Yama and Niyama

[3bob]

Yama and Niyama, the misunderstood yoga

(quoted excerpt from Bruce Boyd for anyone interested)

 

"I think nothing about yoga could be more sadly misunderstood than the principles of Yama and Niyama. As you may already know, according to an ancient and widely accepted system set down by the yogi Pantanjali, there are 8 "limbs" (astanga) of yoga, which are arranged in an order suggesting that they might be steps towards the ultimate goal of union with God. Considering that the translation of the sanskrit word "yoga" is "union", that assumption seems reasonable. Problems arise however in the assumption that the beginning limbs/steps of yoga are more easily understood. They are certainly the most familiar concepts to us: the first limb being moral restrictions and the last limb being complete merger with God.

 

The entire list is:

Yama (moral restrictions; "don'ts")

Niyama (encouraged daily behaviors; "dos")

Asanas (special yogic physical exercises)

Pranayama (yogic breathing exercises)

Pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind from the 5 senses)

Dhahran (concentration exercises)

Dhyana (contemplation of God)

Samadhi (union with God)

 

Surprisingly, to me the order suggests levels of *decreasing* likelihood of misunderstanding what the limb is all about, but for the moment let me focus on Yama and Niyama for a couple of reasons:

A. Practicing them is absolutely crucial to making any progress in yoga

B. A proper understanding of how they work can alleviate a lot of unnecessary fear about them

 

Yama yoga consists of 5 things that a yogi should not do if he wants to get anywhere with his yoga.

 

1. Don't hurt anyone (includes thoughts and words as well as physical actions)

2. Don't lie for personal gain (also includes thoughts)

3. Don't take property that belongs to others (also includes thoughts and words)

4. Don't hoard unneeded things (also includes thoughts and words)

5. Don't seek personal pleasure from the world (also includes thoughts and words)

 

Niyama yoga consists of 5 things that a yogi SHOULD do if he wants to get enlightened

 

1. Do keep your body, mind and environment clean (includes thoughts and words)

2. Do maintain a peaceful/cheerful mental state (obviously includes thoughts and words)

3. Do study spiritual books (ideally involves thoughts, words and action)

4. Do make personal sacrifices for the welfare of others (includes thoughts and words)

5. Do make God the purpose of your life (obviously involves thoughts, words, and action)

 

There are already plenty of books going into great detail on these points. My purpose is only to point out something about these "rules" that I feel has been sadly overlooked, and that is the tremendously liberating effect they can have. My guru often said "a yogis is a practical man," and all the limbs of yoga are part of a scientific system designed to bring great joy to the practitioner, not frustration and guilt. Yama and Niyama are not a set of rules set up to make life more convenient for parents, teachers and heads of state. They are a direct tool for the liberation of true intellect. And most amazing of all is that the effects are immediate; assuming you really "get" the principles and practice them in your life. One of the areas where most religion has failed us is giving us the notion that if we behave properly now, we will reap the benefits somewhere way down the road. To paraphrase: good behavior now will give us only frustration in this life and we are left to hope that a reward will come in the afterlife. Some people find comfort in that; most folks, however, are looking for more from life than that way of thinking can offer us, resulting in the completely unnecessary lack of popularity of religion these days.

 

Back in the 60s and 70s when Eastern religion became very popular in the West, young people got all excited by the more practical possibility of enlightenment, but unfortunately threw the baby out with the bath-water and rushed briskly past moral principles, so they could quickly get on with the veg diet, fasting, yoga asanas and meditation. In my mind, this was a major mistake and possibly the very reason the whole Eastern religion boom fizzled out leaving us with nothing more than commercial yoga schools on every corner. It just doesn't work like that, and I find it very sadly unnecessary.

 

Back in those days I told a friend that my take on the various limbs of yoga was that "meditation is what really gets us to the goal and the other stuff just makes the journey more comfortable". His response surprised me. He said he always felt that "Asanas are the practice that gets one to enlightenment and meditation only gives us a glimpse of the goal." Well.... nowadays I think a strong case can be made for yama and niyama being the practices that actually get us to enlightenment and the other limbs only serve to flesh out the basic structure set down in yama and niyama. What more could there be to spiritual life than Yama and Niyama? Of course the other limbs of yoga are very important. They are the nuts and bolts, the "how to" of the various points of Yama and Niyama. Similarly, within each of these other limbs (asanas, pranayama etc) there is an ocean of knowledge which must be acquired from a competent teacher.

