Yamas and Niyamas
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The ten living principles
© 2002 Swami Avinashananda Saraswati These are the teaching notes from our workshop of the same name. If you would like to know more about this or other workshops please contact us.
www.saraswatiyoga.com These are designed to support a harmonious life, suitable for meditation and for community stability. They were first written by the Sage Patanjali, in the Yoga Sutras. This was about 500 BC but it is thought that they had been spoken texts for some centuries before that. The quotes from Patanjali are in italics. The basis for this talk is contained in Four Chapters on Freedom, by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, published by Bihar Yoga Barati. Available from Satyananda Yoga Ashram, (02) 4377 1171.
There are two limbs :
- the first (niyamas) of outer conduct or relationship with other people and the world.
- the second, yamas, of inner conduct and relationship with God.
Yamas
1. Ahimsa - compassion for all living things
On being firmly established in ahimsa, hostility disappears
This is usually translated as non-violence, which is the aspect of restraint. This can also be taken in the positive aspect of compassion. It is in mind (thought) emotion (feeling) and deed (body).
Often we need to practice this with ourselves as much as with any other person. Most of us have self critical thoughts, such as that we don't like how we look, or that a poor life is all we deserve.
The yogis who practise ahimsa emanate compassion. In their presence wild animals show no fear and hatred in the heart of people can be transformed to kindness.
2. Satya - truthfulness
For one established in truth, the result fits the action
Honesty develops trust which fosters relationships of depth and growth. Dishonesty leads to being unknown and unknowable.
The inner work of this is spending the time and inner awareness to be able to know our own truth and to speak it to those we meet. In some situations we may be afraid of the truth, either in our own selves, or in the situation around us, or of speaking our truth in the face of authorities, maybe the boss at work.
When one has established truthfulness in one's speaking, our speach develops power of it's own. This is called a siddhi, or psychic power, where our speech manifests it's purpose.
3. Asteya - honesty or not stealing
On being firmly established in honesty, all the gems present themselves
Satya is the outward action of truthfulness. Asteya is the inner knowing of the truth. It leads to the development of the gems of clairvoyance and intuition. For this to be reliable, the yogi must be without agenda of their own. The water of their mind must be uncoloured.
The positive side of this is appreciation of what we have. When we look outside ourselves for more, we are neglecting the riches we already have. Another way of phrasing this is not taking what is not freely given. Practicing this can include fostering a sense of abundance in one's life. You might like to dwell on one aspect of fulfillment in your life as a meditation, maybe before going to sleep.
4. Brahmacharya - sexual good conduct
On being firmly established in brahmacharya, indomitable courage and energy is gained (virya)
Yoga has branches that use sexual energy for meditation and transcendence, so Patanjali doesn't mean abstinence with this sutra. Sexuality is a passionate aspect of life and the use of this intense energy can have dramatic influences for good or ill. The translation of the word is Brahma, meaning supreme being, and acharya meaning living. So it means understanding the creative energy of life. Brhmacharya is about using our vitality wisely, rather than scattering it.
5. Aparigraha - not grasping
On becoming steady in non-possessiveness, there arises knowledge how and from where life comes
Holding on leads to bondage, for the mind and the body. There is a tale of the monkey trap. It consists of a coconut with a sweet inside, and a hole large enough for the open hand of a monkey but too small for the monekys fist. The monkey puts its hand into the coconut to grasp the sweet. It could open the hand and go away anytime, but due to it's desire of the sweet it keeps the fist around the sweet and cannot run away from the coconut, and hence is trapped.
This is story of many of us with sweets that are tempting but trap us. It is resistance to change. This is true both on the external world and also of change in our ego sense or who we are.
Niyamas
1. Shaucha - purity
From cleanliness comes non-attachment towards your own and others body . By the practice of mental purity one acquires cheerfulness, one-pointedness and vision of the self.
This is cleanliness of body, heart, mind and environment. It is directly translated as that and nothing else. This involves making choices about what you take in as food, through all channels, eg mouth, eyes and mind. Non-attachment comes as you begin to discern the value of what already is, without need for adornment or entertainment.
2. Santosha - contentment
Unexcelled happiness comes from the practice of contentment
This is peacefulness with our present situation, whatever it is. This is not stagnation or complacency, both of which have a sense of stuckness, of energy going into a void. Rather, it is a positive appreciation of what is. This can be a useful foundation for growth from the present. It includes hopefulness.
It is impossible for one who is dissatisfied with him/herself or with anything else to realize higher consciousness. (Swami Satyananda Saraswati) It reminds me of the Buddha's second noble truth, that suffering is caused by attachment, including to ideals and philosophy.
3. Tapas - burning the dross
By practicing austerities, impurities are destroyed . The body and sense organs become perfect.
There are times when we set our will and stick to it. For example, giving up an addiction can require a sense of determination and of staying with inner discomfort. This is tapas.
Traditionally yogis have practiced physical austerites to enable the body to sit for long periods of meditation.
4. Swadhyaya - self study
By self-observation union with the desired deity is brought about
It is impossible to practice any of the other precepts without this one. It is taking the time to take ourselves seriously. It is working with our limitations, our shames, our potential, and going deeper into them to progress ourselves into transcendence. Any limitation is an inner teaching of an area of growth as yet untapped.
In a way, this sutra says that knowledge of the self is knowledge of God. It is through this path that we come to union with Goddliness.
5. Ishvara pranidhana - surrender to God
Success comes from complete resignation to God
Use whatever translation suits you here, for God. I suggest that atheists consider the wonder of nature - it's complexity and science bogling depth. Will that do for God, for now? Surrender means letting it do it's will with you.
It is tremendously inspiring in life to connect our small lives with a larger whole. To take our prayers to an infinite source for blessing. To send our prayers from there to others, that the energy is continually replenished. As the sun sends it's energy to the earth, and the earth feeds us every day, let us take in the glory of the universe.
It is reassuring to know that prayer has been found to be effective in double blind trials (quote from Swami Niranjan in Yoga magazine.)