YAMA (Universal Morality)

Yamas represent a series of, ‘right living’ or ethical rules within Hinduism and Yoga.  They are a form of moral imperatives, commandments, rules or goals.  The Yamas are the, ‘don't do these’ list of self-restraints, typically representing commitments that affect one's relations with others and self.

The earliest mention of the word Yamas is in the Rigveda, and over fifty texts of Hinduism, from its various traditions, discuss Yamas.   Patanjali lists five yamas in his Yoga Sutras. Ten yamas are codified as, ‘the restraints’ in numerous Hindu texts including Yajnavalkya Smriti, the Sandilya and Varaha Upanishads, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Svatmarama, and the Tirumantiram of Tirumular.

The most often mentioned Yamas are – Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (non-falsehood, truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Mitahara (non-excess in food, moderation in food), Kșhama (non-agitation about suffering, forgiveness), Daya (non-prejudgment, compassion) are among the widely discussed Yamas. The Yamas apply broadly and include self-restraints in one's actions, words and thoughts.

However, in this book, only 5 Yamas, laid down by Patanjali will be discussed in length.

1 – Ahimsa (Non-killing, non-injury in thoughts, words and deeds, compassion for all being)

Ahimsa is a term meaning, 'not to injure' and 'compassion'.  The word is derived from the Sanskrit root hiṃs – to strike; hiṃsa is injury or harm, a-hiṃsa is the opposite of this, i.e. cause no injury, do no harm.  Ahimsa is also referred to as nonviolence, and it applies to all living beings—including all animals—according to many Indian religions.

Ahimsa is one of the cardinal virtues and an important tenet of 3 major religions (Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism).  Ahimsa is a multidimensional concept,  inspired by the premise that all living beings have the spark of the divine spiritual energy; therefore, to hurt another being is to hurt oneself. Ahimsa has also been related to the notion that any violence has karmic consequences. While ancient scholars of Hinduism pioneered and over time perfected the principles of Ahimsa, the concept reached an extraordinary status in the ethical philosophy of Jainism.  Most popularly, Mahatma Gandhi strongly believed in the principle of ahimsa.  Similar were the principles of Martin Luther King Jr.

Ahimsa in daily life-

a.      Observing vegetarianism.

b.     Thinking only good/ positive/ right things about others.

c.      Not involving in any kind violence.

Ahimsa in yoga class-

a.      Being friendly with everybody

b.     Avoiding arguments with others

2 – Satya (Commitment to Truthfulness)
Satya means, ‘to speak the truth,’ yet it is not always desirable to speak the truth on all occasions, for it could harm someone unnecessarily. We have to consider what we say, how we say it, and in what way it could affect others. If speaking the truth has negative consequences for another, then it is better to say nothing.  Satya should never come into conflict with our efforts to behave with ahimsa.  This precept is based on the understanding that honest communication and action form the bedrock of any healthy relationship, community, or government, and that deliberate deception, exaggerations, and mistruths harm others.

Satya in daily life-

a.      Always speak truth

b.     Let only truthful thoughts roll in mind; never deceitful thoughts.

c.      Send positive and truthful thoughts and vibration to others

Satya in yoga class-

a.     Be honest with yourself with postures; listen to your body and mind.

3 - Asteya (Non-stealing)
Steya means, ‘to steal’; asteya is the opposite-to take nothing that does not belong to us. This also means that if we are in a situation where someone entrusts something to us or confides in us, we do not take advantage of him or her. Non-stealing includes not only taking what belongs to another without permission, but also using something for a different purpose to that intended, or beyond the time permitted by its owner.  The practice of asteya implies not taking anything that has not been freely given. This includes fostering a consciousness of how we ask for others’ time for inconsiderate behavior demanding another’s attention when not freely given is, in effect, stealing.

Asteya in daily life-

a.      Do not steal.  Do not use office stuff for personal use.

b.     Do not use others’ stuff without permission

c.      Do not evade taxes or manipulate anybody to make income.

Asteya in yoga class-

a.     Do not deprive others of yoga space, props, etc.

b.    Do not deprive others of practice time with avoidable usage of instructor’s time/

4 - Brahmacharya (Continence, moderation, Sense control)
Brahmacharya is used mostly in the sense of abstinence, particularly in relationship to sexual activity. Brahmacharya suggests that we should form relationships that foster our understanding of the highest truths. Brahmacharya does not necessarily imply celibacy. Rather, it means responsible behavior with respect to our goal of moving toward the truth. Practicing brahmacharya means that we use our sexual energy to regenerate our connection to our spiritual self. It also means that we don’t use this energy in any way that might harm others.

Brahmacharya in daily life-

a.      Have moderation in sexual relationship

b.     Have moderation in entertainment related to sexual acts- movies, night clubs, etc.

c.      Utilize maximum energy for thoughts and acts related to non-sexual activities.

Brahmacharya in yoga class-

a.      Do not be disturbed by external factors; control your senses.

5 - Aparigraha (Non receiving of gifts, non greediness, non hoarding of possessions)
Aparigraha means to take only what is necessary, and not to take advantage of a situation or act greedy. We should only take what we have earned; if we take more, we are exploiting someone else. The yogi feels that the collection or hoarding of things implies a lack of faith in God and in himself to provide for his future.  Aparigraha also implies letting go of our attachments to things and an understanding that impermanence and change are the only constants.

       The Yoga Sutra describes what happens when these five behaviors outlined above become part of a person's daily life. Thus, the yamas are the moral virtues which, if attended to, purify human nature and contribute to health and happiness of society.

Aparigraha in daily life-

a.      Do not crave for anything beyond basic food, clothing, shelter, medication and education.

b.     Do not hoard things

c.      Do not get attach to possessions or relationships

Aparigraha in yoga class-

a.      Use yoga space, props only to the extent needed.