The first half of the "Ten Commandments" of Yoga, the Yamas are a series of five things that each yogi must strive to abstain from. Harming, lying, stealing and ...sex?!

Like most words in Sanskrit, each word carries significant meanings and understandings that are far more demanding than they appear to be at first glance. The word "yama" itself means "restraint", "abstention", or "self-discipline".

Indian religions and philosophies build on the foundations laid by those before them, integrating each layer of meaning into the next. In the Vedas, Yama was the first human who died and found the path to the realm of the dead. This has been incorporated into both the Hindu and Buddhist myths, for in each of these, Yama is the god of death and the ruler of the underworld who judges each person's actions in their life and determines their punishment or reward.

For this reason, the Hindu god Yama was also the god of justice, and his strict role in maintaining order and harmony gave him dominion over dharma or spiritual code of conduct.

It is not by accident that this is the same word used in the Yoga Sutras. In many ways, a spiritual seeker must "die" from his old life, and be born anew, even as noted by "born again" Christians, or in the death and rebirth rituals of the Freemasons.

The restraints or "abstentions" identified in the Yamas - the first branch of Patanjali's Eightfold Path to Enlightenment - outline a preliminary course for those who would seek righteousness. Along with the Niyamas, the Yamas comprise the first five of the so-called "Ten Commandments of Yoga"

Ahimsa

The Sanskrit word Himsa means violence, so Ahimsa translates literally as the avoidance of violence, or non-violence. However, the meaning of this extends far beyond refraining from physically harming your fellow man. The succinct definition of Ahimsa is to abstain from harming any sentient being in thought, word, or deed.

This includes animals, which is why this Yama is frequently linked to vegetarianism.

Also the student’s treatment of self is included – physically and mentally. It also requires us to be mindful of our self-talk and self-criticism, as we are not practicing ahimsa if we harm ourselves, even subconsciously.

The ultimate goal in practicing Ahimsa is to release all hostility, to lose the desire to injure another, perhaps even to the extent that others lose that desire when they are nearby.

Satya

The “Truth” referred to in the Sanskrit word Sat is the Ultimate Truth, the eternal truth of existence.

In terms of honesty, Satya includes and transcends the abstention from lying to encompass the illusions of our perceptions, the acceptance of the divinity and interconnectedness of everyone. The principles of mindful speech fall under this vast Yama of Satya. Words that are neither kind nor necessary would be contrary to the greater truth.

Asteya

Sanskrit Steya means robbery; Asteya is translated as abstention from theft or stealing. Like the other Yamas, Asteya extends beyond the theft of an object from someone else. A person can steal or covet many intangible things, as well, such as attention, the control of a situation, or a child’s opportunity to learn something for himself.

The goal of Asteya is to eliminate any desire for anything that is not rightfully yours.

Brahmacharya

Brahma is the name of any one of a number of deities mentioned in the Vedas, Hinduism and Buddhism. The Sanskrit word char means to walk, and ya means actively, most often the compound word charya is translated as practice. The word Brahmacharya has been translated as “brahmic conduct” or “walking with God”, though frequently it is simplified even further into non-lust, or continence and self-control.

It is abstention from sensual indulgence, such as a chocolate binge or speaking unnecessarily. Ascetic purists see this as complete abstention from sexual intercourse. Modern yogis often interpret this Yama to restrict meaningless sexual encounters, rather than the life-affirming loving kind within a healthy relationship.

Aparigraha

The Sanskrit term for “hoarding” is Parigraha, thus Aparigraha is to abstain from possessiveness, greed, selfishness, acquisitiveness.

In modern consumer society, the concept of “enough” is hard to fathom. This yama calls to mind the sustainability slogan “Live simply so that others may simply live.”

The deeper, more spiritual terms of Aparigraha refer to the mental clinging and grasping we do towards things we desire, and the constant battling of things we don’t want. Releasing that which we do not really need to survive makes everything flow more easily.

Aparigraha is the yogic expression of Buddhism’s non-attachment.