Not a super flexy slender Yoga chick talks "the Power of the Eight Limbs: Yamas"

In Yogic philosophy, there is something called "The 8 Limbs of Patanjali." These are eight powerful suggestions on how to live a more meaningful, conscious, and fulfilling life.

The first of these eight limbs is called Yamas, which is further divided into five principles. The Yamas are like ethical guidelines, mostly focusing on what not to do in our social and personal behavior. Let’s explore them together with an open mind, remembering that Yoga is not a religion. It is, however, deeply spiritual and rooted in awareness, presence, and compassion.

1. Ahiṃsā – Non-violence This is more than just "do not hurt others." Ahiṃsā also asks you to notice how you treat yourself. Are you kind to yourself? Or do you mentally punish, criticize, and pressure yourself constantly? Non-violence includes your thoughts, your words, and the energy you carry. Start with softness. Always.

2. Satya – Truthfulness Satya is about being honest, but not just with others. Can you be truthful with yourself? About what you want, what you feel, what you believe? It’s not always easy. Often, we say things that aren’t exactly lies, but they aren’t quite true either. Sometimes we exaggerate, filter, or shape stories to sound more impressive, more dramatic, more worthy. Satya is about checking in with your truth and learning to speak and live from that place.

3. Asteya – Non-stealing This isn’t just about not taking someone’s wallet. Asteya asks: do you take what is not freely given? That could be time (are you always running late?), energy (do you take more than you give?), or even peace (do you steal your own peace of mind by overthinking or overdoing?). Often, stealing arises from the feeling of not being enough. So, we try to take or hold onto things—consciously or not—that do not belong to us.

4. Brahmacharya – Wise use of energy Traditionally interpreted as celibacy, in today’s world Brahmacharya is better understood as mindful use of your energy. Where does your energy go throughout the day? Is it wasted on distractions, drama, unnecessary worries? Or do you use it with intention and purpose? It is said that turtles live long lives because they breathe slowly—they do not waste. Energy is sacred. Use it wisely.

5. Aparigraha – Non-greed / Non-attachment Are you constantly craving more? More things, more success, more attention, more validation? Are you attached to your image, your knowledge, your opinions? There is nothing wrong with having desires. But what happens when they are not fulfilled? How much of your happiness is tied to an outcome? Aparigraha invites us to let go of the constant need to grasp and control. To trust. To release.

Can you try to weave these principles into your daily life? Not from a place of pressure, but from curiosity. Notice when you slip. Notice when you forget. That noticing is the practice.

After completing my Yoga teacher training, the Yama that resonated most deeply with me was Satya - truthfulness. I started to become aware of how often I would bend the truth without even realizing. Not because I wanted to deceive, but because the ego wanted the story to sound a little more impressive, a little more dramatic, a little more "worth telling."

Maybe you’ve done this too. Saying “I called them 100 times” when it was actually two. Saying “I waited forever” when it was 15 minutes. Sometimes we even construct full stories in our minds, ones that feel true emotionally but don’t match the actual facts. We must remember that memory is shaped by perception. There is always one truth, and many versions of it.

So now, I try to take a breath. I try to pause before I speak. I try to reflect before I share. I still catch myself slipping sometimes, because I’m human but the difference is that now I notice. And that’s what this practice is really about.

Maybe you can give it a try too.

And please, be kind to yourself. We are all just practicing.

 We are all just figuring it out.

 We are all just learning how to be human. 💛