The Yamas & Niyamas are yoga's ten ethical guidelines
and they comprise the first two limbs of the eight limbs (paths) of yoga.
As yogies we focus on the Yamas & Niyamas, but really everyone
could benefit from most of the principals without getting into too much yoga karma.
They are similar to the 10 commandments or Buddhists Eight Precepts. The Yamas
are guidelines on how we should live our life and treat others. I like to think
that these paths represent my attitude and how I treat myself and others. I was
doing this stuff way before I started my Yoga Teacher Training. I think that
following these guidelines will make us better kinder people.
As yoga teachers we need to think about how we interact with
our students. In our own lives we have to be true to our self. The second Yama is Sayta (truthfulness).
When I first started thinking about truthfulness I thought
honesty is mandatory. Or else you are a
LYER! Now I feel differently. When I was
a child I used to tell on myself if I got caught misbehaving in class. I could
not hold it in. I am very honest. I do
not make up stories or tell untruths. It is my nature to be truthful. It makes
me feel sick at my stomach when I know someone is purposely not telling the
truth. I think in these situations telling the truth is pretty basic we should be
truthful.
Is withholding the truth ever ok? Sometimes it is and
sometimes it is not. I think that sometimes I am to blunt and may say things
that I do not need to say. I am going to change that now. I before I tell
someone what I think I am going to
try to stop and ask myself is it true or is this opinion. Then think about if
they need to know or would benefit from knowing what I am thinking. Will they
feel a positive or will they feel hurt? If it will not help them or is not kind
then I will hold back. I think this is a time when to be sure I am not passive
aggressive.
As a yoga teacher I am sure I will have the opportunity to
practice Sayta and give kind gentle advice or hold back my opinion.
“Before you speak ask yourself: Is it kind, is it necessary,
it is true, does it improve upon the silence?”
Shirdi Sai Baba
If you would like to read more about the 8 limbs of yoga.
Please see this link from Yoga Journal.
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