The Hatha Yoga Pradipika was written around the year 1350 and is the first book ever written about Yoga. It discusses 84 Asanas which cleanse the impurities of 72,000 nadis (energy channels). Most of us know about 5 Yamas and 5 Niyamas which are the 1st and 2nd limbs of the 8 limbs of Yoga. I am going to explain these in a simple way so that we all can understand what they mean without us all having to read the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
Yamas are social conducts that you refrain from, or ethical restraints which are imperative to those trying to obtain enlightenment. To put it simply, Yamas are the DON'TS. According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the ten rules of conduct are (Yamas) : Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness) , Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (continence, divine conduct) , Kshama (patience) Dhriti (steadfastness, endurance), Daya (compassion), Arjava (straightforwardness) Mitaharah (sparing diet), and Saucha (cleanliness).
1. Ahimsa- Practice this one by not harming others with your words or by becoming vegetarian or eating less meat. Not harming others with our words or our actions.
2. Satya- Being truthful, not lying to others no matter what. Speaking your truth.
3. Asteya- Not stealing other's posessions or time. If we are distracted on our phone when we are hanging out with people, this counts as stealing their time.
4. Brahmacharya- Being pure and godly. This can mean being sexually pure or abstaining from sex, or if this is not possible, being faithful to your sexual partner. Conserving, restraining and channeling our energy into the right places. Restraining from over-talkativeness. Being pure in words, actions and thought.
5. Kshama- Becoming tolerant to all people and circumstances. Stop wanting instant gratification and be happy with everything as it is. Slowing yourself down so you can become more toleraant nd patient.
6. Dhriti- Don't be indecisive. Make a decision and stick with it. Try to have less opinions and judgments, but stay grounded and firm in the decisions that you make.
7. Daya- Be compassionate to everything and everyone: humans, animals and mother nature. Find empathy for everything and everyone no matter what they "do to you" the ego is the only part of you that cares what has been done to you.
8. Arjava- (Practice this one with Satya (truthfulness) and Ahimsa (non-violence)). Being straightforward and honest without hurting others. Being honest with yourself as well.
9. Mitahara- Balancing and moderating your appetite so that you don't indulge in gluttony or harm your body with toxic food. A healthy body leads to a healthy mind and soul.
10. Saucha- Purifying the body with healthy food purifies the mind. Purifying the body by practicing personal hygiene also keeps the mind clean. Another way to purify the mind is by practicing meditation. Keeping the mind clear gives you mastery over your mind so that you can keep only the pure thoughts, letting negative ones pass you by.
Niyamas are about one's attitude toward life. Personal observances that you can practice. To put it simply, they are the DO'S.
The ten Niyamas mentioned by those proficient in the knowledge of yoga are: Tapas (austerity), Santosha (contentment), Hri (modesty, humility), Astikya (faith), Dana (charity), Isvarapujanam (worship or adoration of God), Siddhanta sravanam (scriptural listening), Mati (cognition, discernment), Huta (sacrifice), Japa (recitation).
1. Tapas- Building inner heat and passion so that we can achieve what we set out to achieve. It also means letting go of ego, personal agendas, and attachments. This also means sacrificing so that we can achieve what we want.
2. Santosha- Being content in any situation. Being content with our financial situation, our state of mind, and our possessions. The only way to be truly happy is to go within ourselves and find inner peace within us.
3. Hri- Being modest and humble. Refrain from boasting to others.
4. Astikya- Having faith in God or your Guru who lead us on our path to enlightenment.
5. Dana- Giving to others. Practicing charity. Giving possessions, knowledge, or money to others, especially the less fortunate.
6. Isvarapujanam- Worshiping, and devoting meditation to the divine. It can be towards God, your higher power or another divine being. Surrendering our ego in pursuit of a higher power.
7. Siddhanta sravanam- Studying the many teachings within Yoga and listening to vedic knowledge in order to become enlightened and knowledgeable. Also, imparting that knowledge to others so that they can attain liberation and enlightenment as well. They say that the Guru finds the student, not the other way around.
8. Mati- Developing cognition and intellect, so that you can determine right from wrong. Using your intuition wisely.
9. Huta- Sacrificing for others. For example, sacrificing unwanted material possessions, time, money, temptations & unethical behavior in pursuit of achieving something higher and more profound.
10. Japa- Chanting mantras daily focuses your attention and mind, giving you deeper awareness as well. Chanting also changes the vibration of your brain waves, switching to the calm, relaxed alpha brainwave state where you are more in control of your reactions and thoughts.
These ethics & restraints could be a good anchor for everyone, from those seeking enlightenment or liberation (Moksha) to those who don’t practice yoga at all. I wanted to show you a different and more detailed version of the 5 Yamas and Niyamas that we already know from Patanjali who wrote the 8 limbs of yoga and the Yoga Sutras.
Here is Patanjali's version if you would like to compare the two together -->
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