An Introduction to the Yamas and Niyamas: The first two steps in yoga’s path to freedom
- elisha st denis
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
During my yoga teacher training, one of the modules we touched upon during the history & philosophy section was the 8-limbs of yoga. The 8 Limbs of Yoga, or Astanga, are a progressive path to enlightenment outlined by Pantanjali (the "Father of Yoga") in the Yoga Sutras (a collection of short verses that serve as a guide to attain wisdom and self-realization through yoga).
The 8 limbs of yoga are:
Yama: Ethical Standards/Restraints
Niyama: Personal Observations/Self-Discipline
Asana: Yoga Postures
Pranayama: Breath control
Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the Sense
Dharana: Concentration
Dhyana: Meditation
Samadhi: Enlightenment/Bliss
Although my initial 200 hour yoga teacher training only touched on these topics lightly (mostly due to time constraints), over the years I have been drawn back to these different limbs in an effort to further my own knowledge and understanding of embodying yoga.
Through this series, I aim to explain the first 2 limbs, the Yamas and Niyamas, in an effort to share this knowledge with you and give you ways to integrate these teachings in your modern life.
What are the Yamas and Niyamas
Think of the Yamas and Niyamas as a foundation to build upon which will bring you more peace and happiness in your life. Yama is a Sanskirt word for restraint, and Niyama is a Sanskirt word for Observances.
The 5 Yamas:
Non-Violence
Truthfulness
Non-Stealing
Non-Excess
Non-Possessiveness
The 5 Niyamas:
Purity
Contentment
Self-Discipline
Self-Study
Surrender
Each Yama and Niyama build upon each other providing guidance and wisdom in a holistic way. You don't have to be a die-hard yogi practicing the physical asanas everyday to learn or apply these practices in your life. Think of the Yamas and Niyamas as tools of wisdom and learning that you can learn from and integrate as a way to improve your relationship with yourself and others.
This practice is one I'd recommend coming back to often in life as circumstances are always changing and its helpful to have a reminder.
Why ethics doesn't mean morality or rules
Unlike the biblical 10 Commandments, these are not rules to follow or else you are a "bad person." Although there are similarities, the framing the Yamas and Niyamas as rules can feel heavy, judgmental, and off-putting. Luckily, these guidelines aren't rules you pass or fail, instead, they are ethical inquiries which allow us to reflect upon our behavior with ourselves, others, and even the world around us with more awareness. With enough time and with the repeated exercise of coming back to these teachings these tools of yoga philosophy helps us ask ourselves:
What happens when I act this way?
What does this create in my body, my mind, and my relationships?
Is this supportive or harmful to myself or others?
The difference between rules and ethics is the ability for us to create space for honesty, curiosity, and choice without judgement, shame, or rigidity. Over time, this helps us become more aware with ourselves and the world around us.
How Yamas & Niyamas function as observational tools
Over the course of these modules, my hope is that you the reader can both learn about each Yama and Niyama as well as how it could be applied to your life. One of the ways to achieve is thinking of them as lenses for us to observe patterns we're already living inside of.
For example, some questions they help us ask are:
Where am I pushing when I could soften?
Where am I holding on when I could let go?
Where am I acting out of habit instead of intention?
The beauty of reflection is that it allows us to pause and ask ourselves questions which can lead us to make changes in our life. Think of it as the mental equivalent to the way that mindfulness works in our physical asana practice.
When you’re on the mat, you’re not forcing your body into a shape to prove something. You practice each pose for the benefits it gives us and you notice sensation, breath, effort, and any resistance. You’re observing where you grip, where you collapse, when you hold your breath. Awareness comes first and change comes later, if at all.
The Yamas and Niyamas do the same thing off the mat. They don’t demand immediate action or change. Instead, they invite reflection and understanding.
Over time, simply seeing these patterns can be enough to shift them. And when change does happen, it tends to feel more sustainable because it's been a slow gradual change over time.
Outcomes of this series
I hope over the course of this series is that through the monthly integration of each Yama and Niyama you may start to:
Notice patterns in how you treat yourself
Recognize where your energy is being depleted or protected
Develop clearer boundaries without hardening
Make decisions with more intention and less self-judgment
Feel more connected to your values in everyday life
If, by the end of a month, you find yourself pausing for even a moment and choosing softness over force, honesty over habit, or presence over pressure, then the practice is already working.
Final Thoughts
As we move through this series together, I invite you to approach these teachings with curiosity rather than expectation. You don’t need to master them, embody them perfectly, or change anything right away. Let each Yama and Niyama serve as a quiet check-in, something you can return to when life feels busy, confusing, or out of balance. In the coming months, we’ll explore each one individually, grounding these ideas in modern life through reflection, real-world examples, and small moments of awareness.
If you’d like to stay connected as this series unfolds, you can sign up for my email newsletter to receive each new post and the monthly integration reflections directly in your inbox.
Until next time yogis,
Elisha
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