the yamas and niyamas
the yamas and niyamas
tenets for living in harmony with yourself and the world
a teeny tiny overview
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the yamas
These are the restraints, or things we want to avoid. I also like to think of these things in terms of how we relate to our external environments.
ahimsa - nonviolence
satya - truthfulness
asteya - nonstealing
brahmacharya - nonexcess
aparigraha - nonpossessiveness
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the niyamas
These are the observances, or things we should seek. I also like to think of these as means to journey into our internal work.
saucha - purity
santosha - contentment
tapas - self-discipline
svadhyaya - self-study
ischvara pranidhana - surrender
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ahimsa - nonviolence
This is essentially 'do no harm' to others and ourselves.
We lash out and cause harm more often when we are imbalanced.
Things that can cause imbalance: sleep deprivation excessive busyness hunger grind culture lack of self care
“Our capacity to be nonviolent depends on our proactive practice of courage, balance, love of self, and compassion for others.” – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
What conditions in your life make it easier for you to cause harm? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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satya - truthfulness
Be honest with others and yourself. Even when it's uncomfortable. Even when you don't like it.
Dishonesty is tempting when we want to be nice or avoid conflict.
Forms of dishonesty: lying distorting information or your self-expression silencing yourself confirmation bias
“We must be willing to take the risk to tell ourselves the truth and grow ourselves into someone who can trust themselves.” – Deborah Adele The Yamas & Niyamas
When are you tempted to be dishonest with others? Yourself? Explore what's under that. Why? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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asteya - nonstealing
Practice integrity with yourself and others.
When we feel a sense of lack or disregard, we steal from people, the earth, and ourselves.
Ways we steal: withholding attention denying opportunities taking material possessions self-sabotage hoarding resources living in the past or future
And all the ways we put up fences, whether real or imagined, around our physical belongings or around our mental idealisms, we put up barriers that steal from the expansion of our lives.” – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
How do you steal from yourself? Others? In what circumstances? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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brahmacharya - nonexcess
Strive for just the right amount. Practice anti-greed.
Many of us are taught that more is better, even at the expense of ourselves and others, leading to an us vs. others mentality.
Excess can appear as: hoarding material things busyness overeating overexertion
Nonexcess “is about enjoyment and pleasure in its fullest experience.” – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
Look around your environment and take a quick mental inventory of what's bogging down your mind lately. What are you hanging onto that you don't need? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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aparigraha - nonpossessiveness
Allowing and welcoming change. Living through nonattachment.
We can confuse constancy with happiness, so we refuse to let go, breeding bitterness and resentment.
We hold on to: self-image appearance material goods lifestyle cultural status
“Attachments ruin our day when they aren’t fulfilled. Attachments make us boring. And attachments keep us blinded to the smorgasbord of new opportunities around us.” – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
“We are asked to let go of the clinging to the thing, not the enjoyment of the thing itself.” – Deborah Adele The Yamas & Niyamas
How do you present yourself to the world and introduce yourself? What really defines who you are? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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saucha - purity
Intentional cleansing and detoxifying of our bodies, minds, thoughts, environments, and essences.
We tend to accumulate things that dull our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits.
Ways we can detox: movement expressing emotions breathing journaling hydrating healthy eating
"As we purify ourselves physically and mentally, we become less cluttered and heavy; purification brings about a brightness and clarity to our essence.” – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
What have you accumulated that feels heavy in your mind, heart, or body? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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santosha - contentment
Being in the now with presence, allowing things to be as they are, and expressing gratitude for what is.
When we constantly seek the next thing or more, we can't appreciate was is right now.
Presence inhibitors: jumping to the next thing immediately seeking a specific expectation looping mental narratives comparative culture
“The more we seek it or need it to look a certain way, the more it eludes us.” – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
What's an area of your life you feel dissatisfaction in? What would help you find contentment with it as is for right now? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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tapas - self-discipline
This is the consistent practice to make decisions that support the life we are cultivating and grow our window of tolerance with the uncomfortable.
It can be difficult to make the most supportive choices for ourselves when we don't practice regularly.
Non-supportive habits: treating your body poorly taking shortcuts acting from poor motivation speeding through life managing rather than living
If we make small changes and practice integrating mindfulness daily when we don’t need it, we can readily call on these resources in the moments we need them the most.
What current practices or routines do you have that support what you're trying to create? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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svadhyaya - self-study
This is observing ourselves fully, in the most objective way possible.
How we experience everyone and everything is a projection of what's inside us, whether we want to see it or not.
We are conditioned by: childhood learning capitalism patriarchy trauma
“We need to respect the wolf in us; if we don’t, we may become self-righteous and vulnerable to being eaten by the wolf. Whatever we pretend isn’t there will subconsciously use us." – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
What parts of you do you ignore? What would happen if you accepted them? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
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ischvara pranidhana - surrender
This is about finding whatever higher purpose you might connect to and actively choosing to find your flow within it.
We deny ourselves fluidity of life when we attempt to be responsible for and control all there is.
Things we give control: our egos, our hearts, our thoughts, other people, teachings we don't connect with
“Surrender invites us to be active participants in our life, totally present and fluid with each moment, while appreciating the magnitude and mystery that we are participating in.” – Deborah Adele, The Yamas & Niyamas
What happens in your body when something unexpected happens in life? Where are you gripping for control? No judgment, no immediate solution needed. Just exploration to pocket some awareness.
#yamasandniyamas #yoga #zenfulmindings #lunarloveletter #bluemoon2023
