ORIGINS OF YOGA 3Let’s explore a brief overview of Patanjali’s system. Like the quote from
the poet Rumi, let’s start at the bottom of the ladder and work our way up.
We begin with Yama.
Limb One: Yamas, or Awakened Qualities
Yama refers to ethics, integrity, and how we practice yoga off of our mats in
relation to others. The five yamas are ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya,
and aparigraha.
Ahimsa, or Nonviolence
Life is incredibly sacred. It is through being alive that we all have the capacity
to love, to serve, and to lift each other up. When we inflict violence against
ourselves or others, we are violating that potential.
Nonviolence, or ahisma, begins with our actions. On one level, this is the
easiest stage to achieve—not physically hurting others. Once we eradicate
violent behavior, we must eliminate violence from our speech. Verbal abuse
has the potential to be just as damaging as physical abuse and sometimes
even more so. The final stage, and the hardest to achieve, is to remove vio-
lence from our minds and to be diligent with our thoughts. This takes a lot
of practice because of the complexity of our minds.
Fortunately, Patanjali had a technique called pratipaksha bhavana, which
teaches us to spin a negative thought into a positive one. It’s important to
understand that we will experience anger and rage; the key is to harness
these powerful emotions and transform them for a higher good. Two great
examples of people who mastered this practice are Mahatma Gandhi and an
activist he inspired, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Both were able to radically effect
positive change. Just like these great figures, we all have the ability through
nonviolence to unlock infinite reserves of compassion and love.
Satya, or Truthfulness
Thomas Jefferson said, “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
When we violate truth by telling lies—no matter how big or small—we pollute
our minds. And when our minds become murky, we are imprisoned within
our self-created confusion. This is why you hear the expression “The truth
will set you free.” By aligning our speech and actions with truthfulness, or
satya, we stand on invincible ground. Speaking the truth can sometimes be
difficult, but it always carries us down the path of grace and nobility.
Asteya, or Nonstealing
Stealing is taking something from someone who does not freely give it. This
can apply to personal possessions, money, and land, but it can also apply to
another person’s time and energy. In relationships or in business, it’s important
to know how to establish boundaries with certain people—some folks can