“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” ~ Lao Tzu

There is more to yoga than what we do on our mats. One of the most life-changing benefits of yoga can come from putting into practice the yogic philosophy, such as the Yamas and Niyamas (disciplines and duties). Sage Patanjali (200 BC) said, "These yamas are not limited by class, country, time, or situation. Hence they are called the universal great vows." You can think of the yamas as a guidebook for how to live life in an upward flow.

The first yama we can learn from is “ahimsa,” which means non-violence in actions, words and thoughts. This means causing no harm to others and yourself. Ahimsa in our yoga practice can look like saying encouraging words to ourselves during difficult moments, instead of criticizing. Ahimsa in our daily lives can be as simple as bringing the word “non-violence” to mind before making a decision. This is a way to help bring discipline to the mind. Think kind thoughts about yourself and others.

~Namaste~