A lot has changed in this world since Patanjali first wrote The Yoga Sutras. In the last month the world has changed even more with the outbreak of Covid-19. This has changed and flipped the world as we knew it upside down. You may be wondering what thousand year old guidelines have to do with a virus outbreak, but now more than ever I believe Patanjali's guidelines are extremely applicable. The Yoga Sutras outline the 8 Limbs of Yoga starting with the Yamas. The Yamas are made up of 5 moral, ethical, and societal guidelines for a practicing yogi. Right now these guidelines can apply to each and everyone of us to stop the spread of this virus and get back to normalcy.

Ahimsa:

The first yama that is translated to non-violence or non-harming, which includes physical, mental, and emotional harming towards ourselves and others. We usually think of this in the terms of what we do in our physical practice and how we treat others but in this time of a virus spreading worldwide it can be practiced a little differently. Ahimsa can be easily broken down to compassion for yourself and others so in practicing compassion it is important to protect yourself and others from the spread of this virus. How do you do that? You practice ahimsa through washing your hands and staying home preventing harm to anyone by stopping the spread of the virus.

Satya:

This yama translates to truthfulness in spoken language and the way we live. Applying this to our current situation starts with your symptoms. If you're feeling ill, tell someone, ask your doctor. While it may be just a cold or flu it is important to share with those around you for prevention purposes. Also a big part of practicing satya is sharing your concerns and emotions. This is an anxious time for everyone! Sharing your honest feelings of uncertainty, confusion, frustration, and whatever you feel is a good way to build community. We need the emotional bonds of support now more than ever, even if from a social distance or virtual space.

Aestya:

This is best defined as non-stealing but that seems like an awkward phrase. I like to think of aestya as responsibility or preserving other people's resources. This could be easily applied to when we are waiting on long lines, at empty store to not steal but we can take it even further than that. In terms of preserving other's resources, we can use this practice to not steal time of the workers that are trying so hard to fight this disease. You can do your part to ensure that medical resources are available to those who need them. In other words, not stealing from those who truly need them by practicing social distancing and alerting your doctor if you have concerning symptoms. These practices are all efforts of preserving time, which right now our most valuable resource in the fight against Covid-19.

Brahmacharya:

Translated loosely to unity and control of desires. Originally this only was applied to the body by being celibate but now it has taken shape beyond that. It has been shaped to mean moving or uniting with the divine or sacred. In terms of this pandemic, the preciousness of human life and connection has shifted. We have realized the great value of being together and connecting on the most human levels through thoughts and emotions. The whole world has pulled together or united to stop the spread as well as find cures.

Aprarigraha:

The last yama that closes out the first of the 8 Limbs. The translation of this yama is non-coveting, simplicity, and generosity. We can think of this as letting go of everything that we do not need, possessing only as much as necessary, simplicity. Putting this into practice is easy. When going to the store only get what you need. Do not pick up every pack of toilet paper...only get what you and your family need so there is enough left for others. Also this a beautiful time to be generous, there are so many people without jobs that are looking for ways to support and feed their families. If you have extra, donate it! There are shelters and food banks all over the world that need your helping hand. We can also think of this in terms of mindset, like letting go of how we think things should be. Aparigraha pushes us to an uncomfortable, unfamiliar mental place where we can stop clinging to ideas of and memories about how it’s supposed to be.

It’s not supposed to be any one way or another. There’s a way it was and there’s the way it is now. Also, there’s the unknown way it will be in the future. Not holding onto our opinion of how things should be, allows us to experience how things actually are. Only when we accept this new reality and uncertain future are we truly in the present moment.

It is beautiful that through theses guidelines we can practice yoga on and off the mat in these crazy times! It is important to remember you are not alone, we are all in this together! Soon hopefully we can all be out in the world again, until then I hope you use the Yamas to help you navigate our new normal!

With sooo much love,

Bliss yogi