the 5 yamas

a yama is a self restraint

We therefore need to restrain ourselves, and where its applied is restraining ourselves from doing things like: 

• ahimsa/non-violence 
• truthfulness/satya
• honesty/asteya
• sensual abstinence/brahmacharya
• being non-possessive/aparigraha. 

Initially, these are all concepts,  whereby we 'think', 'believe', that we are doing these yamas. We intellectualise, justify, the yamas, according to our own inner make-up. And let's be clear: we are all fairly similar, we all have samskaras (hidden impressions which cover the true nature, and which cause us to do/be/say a certain way). Sometimes these samskaras can cause us to believe that we are fulfilling the yamas when we actually are not. But finally, we get past being controlled by the hidden forces within us, these samskaras, and we come to realising with complete honesty, even without reading the ancient scriptures, or listening to a teacher, that we need to be a nice, decent person.

yamas are guidelines for a happier life

We start to make decisions, based on these  yamas. We decide to be a certain way, never to do certain things, and of course it's a learning process, a journey of discovery. It doesn't happen all at once. And a genuine spiritual seeker will come to earnestly working at fulfilling these self-restraints, even without knowing what they are. This indicates that they are incredibly important on the spiritual journey, and an important part of revealing our true nature. They are considered to be Great Disciplines.

To this day, I can remember every single detail when I made those choices: where I was, how I felt, what brought me to it, the utter complete resolution inside me about it all. Nearly three decades ago. But of course, one (in this case, me!!) keeps making mistakes, saying, doing the 'wrong' thing. After all, we are so very human. But, I realised, all of those decades ago, in that moment, that a mighty spiritual power was inside me, and always growing. Well, it wasn't all my own power and energy, most of it was my lifestyle and yoga practices. But I was definitely the guardian of it whilst it was with me! I knew that I could use it to get my own way, promote myself, use others to my own advantage. I didn't want to ever do that, not ever, I did not want to be such a person, and I resolutely decided to be another way. I took The High Road. It's actually the easier way.

Over the decades living the yogic life, earnestly I might add, I have seen people fall by the wayside, when they would not embrace the yamas into their lives. But, if you do work at living the yamas, mental and emotional fluctuations will subside. A wonderful way to start the journey to inner peace.