*Before we begin I highly recommend you grab your journal and pen* Tapah or tapas means austerity or discipline. It comes from the root word 'tap' which means to burn, to shine, to give out heat. This can be taken...

Asteya (uh-stay-ah) is our third sub-principle within the Yamas. It translates to non-stealing. And just as with ahimsa and satya there is more to this yama than meets the eye. Stealing is defined as “to take the property of another...

This month Jyoti explores the deeper meaning of the term 'Ahimsa', which is often interpreted as 'non-violence' in the physical sense.

Yama means ‘bridle’ or ‘reign’ in Sanskrit and are moral disciplines towards the outside world (and as a result ourselves). 

Ahimsa (a-him-sah) translates to non-violence. Many people think of non-violence as a principle from Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr. and, as a result, take it to mean not committing physical acts of violence.

As we delve deeper into yogic philosophy we will be considering the terms at three levels - thoughts, words and actions. These are all connected since your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your character and your character becomes your values.