Take your Yoga Off the Mat - Yama & Nyama in Action

The word yoga serves as an umbrella to depict various aspects of life: the spiritual, the physical, the everyday behaviors, the way we relate to others, and so much more.

For some, yoga is purely a physical exercise, a way to get stronger, healthier and more flexible; for others it’s meditating each day, and for others it might mean chanting mantras. One thing is for sure, yoga serves as a transformative step into a deep sense of wellbeing that goes way beyond the physical, no matter what that may mean for you.

Yama and Niyama

Described in the yoga sutra of Patanjali are considered the “rules” of how to be in a constant state of yoga (union of body/mind and spirit).

They are defined as a moral code towards yourself and others; a way of taking your yoga off the mat and into your life. Following the yama and niyama forms the foundation of your entire practice, and honouring these ethics as you walk along life’s journey, means you are always being mindful of each action, and therefore cultivating a more present and aware state of being. The Yama are what guide you towards practices that have to do with the world around you, but often you can take them as a guide of how to act towards yourself as well.

There are five yamas listed in Patanjali’s Sutras

Ahimsa: non-harming, non-violence in thought, word. and deed

Satya: truthfulness, honesty

Asteya: non-stealing, not withholding

Brahmacharya: ‘right use of energy’, temperance, self-discipline

Aparigraha: non-greed, non-hoarding

Niyama

The word ‘Niyama’often translates as ‘positive duties’ or ‘observances They are positive habits for healthy living and spiritual well-being.

Think of them as practices concerned with yourself, although of course they affect the outside world, as well.

Here is Patanjali’s list of the five nyama

Saucha: cleanliness of body, mind, and thought

Santosha: contentment

Tapas: discipline, austerity or ‘burning with enthusiasm”

Svadhyaya: study of the self and of sacred texts

Isvara Pranidhana: surrender to the divine, a higher being

A deep state of inner peace

Having a firm, consistent, and all-around yoga practice expands beyond the mat and into your life. As this occurs, it’s not just your body that gets worked, expanded and strengthened, but your mind and heart most of all. From that state of being, you can move ever closer towards wholeness and unity, and start to not just “do” yoga on the mat, but live and breathe it in each present moment, thus feeling the wholeness of being and a deep state of inner peace.