Ethics & the Yamas

In the ‘Yoga Sutras’, Patanjali divides the practice of Yoga into eight stages known as the ‘Eight Limbs of Yoga’. The first of these stages is ‘Yama’, meaning abstinence. He describes the existence of five Yamas: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (continence), and aparigraha (non-greed). These Yamas act as a moral code for Yoga practitioners, and serve as a guide to Yoga instructors for maintaining a trusting and ethical relationship with their students.

Ahimsa translates to non-violence, or non-harming. This Yama can be explained simply enough as “do no harm”, but it is open to greater understanding when we consider in what ways we can be harmful. According to Emma Newlyn from Ekhart Yoga, “Ahimsa can be interpreted as: not physically harming others, ourselves, or nature; not thinking negative thoughts about others or ourselves; and making sure that what we do and how we do it is done in harmony, rather than causing harm.” For a yoga instructor, non-violence would mean being aware and accepting of both one’s own and one’s students’ limitations and boundaries, be they physical, mental, or emotional, and not pushing beyond them to the point of causing harm. A yoga instructor that does not cause harm both within the classroom and outside of it will radiate ‘harmonious vibrations’ that may transfer to their students and promote peace within them as well. “In the presence of one firmly established in non violence, all hostilities cease” (Sutra 2:35).

Satya translates to ‘truthfulness’, with ‘sat’ translating to ‘true essence’ or ‘unchangeable’. According to Patanjali, “[t]o one established in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient”, meaning “if you are always truthful… a time will come when all you say will come true” (Satchidananda 131). As a yoga instructor, it is important to “[r]eflect on your personal motives for practicing yoga so that when you teach you can relate honestly to your students” (Ambrosini 25). A yoga instructor practicing truthfulness both within the classroom and outside of it will be able to establish open and trusting relationships with their students. Sri Swami Satchidananda comments in his translation of the Yoga Sutras that “[w]ith the establishment in honesty, the state of fearlessness comes” (131). This state of fearlessness will allow both the yoga instructor’s and the students’ to be their genuine selves during class, therefore building confidence in themselves and their practice.

Asteya translates to ‘non-stealing’. There are many ways a yoga instructor could ‘steal’ from their students. Their students may feel ‘robbed’ if they paid a hefty price for a class experience that does not meet their expectations. They could steal their students’ time by arriving late for class or not being completely present during class. They could steal their students’ confidence by being overly critical or steal their ability to progress by not offering suggestions for improvement. They could even steal a student’s ability to connect with their inner-selves by offering a physical adjustment before allowing the student to feel their way into the pose on their own. When practicing asteya, it is important to consider the ways in which we steal from ourselves, from others, and from nature. As Sri Swami Satchidananda comments, “[w]ith every minute, with each breath, we pick nature’s pocket… we should receive each breath with reverence and use it to serve others” (133). A yoga instructor must honor their students’ money, time, self-esteem, and yoga practice by offering a equally-valuable exchange of service.

Brahmacharya is often translated to ‘celibacy’ or ‘continence’ and refers to the ‘right use of energy’. The word more accurately translates to ‘behavior which leads to Brahman’, with Brahman being ‘the creator’, ‘the divine’, or ‘a higher power’. The practice of Brahmacharya “leads us to consider how we actually use and direct our energy”, or prana (Newman). Are we directing our energy into things that positively affect our lives, or negatively? Do certain situations, places, or people lead us to expel too much of our energy, therefore leaving us feeling drained? In what ways do we nurture and recharge our energy? “WIthout much prana, we can never give anything to anybody, just as only a fully-charged battery can give power, never a weak one” (Satchidananda 138). Practicing ‘right use of energy’ is important for Yoga instructors because “[t]he teacher must impart a life force – a little current – into others” (Satchidananda 138). This would be very difficult for a teacher without a storage of prana to access within themselves.

Aparigraha translates to ‘non-greed’, ‘non-possessiveness, and ‘non-attachment’. According to Emma Newlyn, “[t]his important 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.” In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches how one would practice aparigraha: “Let your concern be with the action alone, and never with the fruits of action. Do not let the results of your action be your motive, and do not be attached to inaction” (Chapter 2, Verse 47). For a yoga instructor, this would mean not becoming attached to the outcome of a class or the progress of a student or oneself. A yoga instructor should not teach a class with the motive of gaining praise, adoration, or gifts from their students, and a yoga instructor should not push a student to achieve asanas that are not in their range of movement. This quote by Emma Newlyn truly says it perfectly: “Progress in our practice is encouraging, but it doesn’t need to be the only reward. The sheer joy of the practice is the greatest reward in itself, realising how freeing it is not to have a specific goal we must achieve, but to simply move our bodies in a way that feels good. If we practise for the love of practising, without forcing or pushing ourselves beyond our edge, the body will unfold naturally and those more challenging asanas will be accessible in no time.”

By practicing the five Yamas of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra both on and off the yoga mat, a yoga instructor not only builds a trusting and ethical relationship with their students, but also establishes a moral foundation within all of their relations, therefore creating a better world for themselves and others.

Ambrosini, Diane M., and Kathy Lee Kappmeier. Instructing Hatha Yoga: A Guide for Teachers and Students. Human Kinetics, 2016.

Newlyn, Emma. “An Introduction to the 5 Yamas.” Ekhart Yoga, 12 Mar. 2024, www.ekhartyoga.com/articles/philosophy/an-introduction-to-the-5-yamas.

Satchidananda, and Patañjali. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Integral Yoga Publications, 2008.