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  • Home
  • About Michelle Chua
  • Store
  • Weekly Classes
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Root 2 Rise Yoga with Michelle Chua

A Blog About Living Yoga

The 8 Limbs of Yoga: A Live Weekly Blog of Yoga's Essential Components, by Michelle Chua

1/4/2021
Whether you're new to yoga or have been practicing a while, the ​8 Limbs of Yoga are the 8-fold path explained in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and combine to form a well-rounded practice for mind, body and spirit.  Beginning January 4, 2021, I'll be adding to this article each week for a total of 16 weeks exploring these foundations.  Consider joining our yoga community live online on Zoom for yoga classes that further this exploration through direct experience simultaneously.  

An Introduction to the 1st Limb, the Yamas

​There are 8 Limbs of Yoga and these are the aspects that make up the practice of yoga, which means union.  The first limb, called the Yamas in Sanskrit, are a list of five ethical behaviors that guide our actions in the world to align with our yogic path to Self-realization, or uniting with our true nature, that of pure love.  

The 1st Yama, Ahimsa (Nonviolence)

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​The first Yama is nonviolence, or ahimsa in Sanskrit.  There are many ways we can consciously and unconsciously inflict pain and suffering on ourselves, others and our planet.  To practice non-harm, I believe it’s essential to observe our thoughts, words and actions and the effects they have on ourselves and the world around us. What is the tone of your inner voice as you move about your day?  How do you relate to the feelings and needs of others?  How are your daily actions affecting the well being of your body, spirit, mind, household, loved ones, neighbors, communities, cities and all life around you?  In our interconnectedness what you think, say and do matters and its energy ripples; Ahimsa is the practice of rippling kindness, compassion and love.

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The Yoga Sutras state that as one fully embodies non-violence, their presence of peace emanates an energy field of peace around them, so that lower frequencies of hate, violence or destruction dissolve within that field.  There is power in kindness!

The 2nd Yama, Satya (Truthfulness)

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Our thoughts and words have creative power.  When they are misaligned to what we do and say, we feel (and others may feel) the state of imbalance and confusion.  Just as we consciously align our bodies in yoga poses, yoga includes aligning our minds, bodies and spirits so that our actions in our outer world match our inner intentions.  Living with such clarity and integrity we can live wholeheartedly, expressing our truth with ahimsa.

The 3rd Yama, Asteya (Nonstealing)

The 3rd yama is asteya, non-stealing.  When I think of the mindset that might motivate someone to steal an idea, an object, a relationship, someone’s time, natural resources or whatever it may be, I feel it boils down to a feeling of scarcity and undervaluing their own abilities and so-called possessions.  To me, it seems they may not understand their own power to access their own creativity, abundance, uniqueness or resources.   This may lead to competitiveness and even greed, and it’s based on illusions of the ego like, “There’s not enough for everyone” or “I’m not good enough.”  Interestingly, as we adhere to non-harm (ahimsa) and truthfulness (satya), we release the need to steal what does not belong to us.  Moreover, we can honor the balance of giving and receiving in our relationships when we connect to the truth that we are all part of a whole, like we’re ultimately on the same team.  Thus, we realize that the harm we inflict or generosity we share towards another being is ultimately what we are doing to ourselves too.  
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In practicing asteya, here are some questions to reflect on:
 
  1. What are you grateful for? (Practice gratitude, and acknowledge the many ways you experience abundance.)
  2. What human needs do you have in common with the being you might be tempted to steal from?  How might stealing from them affect them, their families, their community and the web of life? (Empathize with “the other,” see yourself reflected in them and think about karmic cause and effect beyond this situation.)
  3. If you notice that your thoughts provoke feelings of harmful competitiveness, jealousy, unworthiness or self-hatred, are your beliefs underlying them true?  (Challenge your ego and fear-based separateness, but be kind to yourself by remembering that you are not your thoughts and that you can change harmful beliefs beginning with self-awareness.)
  4. How can you respect others’ non-physical resources, like their time, effort, ideas or energy,  as you would like yours respected?  (Remember that stealing not only pertains to objects but many resources we might take for granted as free yet actually cost someone else some form of their energy.)​

The 4th Yama, Brahmacharya (Wise Use of Energy)

The 4th yama is brahmacharya, or wise use of energy.  How do you practice moderation and balance in all areas of your life in order to harmonize with divine consciousness, consequently experiencing pure vitality?  Interpreted by some to include celibacy, brahmacharya involves being mindful with how you spend your energy—your thoughts, time, attention, physical presence, emotions, finances and other resources—with the ultimate intent to align with infinite intelligence.  It also includes providing your body with clean nourishment and sufficient rest and engaging in a balance of contemplative solitude and socializing and work and play. It’s being purposeful with how you harness, contain and expend your energy in light of the bigger picture of your spiritual journey. Consistent practice of daily pranayama (breathwork), asana (postures) and meditation empower your natural ability to practice brahmacharya.  
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To be continued...
Comment below: What are your thoughts?  How do you personally apply these limbs of yoga?  What challenges have you faced in doing so?


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