Written By Aviva Tulasi

Yoga is a practice. You might be practicing your balance, flexibility, strength or perhaps it is mindfulness. Yoga is not a single practice. The more you practice yoga, the more you recognize the universality in life.

The Bhagavad Gita translated by Sri Swami Satchidananda chapter 6 verse 29 says,

“As your mind becomes harmonized through Yoga practices, you begin to see the Atman in all beings and all beings in your Self, you see the same Self everywhere and in everything.”

Note: Atman is the Sanskrit word for universal consciousness.

Harmonizing your mind, implies that you learn how you think. You explore how you interact with the world and yourself and how those interactions shape your emotions. In yoga terms, you cultivate Yama. Yama is narrowly translated as ethical guidelines or restraints. In reality, they are a set of universal practices that are fundamental habits of the mind. The 5 principles are a means to be aware of the instinctive patterns of the mind and to move them towards compassion.

In The Ethics of Love, Vimala McClure says, “The principles of Yama are about bringing our thoughts, words and behaviors into awareness and consciously choosing positive, life-affirming ways of being.”

Yama, like any yogic practice, is not linear or fixed. There is not a specific end goal. They are not moral rules; it is not as though you either have the principle or not. Yama is a continuum of practice. There is not a hierarchical value to the principles. Although they are often listed in a specific order, you don’t have to practice them in order.

There are 5 principles of Yama:

Ahimsa (non-harm)
Satya (truthfulness)
Asteya (non-stealing)
Brahmacharya (unity)
and aparigraha (non-covetousness).

Ahimsa means non-harm. It is the practice of kindness to ourselves, others and the world. Swami Sivananda says, “ahimsa implies non-killing. But, non-injury is not merely non-killing. In its comprehensive meaning, Ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm whatsoever to any living creature, either by thought, word, or deed. Non-injury requires a harmless mind, mouth, and hand.” As you cultivate ahimsa, you get insights into why you harbor anger. You learn to be more gentle with yourself and to explore others' point of view.

Satya means truth. It is the practice of honesty with sincerity. Satya helps you explore your fears. Irene (Aradhana) Petryszak writes, “Satya guides us to think, speak, and act with integrity. The word sat means ‘that which exists, that which is.’ Satya, therefore, is seeing and communicating things as they actually are, not as we wish them to be.” As you turn to truth, your thoughts, words and actions agree. You learn to see the reality of given situations rather than project your own expectations.

Asteya means non-stealing. It is the practice of responsibility. It might seem like it is a simple practice, but it is ensuring that you don’t take something that doesn’t belong to you. Asteya refers to money and material items but it also applies to information and love. It is a form of respect. You learn to be joyous for others' fortunes rather than be jealous or envious. The practice of asteya helps you let go of envy and jealousy.

Brahmacharya is often defined as continence, but can be translated as to be one with All. Brahmacharya is the practice of self-control. It is the practice of drawing the senses inwards and controlling excess use of energy. You learn to not overextend yourself and to value others as a reflection of yourself. You reduce your ego or sense of separation and follow the path of universal love.

Aparigraha means non-covetousness. It is the practice of simplicity and accepting what you have. A Gaia blog explains, “aparigraha is about greed-based desire that is rooted in jealousy: to inhabit what someone else is, where they are in life, or what they have. Parigraha is looking at someone else and saying ‘I want that,’ whether or not we have the same ability, experience, physiology, knowledge or desires as that other person.” The practice of aparigraha shifts your spirit towards gratitude. You learn to accept that your life is perfect for you.

The practices of Yama can be applied towards others or yourself. In our yoga classes, we can practice all of the principles of Yama as they relate to your interactions with yourself. As you move through yogic postures you have to be honest about your limitations and listen to the cues of your body (satyea) to make sure that you are not harming yourself (ahimsa). In addition, you have to accept that your postures are different from others (aparigraha) and not overwork yourself (Brahmacharya). You are even practicing asteya because you commit to showing up on-time and being present for yourself (you are not stealing your or the teacher’s time).

Dogwood Studios has plenty of opportunities to support your Yama cultivation. May brings a new addition to our weekly class line up: Ainslee’s Herbal Yoga Series starts May 15th! Harmonize and deepen your connection with plants Sundays, 4:00-5:30 pm EST. Sign up for one, some or for the entire series. Learn more HERE.

Our Mindful Movement and Yoga classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 am are taught as a hybrid approach. The In Person option is held at Yoga Shala. We welcome you to move with us in this beautiful and calming studio in the heart of downtown Carrboro. You can sign up for the option that works best for you on our website.

Please email us with any questions at info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com. We are here to help.

Aviva Chaye Tulasi is a team member at Dogwood Studios. She is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT). She applies the teachings of classical yoga to reduce the effects of negative stress and to balance the nervous system. Aviva is available for private sessions. Email Aviva at yogawithtulasi@gmail.com with any questions.

SAM Sather, founder of Dogwood Studios, is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online and in person yoga classes as well as private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.