YAMA

                                    YAMA

Yama is the first of the eight limbs of yog outlined in the yog sutras. The verbal meaning of "Yama" is "rein, curb, or bridle, discipline or restraints". It can also be interpreted as "attitude" or "behavior". Certainly a particular attitude can be expressed as discipline, which then influences our behavior. Patanjali's Yog Sutra mentions five different yama, that is, behavior patterns or relationships between the individual and the outside world.

Practicing the yamas is said to give the yogi the opportunity to live in a way that is healthier and more peaceful. They can improve relationships with others, strengthen character and help the yogi progress on his/her spiritual path. It is also believed to reduce or even prevent the accumulation of bad karma, which can be gathered when one lives without awareness or honesty.

                             The Five Yamas of Yoga

1. AHIMSHA:  non-violence or non-harming of all creatures, including ourselves. Physical, mental and emotional violence are all to be avoided and, as such, ahimsa is often considered to guide yogis to practice compassion and non-judgment as a tool for cultivating nonviolence.

2. SATYA:  (truthfulness) urges us to live and speak our truth at all times. Walking the path of truth is a hard one, especially while respecting Patanjali’s first Yama, Ahimsa. Since Ahimsa must be practiced first, we must be careful to not speak a truth if we know it will cause harm to another. Living in your truth not only creates respect, honor, and integrity but also provides the vision to clearly see the higher truths of the yogic path.

3. ASTEYA: Asteya is the third yama. Steya means "to steal"; asteya is the opposite-to take nothing that does not belong to us. This also means that if we are in a situation where someone entrusts something to us or confides in us, we do not take advantage of him or her. We are to refrain from taking that which is not ours by right of consciousness and karma.

4. BRAHMACHARYA : The literal translation of brahmacharya is “walking in God-consciousness.” Practically speaking, this means that brahmacharya turns the mind inward, balancing and supervising the senses, and leads to freedom from dependencies and cravings. And the sages tell us that when the mind is freed from domination by the senses, sensual pleasures are replaced by inner joy.

5. APARIGRAHA: urges us to let go of everything that we do not need, possessing only as much as necessary. The yogis tell us that worldly objects cannot be possessed at all, as they are all subject to change and will be ultimately destroyed. When we become greedy and covetous we lose the ability to see our one eternal possession, the Atman, our true Self. And when we cling to what we have we lose the ability to be open to receive what we need.

Thus, the yamas are the moral virtues which, if attended to, purify human nature and contribute to health and happiness of society.