8 limbs of Yoga Tree

One of the most beautiful aspects of yoga is that it is non-discriminating; it can be practiced anytime, anywhere, by anyone. And this practice can mean a lot of things. The first thought that comes to mind for most when they hear the term yoga is the asanas (postures), but this is only one aspect of yoga; one limb on a tree full of possibility. Actually, living a yogic lifestyle means you are seeking peace with the world and with self. These two ideas are known as yama and niyama. The way I would describe this to myself during my teacher training was: observe thyself and seek restraint with the world. Easier said than done, but this is supposed to be a journey so take it easy on yourself.

For this article I want to focus on Patanjali’s five yamas, what they represent and how we can begin to incorporate them into…