Yoga Living – The Eightfold Path: Part 5 – Weaving the Yamas and Niyamas
Living in Harmony with the Inner and Outer Path
Light on words. Deep in wisdom.
A short and soulful guide to how the first two limbs of yoga dance together—on the mat and in life.
The Yamas and Niyamas are threads. Together, they form the woven fabric of a life lived in awareness, integrity, and inner peace.
Welcome back, dear friend.
We’ve journeyed through the Yamas—the five ways we live in harmony with others and the world around us—and the Niyamas, the five inner vows that help us tend our own heart and spirit.
Now, we gently bring them together.
Living yoga isn’t about perfection. It’s about integration. The Yamas and Niyamas don’t live in isolation—they weave together, like breath and movement, like sea and shore.
Let’s explore how these first two limbs of yoga complement and complete one another—through reflection and simple, embodied practice.
Examples:
1. Ahimsa + Saucha: Compassion + Clarity
On the mat:
Practise moving with kindness and simplicity. Strip back extra effort. Ask: “How can I simplify and soften in this pose?” Start with breath. Let it guide the movement.
In life:
Let your clarity be kind. Clear clutter gently. Speak truth gently. Choose clean foods, thoughts, and relationships that support your wellbeing, without judgement.
2. Satya + Svadhyaya: Truth + Self-Study
On the mat:
Notice your inner dialogue as you practise. Are you being truthful or self-critical? Pause and ask: “What’s true for me today?” Let that truth shape your movement.
In life: Use journaling or voice notes to explore your truth—what feels aligned, what feels off. Be lovingly honest with yourself. Let self-study be a form of self-respect.
3. Asteya + Santosha: Trust + Contentment
On the mat:
Resist the urge to strive. Rest in enoughness. Practise staying in a shape without needing to push further. Allow yourself to be fully present with what is.
In life:
Trust in your path. Stop comparing. Celebrate your now. Let contentment come from within, not from outcome. Smile at your own pace.
4. Brahmacharya + Tapas: Energy Wisdom + Devotion
On the mat:
Move with intention. Choose a simple sequence and return to it over several days. Let your discipline be devotional, not demanding. Conserve energy where it leaks.
In life:
Honour your rhythms. Say no when needed. Keep showing up for what matters. Tapas is the fire that sustains you. Brahmacharya ensures it’s wisely tended.
5. Aparigraha + Ishvarapranidhana: Letting Go + Surrender
On the mat: Let go of how the practice “should” be. Surrender effort. Stay in savasana longer. Hold the breath lightly. Let your body be as it is.
In life:
Release control. Let go of timelines, identities, expectations. Offer it all into the hands of something greater—whatever that means for you.
Wholeness in Practice
The Yamas and Niyamas are threads. Together, they form the woven fabric of a life lived in awareness, integrity, and inner peace.
You don’t need to practise them all at once. Let one pairing speak to you.
Live it for a day. Or a week. Or a season.
Let it anchor you.
You are already on the path.
Free download to deepen your practice and understanding, I would love to hear how you get on.
With love and gentle integration,
Sue xx
Sense Greater Peace – Breathe. Move. Restore. Flourish.