 

So, Yama and Niyama are an indispensable base; furthermore an integral part and starting point of yoga, but in those roles they needn't be seen as an unfortunate impediment to juicing the joy out of yoga. If you check the list of exercise classes at any local gym you will certainly find an asana class, but I doubt you will find a class on Yama and Niyama. You won't even find one at your neighborhood yoga school, and that is kind of sad to me, because there is so much joy hidden in Yama and Niyama..."

[dwai]

Yama and Niyama, the misunderstood yoga

(quoted excerpt from Bruce Boyd for anyone interested)

 

"I think nothing about yoga could be more sadly misunderstood than the principles of Yama and Niyama. As you may already know, according to an ancient and widely accepted system set down by the yogi Pantanjali, there are 8 "limbs" (astanga) of yoga, which are arranged in an order suggesting that they might be steps towards the ultimate goal of union with God. Considering that the translation of the sanskrit word "yoga" is "union", that assumption seems reasonable. Problems arise however in the assumption that the beginning limbs/steps of yoga are more easily understood. They are certainly the most familiar concepts to us: the first limb being moral restrictions and the last limb being complete merger with God.

 

The entire list is:

Yama (moral restrictions; "don'ts")

Niyama (encouraged daily behaviors; "dos")

Asanas (special yogic physical exercises)

Pranayama (yogic breathing exercises)

Pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind from the 5 senses)

Dhahran (concentration exercises)

Dhyana (contemplation of God)

Samadhi (union with God)

 

Surprisingly, to me the order suggests levels of *decreasing* likelihood of misunderstanding what the limb is all about, but for the moment let me focus on Yama and Niyama for a couple of reasons:

A. Practicing them is absolutely crucial to making any progress in yoga

B. A proper understanding of how they work can alleviate a lot of unnecessary fear about them

 

Yama yoga consists of 5 things that a yogi should not do if he wants to get anywhere with his yoga.

 

1. Don't hurt anyone (includes thoughts and words as well as physical actions)

2. Don't lie for personal gain (also includes thoughts)

3. Don't take property that belongs to others (also includes thoughts and words)

4. Don't hoard unneeded things (also includes thoughts and words)

5. Don't seek personal pleasure from the world (also includes thoughts and words)

 

Niyama yoga consists of 5 things that a yogi SHOULD do if he wants to get enlightened

 

1. Do keep your body, mind and environment clean (includes thoughts and words)

2. Do maintain a peaceful/cheerful mental state (obviously includes thoughts and words)

3. Do study spiritual books (ideally involves thoughts, words and action)

4. Do make personal sacrifices for the welfare of others (includes thoughts and words)

5. Do make God the purpose of your life (obviously involves thoughts, words, and action)

 

There are already plenty of books going into great detail on these points. My purpose is only to point out something about these "rules" that I feel has been sadly overlooked, and that is the tremendously liberating effect they can have. My guru often said "a yogis is a practical man," and all the limbs of yoga are part of a scientific system designed to bring great joy to the practitioner, not frustration and guilt. Yama and Niyama are not a set of rules set up to make life more convenient for parents, teachers and heads of state. They are a direct tool for the liberation of true intellect. And most amazing of all is that the effects are immediate; assuming you really "get" the principles and practice them in your life. One of the areas where most religion has failed us is giving us the notion that if we behave properly now, we will reap the benefits somewhere way down the road. To paraphrase: good behavior now will give us only frustration in this life and we are left to hope that a reward will come in the afterlife. Some people find comfort in that; most folks, however, are looking for more from life than that way of thinking can offer us, resulting in the completely unnecessary lack of popularity of religion these days.

 

Back in the 60s and 70s when Eastern religion became very popular in the West, young people got all excited by the more practical possibility of enlightenment, but unfortunately threw the baby out with the bath-water and rushed briskly past moral principles, so they could quickly get on with the veg diet, fasting, yoga asanas and meditation. In my mind, this was a major mistake and possibly the very reason the whole Eastern religion boom fizzled out leaving us with nothing more than commercial yoga schools on every corner. It just doesn't work like that, and I find it very sadly unnecessary.

