What are Yamas and Niyamas?
There are eight limbs in yoga. The first two are the Yamas and Niyamas (Abstensions and Obervances). Since Yama comes from the root word ‘yam’ ‘to hold’ or ‘to rule’, yama represents the behaviors that ‘control’ certain tendencies (the ‘animal/instinctive nature’) that occur in all human beings. These are the five ideals of:
Yama
Ahimsa (Non-violence)
Satya (Truthfulness)
Asteya (Non-stealing)
Brahmacharya (Celebacy, involving self-restraint and moderation in all you do)
Aparigraha (Non-greed)
The Niyamas are the general actions that are necessary if we truly want to achieve a condition of health and deep balance within ourselves. The Niyamas ask us to aim for:
Niyama
Shaucha (Purity)
Santosha (Contentment)
Tapas (Austerity)
Svadhyaya (Self-study)
Ishvar-Pranidhana (Centering on God)
Yama Niyama hold the key to real transformation in life. That’s why the great Maharishi Patanjali placed these Yamas and Niyamas first and foremost along the path of yoga.
There are eight limbs in yoga. The first two are the Yamas and Niyamas (Abstensions and Obervances). Since Yama comes from the root word ‘yam’ ‘to hold’ or ‘to rule’, yama represents the behaviors that ‘control’ certain tendencies (the ‘animal/instinctive nature’) that occur in all human beings. These are the five ideals of:
Yama
Ahimsa (Non-violence)
Satya (Truthfulness)
Asteya (Non-stealing)
Brahmacharya (Celebacy, involving self-restraint and moderation in all you do)
Aparigraha (Non-greed)
The Niyamas are the general actions that are necessary if we truly want to achieve a condition of health and deep balance within ourselves. The Niyamas ask us to aim for:
Niyama
Shaucha (Purity)
Santosha (Contentment)
Tapas (Austerity)
Svadhyaya (Self-study)
Ishvar-Pranidhana (Centering on God)
Yama Niyama hold the key to real transformation in life. That’s why the great Maharishi Patanjali placed these Yamas and Niyamas first and foremost along the path of yoga.