An Ode To The Yamas & Niyamas

By: Heather Blanchard

Over the past several weeks I’ve been talking about the Yamas & Niyamas, which are yoga’s ethical and moral principles in class. There are 5 Yamas and 5 Niyamas, and many closely reflect the beliefs of various faiths on how to live right on the world. For devoted yogis, these are like guideposts on how to live off the mat with more peace, joy and balance and be your best and highest self.What’s unique about these ethical and moral principles is they all have a physical/actionable and a mental/spiritual component. This is quickly realized once someone begins to study and integrate them into their daily life. For example…

Ahimsa (Non-Violence) obviously means to do no harm to another being or creature, but also to have compassion for yourself and others. We can be self-harming with negative self-talk, or push ourselves to overwork or over-extend to the point of exhaustion. This may lead to being short-fused with others instead of giving them your best self and being kind, patient and compassionate. Satya (Truthfulness) includes being honest with others in word and deed and with yourself – being true to yourself – listening to your inner-self – and living life with authenticity.

Saucha (Purity) can mean to purify or clean your physical space, or to eat clean and nurture your body. From the mental perspective , it means to be pure with each moment. To step into each moment with more presence, without pre-conceived notions or judgements to experience life with more clarity and serenity. Tapas (Self-Discipline) translates literally to heat nut can mean building a physical practice, a spiritual practice or building strength in character. We build strength when we make good and true choices, or move through challenges with grace. We build strength hen we forgo momentary pleasures that may be a disservice to us in body or mind and stay on our path to be our best selves.

If you’re interested in doing a deeper dive there’s a great book by Deborah Adele (The Yamas & Niyamas – Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice) that’s a wonderful and easy read. When you begin to study and apply these guidelines, they will most certainly amplify your life. The Yamas & Niyamas help us live with more honesty, more compassion, more sincerity, more vitality and more spirituality – building a truly beautiful life.

Xoxo, Heather