The Yamas
universal morality
Ahimsa
non-violence
Ahimsa is kindness, compassion, gentleness. This can be practiced socially in doing no harm to others both physically, socially and emotionally. It can also be shown to the physical body, the mind and the spirit.
Satya
honesty
Satya is truthfulness and honesty. It involves the things we say to others, the way we portray ourselves in the world, the things we say to ourselves and the actions we take everyday. Satya is about being true to yourself and honest in how you act and interact.
Asteya
non-stealing
Asteya encourages us to let it be. It is the practice of allowing ourselves and others to experience life with abandon, without stealing part of that from them. We don't take things from others, whether that be their joy or their ideas without acknowledgement. Likewise, we don't take experiences away from ourselves.
Brahmacharya
direction of energy
Brahmacharya is about finding balance in the ways your direct your energy. We all have a finite amount of energy for one given thing which must be used sustainably so it can be replenished. This could be anything from deciding what to do with your time, who to spend your time with or how much energy you put into certain thoughts.
Aparigraha
non-hoarding
Aparigraha is the ability to let things go. We let go of the things that no longer serve us. It is also about being able to give to the world, acknowledging our own abundance and letting go of the excess so that others may relish in it.
