Yama and Niyama in Yoga
Yoga defines Yama and Niyama as the positive and negative aspects of behavior respectively. Traditional texts mention ten yams and ten Niyama's but Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, which is considered to be the original treatise on yoga, defines five yam's and five Niyama's. It is said in Manu smriti that following Yama is more important than rules. Here we give a brief description on the Yama and the rules to be followed: Ahimsa (non-violence): This is one of the most prominent Yamas. It means a lack of intention to hurt others. This intention should not only be physical but also include mental and emotional cruelty. Here attitude is more important than the actual act of murder.
You should never have any intention of hurting others. Satya (Truth): This quality signifies honesty and sincerity in thoughts, words and deeds. This is possible only when one has conquered greed and ambition because these are the two major culprits that take you away from the truth. Astea (not to steal): In Sanskrit, Astea means pleasure or having with oneself things that are not in their possession. It is basically the act of stealing or stealing.
A person tends to steal only when he does not have love and has some selfishness. A yogi or student of yoga has very few basic needs. He has learned the art of loving himself and others as well. So, he does not feel the need to exploit or steal from others. Brahmacharya (celibacy): Sex is defined as one of the vital necessities of human existence. It ranks only after meals. Since ancient times, very few people have been able to control their sexual desires. If not satisfied, these urges lead the person to depression and develop psychotic tendencies. Yoga places great emphasis on celibacy. It not only treats the act of sex as sexual but also avoids thinking, talking and seeing the opposite sex as a part of sex. Patanjali has declared that celibacy increases the mental power in a person which is also known as semen.
Aparigraha (non-collection): This Yama means not to store money and things just for enjoyment. Yoga teaches a person to collect money and objects to meet his primary needs. This is important because greed causes distraction and thus increases stress on his mind and body. The above-mentioned points are related to Vairagya or the negative aspects of one’s behavior. Now let us have a look at some of the positive aspects of the rules or behavior prescribed by Yoga: Shaucha (cleanliness): It involves cleanliness of mind and body. Yoga describes a clean mind as free from any prejudices, false beliefs, ignorance and arrogance. Generally speaking, all yams come under this rule as they are concerned with the removal of one or the other impurities. Santosh (Santosh): A yogi is taught to be happy and content with his fortune. He doesn’t need to achieve any ambition. Tapas (religious austerities): This rule describes rituals such as fasting necessary to strengthen the mind.
Yoga believes that it increases the body’s immunity and makes your body and mind strong and thus you can face adversity effectively. Sw Adhyaya (reading religious literature): This practice is very useful for overcoming ignorance and facing the adversities of life with calmness. It helps to fill your mind with peace. Ishvarapranidhan (Bhakti): It teaches you to rely on the divine will and to attribute the effects of your actions to divine providence. This is a very useful habit to practice because you can accept everything as God’s will and attain peace of mind. This removes fear and anxiety.
