Yamas & Niyamas

Patanjali yoga sutras, which details about living your life the yoga way, divides the practice of yoga into eight parts, called the Eightfold path.
Yama and Niyama are the ethical precepts set forth in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as the first and second of the eight limbs of yoga. They are the foundation of any yoga practice without which no spiritual progress along the path of yoga can be made.
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. That is the heart of yamas and niyamas.
Yamas (Precepts of Social Discipline)
The attitudes or values called as yamas are about living well in the world.
1. Ahimsa (Live in peace): The first yama, called ‘ahimsa’, is about cultivating a non-violent attitude in every aspect of your life. that means refraining from harming anyone or anything.
2. Satya (Tell the truth): The second yama, called ‘satya’ is about deciding to tell the truth and act according to the truth, rather than lying or trying to deceive people, even yourself.
3. Asteya – Don’t take what isn’t yours: the thiird yama, called ‘asteya’ is about refusal to steal.
4. Brahmacharya – Master your urges: The fourth yama, called ‘brahmacharya’ is controlling your desires.
5. Aparigraha – Do you really need it? The fifth yama, called ‘aparigraha’ is about distinguishing want from need, and living on what you need rather than spending energy on collecting more and more posessions.
6. Niyamas (Precepts of Individual Discipline)
The healthy habits called niyamas :
1. Saucha – keep it clean: the first niyama, called saucha, is about cleanliness and purity.
2. Santosha – Chill out: the second niyama is called santosha, and that means contentment. Living simple and cultivating a calm attitude, and learning to accept what you have as enough is the practice of santosha.
3. Tapas – Cultivate self-discipline: the third niyama is called tapas, which means concerned effort.
4. Svadhyaya – Be studious: The fourth niyama, called svadhyaya, means study. This niyama is really about self-study, or contemplation of the individual.
5. Ishvar – Pranidhana – Consider divinity: The final niyama, ishvar-pranidhana, is to surrender to a higher power.