First two limbs of yoga, differing interpretations of the yama and niyama, and their importance as underlying foundations for yoga practice.

Compilation of interpretations of principles of Yama and Niyama by three renown authors: George Feuerstein, Edvin F. Bryant, and Dr. Jonn Mumford.

The Yoga Sutras of Paatanjali [3] The Yoga Tradition [1] The Chakra and Kundalini [4] Yama How Yogi interacts with others The norms of moral discipline When Yamas and Niyamas are taken (yama) are intended to check to be a set of rules for moral behaviour, the powerful survival instinct we are faced with a profound problem. and rechannel it to serve a higher purpose, regulating the social interactions of yogins. Ahimsa Has been defined by Vyasa as not The word Ahimsa is frequently What nonviolence means, what Ahimsa harming any creature anywhere at translated an “nonkilling”, but means, is an attitude of mind – not a any time. this fails to convey the term’s set of actions. One who esoterically Nonviolence also encompasses giving full meaning. Ahimsa, in fact, is practices Ahimsa tries not to permit up the spirit of malice and hatred, nonviolence in thought and violence against the higher since these produce the tendencies to action. It is the root of all the consciousness or to kill it by the misuse injure others. This includes avoiding other moral norms. and abuse of the emotional faculties. violence in the form of harsh words or causing fear in others. Satya Vyasa defines truth, as one’s words Truthfulness, or Satya, is often Inner spiritual truth has to do with the and thoughts being in exact exalted in the ethical and yogic most difficult thing that any of us can correspondence to fact, that is, to literature. When grounded in come to – that is the truth to the self, whatever is known through the three truthfulness (satya), action [and acknowledging the flows, looking within processes of knowledge accepted by its] fruition depend [on his will]. and seeing what is there, facing it the Yoga school (sense perception, without fear, and going within, even if it influence, and verbal testimony). tears one apart. However, truth must not cause harm to others. Truth must never result in violence. Asteya Not taking things belonging to others When grounded in nonstealing Each of us must earn what we and not even harbouring the desire to (asteya), all [kinds of] treasures possess, that if we take something that do so. appear [before him]. we have not earned then we are Nonstealing, or asteya, is breaking Asteya, or the rule of non- closely related to non-harming, stealing. However, Asteya goes much since the unauthorised deeper than that. Stealing that takes appropriation of things of value place in our life is stealing of time. violates the person from whom they are stolen. Brahmacharya Vyasa defines celibacy as control of Chastity, or Brahmacharya (lit. In the Upanishads it is clearly indicated sexual organs. Ultimate self- “brahmic conduct”), is of central that the sexual potential lying within realisation cannot be attained if one is importance in most spiritual each human is communion, a divine sexually active. traditions of the world, though it force. is differently interpreted. In Brahma means God, charya means Classical Yoga it is defined in action. And the word itself means “God- ascetical as the abstention from action” or “Divine action”. What it says sexual activity, whether in deed, is that the celibacy of sex is not in the thought, or words. act, but in the attitude that is held in consciousness. Aparigraha Viyasa defines renunciation of Greedlessness, or Aparigraha, This Yama has nothing to do with the possessions as the ability to see the is defined as the acquisition of goods. What it has to do problems caused by the acquisition, nonacceptance of gifts, with is the attitude or the attachment to preservation, and destruction of because they tend to generate these goods. It is not a question of things, since these only provoke attachment and fear of loss. possessing goods – rather, do the attachment and injury. goods possess us? Niyama Yogi’s own personal discipline and The constituent elements of self Niyamas represent the positive element practice. restraint (niyamas)are in the sense of things to be done, acts concerned with the inner life of to be worked at, concrete realities. yogins. Saucha Vyasa divides saucha into external Through purity [he gains] Saucha does not mean the mind: it and internal. External cleanliness distance (jugupsa) from his own refers to the body. It means purity of pertains to the body and internal to limbs, [and ne also acquires the the body in a physiological sense. The ingesting pure foodstuff. In terms of desire for] noncontamination by practice of Hatha Yoga – the internal ingestion, Hariharananda reiterates others. [Furthermore,] purity of cleansing, the internal massage of the that meat and intoxication cause the the sattva [constituent of his posture. mind to be agitated and stimulated. being], gladness, one- Therefore, yogi never imbibes such pointedness, mastery of the substances. sense organs, and the capability for Self-vision (atma- darshana) [are achieved]. Santosa Santos manifests as disinterest in Contentment, or Santosa, is a Practice of living in present time. accumulating more than one’s virtue prised by sages around immediate needs of life. True the world. Contentment is thus happiness comes from contentment a virtue that is diametrically with whatever one has, not with opposed to our modern thinking that one will be happy when consumer mentality, which is one gets all that one desire. driven by the need to acquire ever more to fill the inner vacuum. Tapas Tapas described as the ability to The word “tapas” means "glow" Tapas roughly translates as tolerate hunger and thirst as well as or "heat" and refers to great “indifference”. Tapas is the practice to all the dualities of life (hot, cold etc.), psychosomatic energy indifference to discomfort when no to avoid useless talk, and to perform produced through asceticism, useful purpose is served by taking fasts. Hariharananda says that yoga which is often experienced as notice of that discomfort. requires one to tolerate sufferings of heat. Yogins use this energy to the body, endure hardships, and heat the cauldron of their body- remain undisturbed by the luck of mind until it yields the elixir if physical comfort. high awareness.

Svadhyaya Reading sacred scriptures. The purpose of Svadhyaya is This self-study means that the act of Hariharananda expands this to not intellectual learning; it is living is a continuous process of include devotional mantras. absorption into ancient wisdom. learning. Stop learning, and you begin to die in a very special way. Psychologists know that at least fifty peresent of senility is psychological – loss of interest in life, loss of willingness to learn by life’s experience. In this context, Yoga is the form of re- education. Isvarapranidhana Offering all one’s activities to Isvara, Devotion to the Lord is the For Yoga to survive in an intelligent the original teacher. Such offerings heart opening to the way for thoughtful people in the West, a must be done without desire for the transcendental Being who for new recasting must come about. fruit. the unenlightened individual is Ancient Indian civilisation left us a an objective reality and force, heritage in the classical scriptures but who upon enlightenment is which are short, succinct statements for found to coincide with the the minds of future ages to expand, yogin’s transcendental Self. expound, and enlarge upon.

Bibliography

[1] P. George Feuerstein, The Yoga Tradition - Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice., Chino Valley, Arizona: Hohm Press, 2008.

[2] D. Moore, Yoga and the Alexander Technique, Melbourne: Einstein's Moon, 2015.

[3] E. F. Bryant, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, New York: North Point Press, 2009.

[4] D. J. Mumford, A Chakra & Kundalini Workbook, Woodbury, MN USA: Llewellyn Publications, 2008.

[5] E. Harrison, The Foundation of Mindfulness, New York: The Experiment, 2017.