What do you know about yoga, off of the mat?

Yoga is so much more than the postures, and two of the most interesting limbs of what is called “the 8 fold path" of yoga are the Yama's and Niyamas, which are essentially an ancient set of ethical guidelines. Yoga itself is found in all of these 8 limbs, including, but not limited to, the Asanas, or postures, that are commonly referred to in the West as ‘Yoga’.

To simplify, I will try to break down the concepts of the Yamas and Niyamas as an ethical practice, making them personably relatable and universally understandable.

The Yamas and Niyamas represent a strong foundation of ethics and disciplines, some would say even a "moral code of conduct", within the practice of Yoga.

The word "Yamas" translates literally into the Sanksrit word "restraints". The social restraints that make up the Yamas, and the disciplines that form the Niyamas, directly stimulate awareness and offer opportunity for personal responsibility and growth.

The "Yamas", simplified as the things NOT to do, include nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, non-excess, and non-possessiveness. Each of these are easy to understand having restraint with, do you agree?

The "Niyamas", or simply put, the things TO do, or "not-restrain", include purity, contentment, self-discipline, self-study and surrender. Each of these idea are easy to see value and benefit from cultivating.

These two limbs of the Yogic path function less as rigid rules, within any contextual box of laws and regulations, as they do thoughtful, timeless guidance. In truth they function as guidelines, or suggestions, for each us to examine and meditate on, both off and on the yoga mat. Practicing every one of these guidelines offers us the opportunity to discover a greater sense of awareness, peace, well-being, and fulfillment.

There is ultimately no one specific, universal lesson to be learned from each of the Yamas and Niyamas, but rather, continuous awareness, realization, and truth to be had throughout our individual growth and awakening.

It came as a surprise to me when I was able to experience significant shifts in consciousness from reading them the first time. Sometimes it was difficult, recognizing the way my own behaviors have shaped my life, unintentionally, while I was unaware.

Naming, looking at, and exploring all of those things has greatly deepened my yoga practice, both on and off the mat, and enriched my life. The growth that these restraints and disciplines offer has been highly effective in their ability to inspire better ethical choices of behavior and mindset.

I highly encourage anyone interested in self-regulation and personal evolution to invest a little time and explore these profound ideas. The truths and tools that I learned from studying these philosophical concepts have been priceless.

They have been nothing short of life-changing for me.

Thank you, dear reader.

I hope you make time to practice yoga today, in any of its forms.

Keep Rising,

Phoenix