09/04/2025
Yoga is often associated with poses. Sometimes we include pranayama, meditation, and other practices (and we should).
But a big part of what makes yoga YOGA is how you approach these practices (and life itself)—and luckily, the yogis created clear maps to guide us on this front. One of these maps is the yamas, or restraints. These form the boundaries or guardrails that keep us on the path as we interact with the world around us (and ourselves).
While this may sound vague and intellectual, the yamas are incredibly practical. They're meant to be APPLIED. And when they are, they're part of what makes yoga inherently therapeutic—they reduce our suffering and that of others, and help us feel more aligned and connected to our deepest selves.
I'll be sharing about the yamas all month, with a focus on the application. For now, here's a quick rundown of what they are:
🔵 Ahimsa (non-harming) - Ahimsa asks us to approach ourselves & the world with love.
🔵 Satya (truthfulness) - Satya asks us to be real with ourselves, to be relentless about removing our veils & deceptions.
🔵 Asteya (non-stealing) - This isn't as simple as not stealing things. It also means taking intangible resources (like time or energy), comparing ourselves to others, pushing past our own limits, and robbing ourselves of the full experience of life.
🔵 Brahmacharya (energy & resource management) - Brahmacharya asks us to prioritize our wellbeing by recognizing how we use our resources (time, energy, money, etc.). This yama asks us to value ourselves by not overly draining our resources.
🔵 Aparigraha (non-grasping) - This yama asks us to let go: of possessions, ideas, people, whatever we cling to.
👉 Which of these yamas feels most relevant to you right now? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear.
