As we move into the month of March and transition from winter to spring, we may begin to think of spring cleaning. In yoga, the first of the five niyamas — guidelines for how we interact with the world and those around us — is purity, or saucha. Think about the first niyama for a … [Read more…]
Adhering to the yogic principle of non-possessiveness—the fifth yama—is a challenge. But its power cannot be denied. When I’m able to replace possessiveness with gratitude, my life improves dramatically! How does this work? If you’re familiar with the yamas and niyamas, you know they are guidelines for living. I sometimes think of them as the … [Read more…]
If you’ve studied yoga philosophy and heard the term brahmacharya, you may think of celibacy, self-denial, or asceticism when you see the word. But believe it or not, the aim of brahmacharya is to enjoy life! Brahmacharya means “to walk with God” (in Hindu terminology, to seek Brahman). In my belief, God doesn’t want us … [Read more…]
Asteya, the third yama of Patanjali’s Yoga, is non-stealing. It is more than not taking somebody else’s stuff. Behind the principle of asteya) is the notion of abundance, the idea that there is enough for everyone and everything is connected. In an ideal world, we would all share resources. Everyone would contribute to the community, … [Read more…]
Every moral code includes truthfulness. Truth in yoga is the second yama, satya in Sanskrit. It is not a simple matter of not telling a lie. Satya requires authenticity. Why is truth so important, and what exactly does it mean to be truthful? Healthy relationships are based on authenticity. We cannot be authentic unless we are … [Read more…]
The very first step on Patanjali’s eight-limbed path of yoga is the first yama: ahimsa. The word means nonviolence or non-harming. It can also be thought of as kindness. Understanding the First Yama Practicing ahimsa means doing no harm. We act with kindness toward other people, other beings, and the universe itself. Most of us … [Read more…]
Recently, I was discussing life after death with a friend. I’d mentioned something about the concept of reincarnation in Buddhism. My friend pointed out that Jesus described heaven as a house with many mansions (or rooms). Later that day, I found a new way of understanding the Jesus the yogi when I thought more about … [Read more…]
Most of us in the West have heard of the Ten Commandments. If you’re a yogi, you probably also know about the five yamas and the five niyamas. If you don’t, they are the principles the yogic sage Patanjali gave yogis as a guide for right living; think of them as the ten commandments for … [Read more…]
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are full of wisdom. The goal of Patanjali’s yoga is Self-realization, but we can use the wisdom of the sutras in everyday life. While we’d love to be enlightened beings all the time, we’re human. One way the sutras help us is by teaching us how to deal with people. … [Read more…]
If you’ve practiced yoga for a while, you may have begun to notice how yoga affects the emotional brain. By yoga, I don’t mean just the physical postures, but the whole practice. As one my teachers used to say often, we are always practicing yoga. The Emotional Brain and Yoga There are different ways to define yoga, … [Read more…]