Yoga Ethics and Principles

Nowadays many consider yoga as a physical activity and workout, but it is much more than that. One should know the ethics and principles of yoga to get a clear picture of what it depicts. “Yoga” means “unity”, “wholeness” or “connectedness” which are to be practiced not only on the yoga mat, but in life too. It is a harmonious blend between the body, mind and the spirit, wherein the body controls the actions, the mind controls intelligence and the spirit controls emotion. If one understands the purpose and the ultimate role of yoga in guiding one towards altered states of consciousness, then it is necessary to look into the ethics and principles of yoga.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is an ancient text derived from the sage Patanjali. This text serves a guide on how to live one’s life in accordance with a spiritual path. The Eightfold Path, known as Ashtanga, which is mentioned in the text, focuses on the spiritual exploration of oneself. This helps to enlighten a person which in turn leads to developing a meaningful life.

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The Yamas and the Niyamas

They are considered as the ethics of yoga. The Yamas (moral discipline) and Niyamas (observances) are yoga’s ethical guidelines laid out in the first two limbs of Patanjali’s eightfold path. They are guidelines to strive for in relating to ourselves and others. They can help us learn more about our values and what feels right to us. These off-the-mat practices of yama and niyama are of great importance if one desires to get the full benefit of yoga, namely attaining higher levels of consciousness.

The Yamas

The yamas are the first limb of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga. These are things not to do, or restraints. The five aspects of Yama are:

• Ahimsa
• Sathya
• Asteya
• Brahmacharya
• Aparigraha

Non-violence (Ahimsa )

It means to be peaceful and not to kill other living beings. We should practice non-violence in all aspects of life. We have to restrain from physically harming others and also from having negative thoughts about others or ourselves. The prerequisites for ahimsa include abhaya (being free from fear) and akrodha (being free from anger). The practice of ahimsa includes restraint from all kinds of violence – violent thoughts, words, and actions.

Truth (Sathya)

It is the second of the five yamas and it means to be honest to oneself and others. Even though Sathya literally translates to ‘truthfulness’, it means a lot more than that. It asks us to live a truthful life. The mind must think the truth, tongue must speak the truth and the actions must reflect the truth. Sathya guides us to think, speak, and act with integrity.

Non stealing (Asteya)

It means to lead an honest life without cheating, stealing or taking unwarranted advantage. Lack, insecurity, wanting, feeling ‘incomplete’ etc. can lead to stealing. Practicing Asteya can help us feel as though we already have enough, and we satisfied within ourselves.

Sensual abstinence (Brahmacharya)

Even though Brahmacharya is often translated as ‘celibacy’, it means ‘right use of energy’. Traditionally, ‘Brahmacharya’ was meant to encourage those involved in the practice of yoga to conserve their sexual energy, in favour of using that energy to further progress along the Yogic path. It shows how we can actually use and direct our energy towards finding peace and happiness within ourselves.

Non possessiveness (Aparigraha)

It is the fifth Yama in Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga Path and often translates to non-greed and non-attachment. In order to truly tread the spiritual path of a yogi, we need to understand our own attachments to the material world. This yama teaches us to take only what we need, keep only what serves us in the moment, and to let go when the time is right. It helps us achieve a balanced relationship with the things that we feel are ‘ours’.

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The Niyamas

The niyamas are the second limb of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga. They are things to do, or observances. The five aspects of Niyamas are:

• Shaucha
• Santhosha
• Tapas
• Svadhyaya
• Ishwara Pranidhana

Cleanliness (Shaucha)

It doesn’t mean only physical cleanliness, but also purification or sacrificing the ego. Saucha means cleanliness of body, mind, spirit and surroundings, all helping to direct us towards a pure and positive life. We pick up a lot of habits throughout our life and we should be able to recognize which of these habits help us and which doesn’t. We should let go of the unhealthy practices in our life to be happier and healthier. Saucha helps us remember who we are at our core when we burn away distractions and obstacles.

Contentment (Santhosha)

It is the second niyama described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras which is derived from the Sanskrit word sam, meaning “completely” or “altogether,” and tosha, meaning “contentment” or “acceptance”. It means to be happy with what one has and we know that it is not an easy one. Whatever we do, we always have the feeling that we could do or achieve more. We should be happy to accept and appreciate what we have. It is good to push ourselves to achieve our goals, but it becomes bad when we base our entire sense of peace and happiness upon this. Santosha helps the yogi to develop a better relationship with him/herself.

Self discipline (Tapas)

It means discipline, austerity or burning enthusiasm.  It refers to your inner fire — both the literal heat you build in a vigorous vinyasa practice and the inner fire of drive, passion, and courage. The word Tapas is derived from the root Sanskrit verb ‘tap’ which means ‘to burn. The Bhagavad Gita (17.14–16) speaks of three kinds of tapas: austerity of body, speech, and mind. One has to be disciplined to burn away the physical, mental and emotional ‘impurities’ to pave the way to achieve greatness.

