Yoga Beyond Asana
The success of Yoga must not be measured by how flexible your body becomes, but rather by how much it opens your heart. - T. K. V. Desikachar
Yoga is so much more than the perfect asana, it's about living a healthy and balanced life so you can feel mentally strong and calm, it is the secret to finding more peace in your world.
The asana practice, what we all typically think of when we think of yoga, is really a means to meditation. It gets the body flexible and supple enough so that you can sit comfortably for prolonged periods of meditation, Yoga is a discipline that leads us to individual consciousness, bringing into harmony the body, mind and spirit, it was never meant to be glorified in any way. It is the journey of learning to connect to our deepest, most authentic selves and all the other humans who walk the path with us.
The yoga sutras by the ancient scholar Patanjali were written over 1700yrs ago and are made up of over 195 sutras, or words of wisdom. Pantanjali outlines the 8 limbed path of yoga in the texts and is said to be a roadmap to life, guiding us towards samadhi otherwise known as enlightenment.
The 8 limbed path is broken down into the following:
Yamas
Niyamas
Asana
Pranayama
Dharana
Pratyahara
Dhyana
Samadhi
Let's take a closer look at Yamas, the first limb.
The yamas, thought of as moral vows and observances. They are the first of the eight limbs of yoga which support harmonious relationships not just with others but with ourselves, creating a more harmonious society and world.
Ahimsa
Ahimsa is non-violence or non harming. When referring to non violence it is about nonviolence to all aspects of life. When we move through our lives with ahimsa it means we are not harming ourselves, others or nature and that everything we do is done in harmony. For example if you push and pull your body into yoga postures you are harming yourself, asana practised applying ahimsa is moving your body in a loving and mindful way.
How to practise ahimsa: We are what we eat and a form of ahimsa is having a vegetarian diet. It’s vital to know and understand what you are eating and where it comes from. Eating animals in the yogic philosophy is an act of violence, to nourish your body fully eliminate animal produce and opt for a whole, plant-based diet.
Satya
Satya is the second yamas of Patanjali’s yoga sutras. Satya is truthfulness. It goes deeper than just “not lying”, it’s being honest with yourself, honest with others and non-judgmental. To practise satya in your everyday life means living in a way that aligns with your highest truth, it is to speak and act with intention and thought.
How to practise satya: On your mat shift from judgement of what is, to observation. Rather than thinking you're not good enough or flexible enough to do XYZ posture, see the reality as it is and know that you just need to practise, we all do, that’s why it is called a yoga practise.
Asteya
Asteya is non-stealing and reminds us that we have all we need and we must act from a place of abundance. When we take a closer look at asteya it is so much more than physically stealing and taking something from someone. It is non stealing from yourself, your environment and others.
Asteya reminds us to be grateful for what we have and not compare ourselves to others in the form of jealousy, and to meet others with respect and openness.
How to practise asteya: practise giving, give time, money, kindness, food etc. Abundance is a state of mind, when we selflessly give we feel more abundance, the more you cultivate this from the inside the more you will experience in your outer world and vice versa.
Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya is known as celibacy, although there are many layers to this yama. We could look at it as “moderation”, the conservation of energy. Tuning in to how you feel and not depleting your energy, not giving your energy away to things that deplete you.
How to practise: Take rest in your yoga practise when you need it, no pushing. Modify when necessary if you are feeling depleted, listen to your body and what it needs in each given moment.
Aparigraha
Aparigraha translates as non-attachment/possessiveness, in more literal terms letting go of what no longer serves you, for example toxic thoughts, old stories, judgements, habits, negative inner dialogue etc. When we learn to let go of what no longers serves us we can experience true freedom.
How to practise: When you notice your mind focusing on the negative or getting intertwined in old stories and patterns, learn to catch yourself out and remind yourself that your thoughts are not who you are, choose to focus on the present moment and choose joy.
So, as you can see there are many other ways to practise yoga beyond asana, by learning and incorporating the 5 yamas into our lives we start to feel more aligned with our highest self and life feels more peaceful.
If you are a yoga teacher it is so important to have your own practise, on and off the mat. The practices, texts, philosophy and history of yoga beyond the postures are an incredible and important resource on your own journey and also enrich your teaching, allowing you to offer more depth in your classes, rather than just the physical side of the practise.
At evolation, the teacher trainings not only offer you the physical part of the practise but also the history of yoga, philosophy, ancient texts, the energetics and learning to live your yogic life on and off the mat plus so much more.
Contact us to learn more about taking your yoga beyond the posture