 

Back in those days I told a friend that my take on the various limbs of yoga was that "meditation is what really gets us to the goal and the other stuff just makes the journey more comfortable". His response surprised me. He said he always felt that "Asanas are the practice that gets one to enlightenment and meditation only gives us a glimpse of the goal." Well.... nowadays I think a strong case can be made for yama and niyama being the practices that actually get us to enlightenment and the other limbs only serve to flesh out the basic structure set down in yama and niyama. What more could there be to spiritual life than Yama and Niyama? Of course the other limbs of yoga are very important. They are the nuts and bolts, the "how to" of the various points of Yama and Niyama. Similarly, within each of these other limbs (asanas, pranayama etc) there is an ocean of knowledge which must be acquired from a competent teacher.

 

So, Yama and Niyama are an indispensable base; furthermore an integral part and starting point of yoga, but in those roles they needn't be seen as an unfortunate impediment to juicing the joy out of yoga. If you check the list of exercise classes at any local gym you will certainly find an asana class, but I doubt you will find a class on Yama and Niyama. You won't even find one at your neighborhood yoga school, and that is kind of sad to me, because there is so much joy hidden in Yama and Niyama..."

 

associated with this is the madness of having to go to a "Yoga studio"!!!

 

In my experience, my practice has been strongest at home...there are just too many (spandex-clad) distractions in a studio and the energy is mostly non-spiritual. Home is where we can relax completely and therefore a home practice is more important than going to a studio.

 

Yoga is a practical, personal practice and its best to do it in solitude. Sure, go for corrections and to learn new techniques etc but focus primarily on self-practice. Self-reliance is a key feature of a Yoga practitioner...

 

 

 

[hieronimus]

Hi,

 

My understanding is that Yama and Niyama are two limbs of yoga, not the basis for higher practices. They are part of yoga, so we have to train in them from the beginning and during all our yogic journey.

My understanding is also that they are not moral rules we should abide by; they are the lines taken by life lived at its fullest.

 

Hieronimus

[3bob]

associated with this is the madness of having to go to a "Yoga studio"!!!

 

In my experience, my practice has been strongest at home...there are just too many (spandex-clad) distractions in a studio and the energy is mostly non-spiritual. Home is where we can relax completely and therefore a home practice is more important than going to a studio.

 

Yoga is a practical, personal practice and its best to do it in solitude. Sure, go for corrections and to learn new techniques etc but focus primarily on self-practice. Self-reliance is a key feature of a Yoga practitioner...

 

Dwai, I basically agree although some aspects are done alone yet with many.

[3bob]

Hi,

 

My understanding is that Yama and Niyama are two limbs of yoga, not the basis for higher practices. They are part of yoga, so we have to train in them from the beginning and during all our yogic journey.

My understanding is also that they are not moral rules we should abide by; they are the lines taken by life lived at its fullest.

 

Hieronimus

 

I'm not sure of the meaning in your first sentence above but I'd say that the first teaching namely: "1. Don't hurt anyone (includes thoughts and words as well as physical actions)" is the foundation of yoga as a spiritual science that is known and tested to bring one into synch with spiritual truths that apply to all beings. Thus this yama could also be seen like a perpetual and unfailing guardian standing at the gate to stability in so called "higher practices" (here in the sense of greater pranas and powers) because without it (and the other so called basics) all else will end up back-firing and failing even for otherwise advanced yogis.

[hieronimus]

I'm not sure of the meaning in your first sentence above but I'd say that the first teaching namely: "1. Don't hurt anyone (includes thoughts and words as well as physical actions)" is the foundation of yoga as a spiritual science that is known and tested to bring one into synch with spiritual truths that apply to all beings. Thus this yama could also be seen like a perpetual and unfailing guardian standing at the gate to stability in so called "higher practices" (here in the sense of greater pranas and powers) because without it (and the other so called basics) all else will end up back-firing and failing even for otherwise advanced yogis.

 

Yes, this is what I am saying: the foundation must be kept all along the journey. I was just pointing at the fact that putting yama and niyama as first steps before anything else could led to the idea that they could be out of date at some point.Yama and niyama are the inner structure of life.

