Welcome back readers,
It’s your biggest Yoga philosophy nerd here.
Let’s pick up right where we left off, the last couple articles I shared I spoke about the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga by Patanjali.
Today I would like to shed a bit more light on the first two limbs and talk about how the internal practices of Yoga and how they can put you even MORE on the fast track to a higher way of living.
Who doesn’t want more peace in their life?
Are ya with me or are ya with me?
That’s right, so going back to the first two limbs; Starting with the first,
Y A M A S
Ahimsa- nonviolence
Satya- truthfulness
Asteya- nonstealing
Brahmacharya- self-control
Aparigrapha- non-possessiveness
Some of these five Yamas might sound similar to some of the ten commandments, and other spiritual guidelines, just a reminder (Yoga is NOT a religion. )
However, the Yamas are wonderful guidelines for EVERYONE to live by giving us constant reminders to be the best version of ourselves. The Yamas focus more on social restraints and our relationship with others.
Okay so you read these words, you leave your desktop feeling spiritually motivated and set the intention of practicing living the Yamas every day. But let’s say Monday Susie comes to work, looking healthy, fit glowing, and that green headed devil we all know too well comes to the forefront, you know which one I’m talking about, jealousy.
Susie asks you about your weekend, without blinking an eye you tell a white lie and say you had a great run/workout over the weekend even though you were exhausted so you chilled and netflixed all day to let your body recharge, which is great! You gave the body the rest it needed, but now because of your jealousy you just lowered your vibration by releasing that white lie, and after the conversation you start to get in your head with negative thoughts because of the lie you just came up, resulting in a negative domino effect.
When INSTEAD if you would’ve answered Susie honestly, like so “ya know Susie last week was a really rough week, so I honored my body by resting and staying in this weekend.”
That window of opportunity right there is a chance for you to either raise or lower your vibration…let that one sink in.
Even though Susie will never actually know the real truth, you yourself know what’s true and what isn’t. And if you think you won’t beat yourself later for a pointless lie, you’re lying to yourself once again.
Without sounding like a broken record giving an example of each Yama, I think you catch my drift here.
Moving right along to the,
N I Y A M A S
Saucha- cleanliness
Santosha- contentment
Tapas- heat, discipline, spiritual austerities
Svadhyaya- study of sacred scriptures (all yogis remain students)
Ishwara Pranidhana- surrender to God
The Niyamas is where we turn our focus more inward, the observation of our habits. Where the Yamas are more focused on the don’ts and Niyamas focus on the DO’S, where the practice goes even more inward, how the yogi is with oneself, subtle practices.
For example, Saucha is cleanliness, but what does that mean to you? Physically, mentally, energetically?
How about all the above.
Saucha is cleanliness for the mind, body, and speech.
Be MINDFUL of your thoughts, going back to Susie from the office, maybe you didn’t verbally express your jealous thoughts that came to mind when you saw how great she looked, but even feeding energy into those kind of negative thoughts, lower your vibration and fuel MORE negative thoughts, there we go again with the negative domino effect. So instead when those thoughts start to rise, take a deep breath in and a slow breath out, and without becoming caught up or attached to that thought let it roll on by as if you’re watching clouds roll by in the sky. Without continuously thinking more negative thoughts.
Or better yet be mindful of these negative thoughts because more often than not as much as you try to keep those unhealthy thoughts to yourself, 9/10 times some type of snarky comment will come out unintentionally, because like poisons always do, they spread. Or perhaps you find yourself getting caught up in gossipy conversations often, you just need to re-evaluate your circle of friends or if you’re the initiator all you need is a good cleaning of the mind, and the best way to achieve that is done through mindfulness, in addition to other efforts, healthy living, exercise, being mindful of what you put in front of you, social media, television etc.
I think keeping the physical body clean is pretty self-explanatory but something you probably didn’t think about is keeping the environment in which you are IN clean as well.
Keeping your mat clean, the space you live in and then a selfless act of keeping the external world clean, picking up trash when you have the means and time to properly dispose of, volunteer in local beach cleanups, do your part at home and recycle, compost. Leave this world a better place than you found it, every single day. Start to watch how this mindfulness changes your attitude, changes your thought patterns, notice how compassion and love begin to grow before you know it, and your heart starts to turn into a big puddle of compassionate mush.
I can confidently write these words to you because I’m someone who experienced it first hand.
In short the Yamas, Niyamas and remaining limbs all boil down to creating more mindfulness, and awareness. Towards others, towards yourself the way you speak, think, act, do. How every thought that runs through that crazy mind of yours will either lift you higher or take you even further down that dark rabbit hole, our thoughtless mind likes to drag us down.
By starting with Yamas and Niyamas this is the foundation of your spiritual practice, the beginning of your inner transformation, paving the path for higher awareness and a deeper meaning of life.
Have a wonderful day Yogis,
Laken
Author: Laken Badley