In the West, we live in a world where beauty, fitness and sexuality sells. We idolize fitness trainers, yoga teachers, etc that look like flawless models, their body is a product. The individuals we see with the largest followings and influence typically fall into a specific demographic, size and age, (white, skinny and young). While there are great leaders that fall into these categories, the problem are the voices that aren’t being uplifted. The problem is the oversaturation of “performative” teachers that have culturally appropriated the tradition of yoga for profit.
What we can do to help re-introduce the authentic practice of yoga is focus on the tradition outside of “asana”, (the physical postures). We can help uplift the voices of Eastern Asian teachers who grew up in the yogic tradition, and help advocate against the commodification of yoga.
From the ancient Indian philosophical text, ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’, Patanjali outlines the 8 limbs (or pathways) to achieving harmony between mind, body and spirit. The first limb of the 8 limb path is ‘yama‘, often translated as ‘moral discipline’ or ‘restraint’. It explains how a practitioner of yoga should conduct themselves in the world, to encourage harmonious living with others and ethical standards. The yamas are primarily concerned with the physical world and our interaction with it. The yamas are an avenue to take our teachings on the mat, out into our daily lives to enable our decisions and actions to come from a more considerate, authentic place.
“The idea of a yoga practice is really not just to focus and be aware and mindful and calm for the time that we’re on the mat, but to carry this state of being with us when we leave class, so it can have a much deeper impact than just making us look good“.
Emma Newlyn
Emma Newlyns Site: https://emmanewlynyoga.com/
Yama is the foundation of yoga, and has traditionally been prescribed to students before further practice including meditation or postures. It is broken down into five sub-sections, Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (not stealing), Brahmacharya (control of sexuality) and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
This is just a fraction of yogic philosophy. It proves the point that the rich history of yoga is not well understood by the average yoga student here in the West. Yoga is a lifestyle, which can enrich a practitioner’s life far beyond the physical practice time spent on their mat. Yoga promotes a peaceful co-existence with everything. The yamas lay the foundation of righteous social behaviour and teach us the principal values to live a complete life.
Leave a comment below on how you bring the principles of yama into your day to day~
The 8 Limbs of Yoga explained: https://www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/philosophy/the-8-limbs-of-yoga-explained
Recommended Reading: ‘The Yamas & Niyamas’ by Deborah Adele
Your Subtle Bodies 