Self study (Svadhyaya)

It is the fourth Niyama of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The word is made up of Sva, meaning own, self, or the human soul, and Adhyaya, meaning lesson. This can imply the practice of studying scriptures, as well as a practice of studying the Self. By studying ‘self’ and recognizing our habits and thought processes, we realize what or who we really are. The more we realize what we are not or what we are, the closer we come to attaining what we want to be.

Resignation to God (Ishwara Pranidhana)

This is a very important niyama and Swami Satchidananda says that if you’re able to master this Niyama, there is no need to practice any of the others. In this, we are advised to ‘surrender’ to the ‘Supreme Being’ or ‘higher self’, which means cultivating a deep relationship with the universe, and making each action an offering to something bigger than us.

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Modern Applications and Updates

Modern yoga ethics have been evolving to keep pace with today’s challenges like dealing with trauma, being diverse, and helping out with the environment – all while keeping an eye on how traditional Yamas and Niyamas from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali can still apply in today’s world of wellness trends, scandals and digital change. These updates keep yoga feeling fresh, relevant, and inclusive for global yoga enthusiasts, even for those in Kerala mixing in some traditional local wellness routines alongside their yoga.

Trauma-Informed Consent

Some classes now use consent cards that let students say when they are comfortable with being touched or adjusted. This a direct response to all the abuse scandals that have rocked the yoga world in the past. Teachers also use these really detailed workshop agreements that make it clear who’s accountable, drawing on the updated Code of Conduct from Yoga Alliance. It says consent should always be explicit, informed – and in whatever way that is most comfortable for the student whether that is verbal, in writing, a gesture or even a little indicator card they can use.

It’s pretty clear that just because someone gave their consent once, don’t mean they’re automatically giving it every time. All of this is part of a trauma sensitive approach, and is inspired by programs like Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga. It helps to get that Ahimsa (non-violence) thing going, but in a way that looks at emotional safety too – and if someone needs help, well, they are encouraged to go find some.

Inclusivity Mandates

Nowadays, Niyamas include anti-racism training and making practices more accessible to people from different backgrounds without taking anything that is a part of other cultures. They are also doing some reflection on where yoga actually comes from – South Asia – and making sure that everyone can be a part of it as long as they are coming in the right spirit. Part of this is teaching compassion and communication skills – and also figuring out how to break down the systems that actually keep people from being equal.

You can see this happening in teacher trainings that focus on social justice – their aim is to help teachers understand how their own biases and prejudices might be affecting the space they are in – and that includes the racism, white supremacy and other stuff that can really mess people up. It is all about Aparigraha – giving up those colonial ideas and creating spaces that are really inclusive.

Digital Ethics

Now there is also some guidelines around when classes go online. These cover things like making sure that data stays private, keeping an eye out for people spreading misinformation through video calls. They also try to make sure that teachers take care of themselves when they are dealing with the digital world – be it stuff like emails or money transactions. They are trying to keep things on the up-and-up, with integrity and all that. And the Yoga Alliance has got some pretty clear rules about that too – especially when it comes to how teachers deal with their students in the online world.

Sustainability Focus

Svadhyaya is all about going on that journey of self-discovery, and being mindful of how you live your life. You can see this in the kind of eco-friendly props that people are using in their yoga practice these days – natural rubber mats, organic cotton gear, that kind of thing. And then there is Aparigraha – giving up all the stuff that you don’t really need, and looking after the planet at the same time. They are trying to make that a thing in yoga studios too even in middle of all this wellness craze. People are figuring out that all the little bits they can do to live more lightly on the earth can actually add up, and that is what this focus on sustainability is all about – tying your personal ethics to what’s good for the planet.

Conclusion

Real transformation can happen, but only if we actually take the principles of yoga ethics and start to live them in every aspect of our lives. That’s especially important these days with all the buzz about consent, inclusivity and digital ethics. We’ve got to make sure we’re living in a way that’s not going to hurt the planet, and that’s amidst all the wellness trends and scandals that keep popping up everywhere.

Unfortunately, our spiritual journey can be greatly influenced by the wellness ‘industry’ but our yamas and niyamas are meant to guide us, and now we’ve got some great modern tools to help us do that right – like consent cards that really do put the idea of ahimsa into practice. It really is taking that concept to a new level. Also let’s not forget eco-friendly props – that’s all about making sure our practice is actually in line with our commitment to taking care of the planet – it’s basically svadhyaya and aparigraha coming to life.

We just need to let all this sink in and eventually make it a natural part of who we are. Rather than trying to sort out all of this at the same time, why not just take one thing at a time? Start with just one principle at a time, take a bit of a deep breath and just try not to get overwhelmed.