<h2 id="43ce8ba7-ca7a-4cff-875e-c1b8de70b8a5" data-toc-id="43ce8ba7-ca7a-4cff-875e-c1b8de70b8a5" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">The practice begins before class</h2><p>Some of the most useful yoga lessons show up when we are nowhere near a mat. I notice it in small choices: how quickly I judge myself, whether I listen when someone sets a boundary, or how I respond when a plan changes. The yamas and niyamas offer one traditional way of reflecting on conduct and personal practice. They are often introduced as the first two limbs in Patañjali’s eight-limbed framework.</p><p>The yamas are commonly presented as ethical restraints or commitments in relation to others: ahimsa, non-harming; satya, truthfulness; asteya, non-stealing; brahmacharya, often interpreted in different ways including wise use of energy; and aparigraha, non-grasping or non-possessiveness. The niyamas are personal observances: saucha, cleanliness or clarity; santosha, contentment; tapas, disciplined effort; svadhyaya, self-study; and ishvara pranidhana, often understood as devotion or surrender to a higher reality. Translations and interpretations differ among teachers and traditions.</p><h2 id="2f9e0de1-9140-454d-a2b5-6a17b36c41f3" data-toc-id="2f9e0de1-9140-454d-a2b5-6a17b36c41f3" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Kindness is not the same as ignoring yourself</h2><p>Ahimsa can invite a gentle question: what would reduce harm here? Sometimes that means softening how we speak to ourselves. Sometimes it means recognizing that a boundary is needed. A yoga student who chooses a supported position rather than pushing through discomfort is not failing at discipline. She may be practicing discernment and care. In teaching, kindness includes avoiding shame and giving students choices without making them feel lesser.</p><p>Satya invites honesty, but honesty does not have to become cruelty. We can tell the truth about our capacity today without announcing that our body is a problem to solve. Svadhyaya asks us to study ourselves: What patterns do I repeat? What helps me remain present? What do I need to learn? These questions make philosophy practical. They also remind teachers that students are not blank slates; each person brings context, history, and agency.</p><h2 id="fa3647db-53dd-4e75-88e0-05feb7a2f185" data-toc-id="fa3647db-53dd-4e75-88e0-05feb7a2f185" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">A small reflection for this week</h2><p>Choose one of these ideas and carry it into an ordinary moment. Perhaps you practice santosha by noticing what is sufficient right now. Perhaps you practice svadhyaya by journaling about the way you respond to stress. Or perhaps you practice ahimsa by choosing language that respects your body instead of insulting it into action.</p><p>There is no gold star for doing this perfectly. Yoga philosophy is not a collection of labels to use against ourselves. It gives us questions that can mature as we do. In my classes and teacher training, I want students to see that ethical reflection belongs alongside movement. The mat can be a place to practice, but our relationships and daily choices are where many of these teachings become visible.</p><h2 id="be1ba696-9181-4671-99fd-39ee2f081179" data-toc-id="be1ba696-9181-4671-99fd-39ee2f081179" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;">Continue the conversation with Bertena</h2><p>If this story spoke to you, I invite you to keep exploring with me. Visit my Substack for personal reflections, spiritual teachings, yoga conversations, and new writing from Bertena.</p><p>You can also listen to the Spiritual Sanctuary podcast or watch on YouTube. Choose the way you like to learn, and join me for more conversations about yoga, meditation, inclusive practice, and the path of becoming a teacher.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://bertena.substack.com"><span style="color: rgb(123, 35, 72);">Visit my Substack</span></a>&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bertena.org/en/podcast"><span style="color: rgb(123, 35, 72);">Listen to the Spiritual Sanctuary podcast</span></a>&nbsp; |&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@thespiritualsanctuary11"><span style="color: rgb(123, 35, 72);">Watch on YouTube</span></a></p><p></p>

Explore the yamas and niyamas through everyday examples of kindness, honesty, contentment, and self-study—without turning yoga philosophy into a test.

Week 5: Living Your Yoga Through Kindness, Honesty, and Self-Study

Kindness is not the same as ignoring yourself

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Week 5: Living Your Yoga Through Kindness, Honesty, and Self-Study

Week 5: Living Your Yoga Through Kindness, Honesty, and Self-Study

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