The Yamas, the first of Patañjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga as outlined in the Yoga Sutras, are a practical guide to integrating the mind with the life force (Prana) that moves through all of creation. Patañjali doesn’t teach us from a moral point of view; rather, he simply points out that if we wish to reach the highest level of connection and concentration, Samadhi, we must remove any separation between the mind and this universal energy.
The Yamas, together with the Niyamas, are often called the “Ten Commandments” of yoga.
The Yamas : Aparigraha
The fifth (and final) of the five Yamas is Aparigraha, which can be translated as “non-greed” or “non-grasping.” I had never considered before that grasping non-material things — like my need to “win” in competitive cycling classes or my need to advance my career — might be a form of greed. I’m also more and more […]
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The Yamas : Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya means “continence” or “moderation.” It’s clear that Patañjali is referring to sexual abstinence, at least in large part, but it’s also about moderation in all things. Specifically, it’s about moderation in all things that give us pleasure. But I just want to do yoga and have a ‘yoga body’ and have all of my […]
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