Yoga is so much more than a physical practice. In fact, the physical practice of yoga or the asana practice is just one branch of eight that makes up the tree of yoga. The tree of yoga is formally known as The 8 Limbs of Yoga. These limbs act as guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. The first of them are the Yamas and Niyamas.

You know they are essential when they literally come before the physical practice of yoga itself! But what the heck do these mean? What is their importance in the way of yoga? And how can we practice them in our daily lives?

Get ready to dive deep bb, let’s break it down!

WHAT ARE THE YAMAS AND NIYAMAS?

The Yamas and Niyamas are known as moral codes or ways of “right living”. They can be explained as “the 10 commandments” of yoga. When followed, it means we are carrying the moral code of yoga throughout every aspect of our life. 

The difference between them is that the Yamas are how you relate to others, whereas the Niyamas are how you relate to yourself. They directly translate into universal moral guides in how to interact in the world around us and with ourselves. There are 5 Yamas and 5 Niyamas.

The Yamas

1. Ahimsa: Non-violence
   
2. Satya: Truthfulness
   
3. Asteya: Non-stealing
   
4. Brahmacharya: Celibacy or the right use of energy
   
5. Aparigraha: Non-greed
   

The Niyamas

1. Suacha: Self-purification or cleanliness
   
2. Santosha: Contentment 
   
3. Tapas: Self-discipline
   
4. Svadhyaya: Self-study
   
5. Ishvara Pranidhana: Self-surrender or contemplation of a higher power
   

The Yamas and Niyamas importance in yoga

The word yoga means unity. Of course, we keep these things in mind in a class, but without taking this mindset off our mat and into the real world, we will never really fully feel the full benefits in yoga. 

When it comes to the Niyamas, these are all about cultivating a loving relationship with ourselves. This is so crucial because, without this relationship, we are barred from developing and maintaining happy and healthy relationships with others. The most important relationship you will ever have in this lifetime is the one with yourself as it sets the tone for every other relationship!

Integrating the Yamas and Niyamas

Each of your paths to incorporating the Yamas and Nimayas into your daily life is going to be unique, but no matter how you do it, 2020 showed us how crucial relationship to others and oneself is. Speaking of which, if you’re looking for some inspo for deepening self-love through yoga then you might really vibe with this solo pod ep I did on Yoga + Self-Love!

The goal is to take that zen feeling you cultivate on the mat with you off the mat. You know the zen feeling I’m talking about, the one that makes you feel like you are vibrating at the highest version of yourself. You want to be able to apply that peace and mindfulness in every aspect of your life. Even once your yoga mat is rolled up and put away. 

Here are examples of each of the Yamas and Niyamas applied to start getting you thinking about how you can incorporate these DAILY!

The Yamas applied

• Ahimsa: Non-violence 
  
  • How you think! Being mindful with our thoughts and sending messages through our body that are going to facilitate positivity towards ourselves and other people. Thus, manifesting more health and wellness to ourselves and the world around us. 
    
• Satya: Truthfulness
  
  • Not lying! This is to ourselves and others. By not lying, we can live a life that feels the most truthful and aligned. It ensures what we say and how we act are backed with intention. 
    
• Asteya: Non-stealing
  
  • Purging excess! Material possessions fill us temporarily, but when we let go of what we don’t really need, we not only have space for other things spiritually and mentally but also we leave these resources available for others. 
    
• Brahmacharya: Celibacy or the right use of energy
  
  • Finding balance! This can be applied to eating, working out, or really anything we can find ourselves overdoing. The key is to eat when we are hungry but not overindulge. Do the workout but don’t work ourselves to physical harm. To find the sweet spot but not overdo it. 
    
• Aparigraha: Non-greed
  
  • Purge and donate! This is a very literal way to ensure you are not living in excess. Do a closet cleanout and find a local organization that gives back to a good cause. This will ensure you are only keeping what you need and also support community members in need. 
    

The Niyamas applied

• Suacha: Self-purification or cleanliness
  
  • Girl, wash your face! This can be interchanged with brushing your teeth or washing your hair. These things sound little, but it is the small things that add up to ensure you are creating habits that come together for a healthier and thus happier life. 
    
• Santosha: Contentment 
  
  • Be in the present! So often we are focused on the next promotion, or getting to the “ideal” body type that we are not focused on where we are at today. By being in the present, we also learn to find peace in the journey. 
    
• Tapas: Self-discipline 
  
  • Mediate daily! Again a very literal application. How many times do we tell ourselves we are going to start meditating daily and fall off the bandwagon? By finding ways to turn healthy habits into daily routines that we begin paving the path to becoming our highest selves. 
    
• Svadhyaya: Self-study
  
  • What comes up when you are asked to get still? This is a great question to reflect on the mat during Savasana and off the mat. When you get still, what comes up for you? Do you begin fidgeting or immediately feel the impulse to grab your phone? Study this! It really tells you a lot about what is going on deep down inside of you.
    
• Ishvara Pranidhana: Self-surrender or contemplation of a higher power
  
  • Letting go! Understanding we are in control of our actions, but not always, our outcomes is vital here. Again, HELLO, 2020. We can have a specific higher power in mind or just know something else more significant than ourselves is ultimately in control. All that matters is we surrender to the journey called life. 
    

So there you have it, in the simplest and most bitesized form I could put it. That is the Yamas and Niyamas in all their yummy goodness. By applying these aspects both on the mat and off the mat, we set ourselves up for a purposeful and fulfilled life. I mean, what else do we do it all for? This is deep stuff, and I can’t wait to get even more in-depth about both the Yamas and Niyamas oh so soon…. Stay tuned! For more yoga goodness head here bb ✨