[goldenfox]

The thing about it is, even if you dont practise them consciously, when you get to a certain stage, you will have a very hard time. Once you are expanded beyond your little ego, every thought and feeling of yours is on display to other people. Good luck staying comfortable or sane if you dont approach life from a very pure place then.

[dwai]

The thing about it is, even if you dont practise them consciously, when you get to a certain stage, you will have a very hard time. Once you are expanded beyond your little ego, every thought and feeling of yours is on display to other people. Good luck staying comfortable or sane if you dont approach life from a very pure place then.

 

The worst is the "subconscious' which is not purified. As our witness strengthens it picks up movements of thoughts before they can become actions or energetic movement. This is very disconcerting when certain "unpleasant" crap becomes evident and the mind pond is stirred up with a spoon...

[gatito]

I'd broadly agree with Boyd although I thik that he misses the point.

 

My copy of Patanjali is the Vedanta Press Edition (2007) - Translated with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood and I feel that it has a slightly different slant on Yama and Niyama.

 

The back cover catrries the quote:-

 

The Essence of Yoga

 

"The Soul Does not Love; It Is Love Itself.

It Does not Exist; It Is Existence Itself.

It does not Know; It is Knowledge Itself."

 

- PATANJALI

 

 

Furthermore, if Atma = Brahman then there is only the Self acting on the Self.

 

Perhaps, this should inform our interactions with others rather than the interpretation of ancient writings which were a "crib sheet" for teachings that were transmitted in person in a completely different cultural context.

 

Anyway, just try controlling your thoughts. If you examine your thoughts, you'll probably find that like all appearances they simply arise, abide and then subside into Awarness Itself.

[3bob]

I'd broadly agree with Boyd although I thik that he misses the point.

 

My copy of Patanjali is the Vedanta Press Edition (2007) - Translated with commentary by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood and I feel that it has a slightly different slant on Yama and Niyama.

 

The back cover catrries the quote:-

 

The Essence of Yoga

 

"The Soul Does not Love; It Is Love Itself.

It Does not Exist; It Is Existence Itself.

It does not Know; It is Knowledge Itself."

 

- PATANJALI

 

 

Furthermore, if Atma = Brahman then there is only the Self acting on the Self.

 

Perhaps, this should inform our interactions with others rather than the interpretation of ancient writings which were a "crib sheet" for teachings that were transmitted in person in a completely different cultural context.

 

Anyway, just try controlling your thoughts. If you examine your thoughts, you'll probably find that like all appearances they simply arise, abide and then subside into Awarness Itself.

 

let's just try realizing that the mind and thought areas as not being you or yours per-se.

[gatito]

let's just try realizing that the mind and thought areas as not being you or yours per-se.

 

Hey 3bob

 

Could you clarify that please? I've absolutely no idea what you mean.

 

What do we need to realise?

 

What's a "mind" or a "thought area"?

 

There are simply thoughts arising.

[3bob]

Hey 3bob

 

Could you clarify that please? I've absolutely no idea what you mean.

 

What do we need to realise?

 

What's a "mind" or a "thought area"?

 

There are simply thoughts arising.

 

That is one way of looking at it; another is that the thoughts and or areas of mind are already there or here... like software in a pc is already there, thus thoughts only seem to arise when in fact they only come to life if some type of energy runs through such software. (and all the software of the universe, so to speak, is already there or here at once with bits and pieces only appearing to arise in times and places because of limited perspectives related to same.

[gatito]

That is one way of looking at it; another is that the thoughts and or areas of mind are already there or here... like software in a pc is already there, thus thoughts only seem to arise when in fact they only come to life if some type of energy runs through such software. (and all the software of the universe, so to speak, is already there or here at once with bits and pieces only appearing to arise in times and places because of limited perspectives related to same.

 

Well, that seems like a western scientific-type of model; however, it doesn't accord with my direct experience when I examine it (it being my experience). However, your own experience may be different to mine.

 

My own direct experience is that thoughts arise, abide and subside. Where they come from (if indeed they come from anywhere) and where they go to (if indeed they go anywhere) is not something within my direct experience, so in this context (Advaita Vedanta), I don't find it a particularly useful model.

 

A thought can be viewed as an object arising to awareness. Does it have an independent existence separate from consciousness/awareness?

 

Is there such a thing as an unthought thought?