yourself. They involve:
• (Saucha) Purifying your body and mind
• (Santosha) Cultivating an attitude of contentment
• (Tapas) Training your senses
• (Svadhyaya) Inner exploration
• (Ishvara pranidhana) Letting go into your spiritual source.
When you are not doing the Yamas and Niyamas/ when you are acting, speaking, or thinking against the Yamas and Niyamas, the suggestion is to remind yourself that such negative actions, speech, or thoughts are going in the wrong direction, and will bring you nothing but unending misery. It can be as straightforward as silently repeating the words to yourself, “Mind, this is not useful; this is going to bring me nothing but more suffering, and lead me into greater ignorance of truth.” This simple practice is an extremely important way to balance, purify and train the mind.
These contrary actions, speech, or thoughts can be done by oneself, get done by another, or merely approved of. They may be accompanied by anger, greed and delusion. They may be mild, medium, or intense. Awareness and witnessing of these is a very useful part of discrimination, which is the key to enlightenment.
Why practice the eight limbs?
One of the most common principles that are missed is why one is practicing these eight limbs. The reason for practicing the eight limbs is developing discriminative knowledge. When one is sincere in ones desire to grow, to change, ones growth in one’s practice will happen naturally.
In the following weeks to come I will delve more deeply in what the ten core living principles of Yamas and Niyamas mean. Yoga wisdom is like a house with many doors. The doorway that is mostly used today is working with asanas, which is only one method. Learning about your centre in a yoga pose helps one practice finding one centre in other areas of one’s life. Adding in concentration, meditation and relaxation then promotes ones mindfulness of actions, speech and thoughts which can train one to deal better with life events.
Nemaste......Claire
