These are a few inspiring affirmations to help your embodiment of Yama and Niyama and enhance your yoga practice.
You can customize them to your unique circumstance according to what you want to focus on.
In the quiet moments of the early morning, take some full, deep breaths and settle in on a few words that describe the positive quality you would like to cultivate. These yoga affirmations will help you set the direction of your day.
If you like to start your day with a creative activity, choose an affirmation or two that resonate with you the most. Then, as you are focusing on those affirmations, work on drawing the flower of life. See how it goes! It may take a few days, weeks, or even longer to complete the flower just the way you want it. All the better!
Affirmations Relating to Yama
The Yamas, the first limb of yoga, are guidelines for being a good member of your community. Following them helps to strengthen your sense of connection with other living things.
Ahimsa: Non-violence and Non-harming Towards Yourself and Others
Kindness in thought
- I am enough to create the life I want
- I have compassion
- I consider the other’s point of view before judging
Kindness in action
- I choose my actions and reactions
- I express myself in a way that brings joy
- I will do at least one kind, selfless act today
Kindness in words
- Before I speak, I consider how others will hear my words
- I make the people I love feel good with what I say
- My words matter
Satya: Being Truthful and Honest
It’s a fine line between speaking what is fact, and practicing ahimsa at the same time. What if the facts will bring harm? Find the balance between satya(truthfulness) and ahimsa (non-harming).
- I look for the truth in my heart
- I am honest with myself about my feelings
- With truth, I am free
Asteya: Non-stealing
If you take what is not yours, you will have a karma consequence to deal with at some point. The universe maintains an equilibrium. Our community needs us to be honest and fair in our daily life.
We can also practice asteya through being considerate of people’s time and energy. Being on time, taking up only our fair share of time talking in meetings, and in general saying positive words instead of complaining could be a way of practicing asteya.
- I do what I say I will do
- I make the most with what I have
- I am considerate of other people’s time and energy as well as my own
Brahmacharya: Path to the Divine
With Brahmacharya we conserve our energy. We want to concentrate our energy instead of spreading it around, because our energy can be redirected upwards for spiritual growth, towards the true self. Living in moderation reduces strain and overuse of energy in our daily tasks.
- I eat food that builds my energy keeps me healthy
- I do things one small piece at a time
- Time is precious, I spend it wisely
Aparigraha: Non-greed
The only certainty in life is that things will change. Possessions come and go. Net worth goes up and down. Popularity waxes and wanes. You are still you. There will always be more possessions in the world to obtain, regardless of how much you already have.
- The path to love and fulfillment is within myself
- I am content
- I have what I need
Positive Yoga Affirmations Relating to Niyamas
Niyamas are the second limb of yoga from Patanjali’s 8 limbs of of yoga. The Niyamas are more inwardly focused.
Saucha: Purity and Cleanliness
Cleanliness of your personal space
If you need a mood boost, try cleaning. The act of decluttering, moving around, making your space clean and tidy is mood-boosting. Often cleaning is seen as yet another chore in life, but with saucha it has a purpose. That purpose is to make space in your life and in your surroundings so you can better be your true self.
Think of what happens when you clean and declutter. You put energy out, and create space and cleanliness. Now yourself and others can enjoy the space. Clean your home and it feels good. Clean yourself and it also feels good.
Just by putting forth the energy to clean, you have transformed your energy into something positive and productive. Decluttering the physical space you live in, and there is also decluttering the mind. Make space so good energy can flow without restriction.
- Keeping my personal space clean serves a higher purpose.
- Keeping my space clean and organized serves me and the people I love
- The energy expenditure to clean is worth it
Saucha in personal hygiene
Your body is a gift and requires maintenance. Practice personal hygiene, including taking care of your eyes, your teeth, and your body through proper nutrition. The ayurvedic sciences provide guidance for cleaning rituals that can be followed to enhance personal cleanliness.
- I take care of my body through healthy food and daily movement
- I practice daily hygiene rituals because my body is worth it
- I take care of myself and seek my true and best self
Saucha in thoughts and in life in general
Just like we filter water, leaving a pure liquid, we want to filter our life as well, so are left with what is truly important. Don’t muddy the waters with judgemental thoughts, view people with a fresh, clear view..
Spend your energy on people who uplift you. Be intentional about where you place your focus.
- I keep my mind focused on positivity and not on judgment
- I enjoy the moment and the presence of those I love
- I focus my thoughts on what moves me forward
Santosha: Contentment
In the storm and whirlwind of life, you are still you regardless of what is outside of you.
Make the best of what you DO have, right now, while not allowing yourself to drown in thoughts of what you don’t have. This takes some work.
Still strive for your goals and improvement, but don’t forget to enjoy the moment.
There will always be more of what is outside of you, so learn how to appreciate what is around you right now. If you are coming from a place of contentment and happiness, relationships will be easier.
- I am content
- There are good things in my life
- Happiness comes from the inside
Tapas: Build Fire and Resilience
Take on a challenge. Postpone immediate gratification. Notice how it feels to overcome a challenge, especially when that challenge strengthens you.
Your tapas can involve helping someone else. Find your inner edge, and nudge against it to build your strength.
Your tapas can even be something that seems very small, but practiced daily builds your self control and strength.
Maybe every morning, commit to walking a little bit further than the day before, regardless of the weather outside, until you have reached a full mile. It can even be a tiny bit further each day.
Make your tapas your own personal challenge.
Experiment with being a little uncomfortable sometimes, we all are. This is life. You have the fortitude to weather the peaks and troughs life brings us.
- I got this
- I am strong and resilient
- I commit to my purpose
Svadhyaya: Study
Expose yourself to ideas that elevate your spiritual growth. Deep dive into spiritual literature. Your community needs the best version of your unique self, so continually seek knowledge for self improvement.
Find just one piece or text or a quote that uplifts you each day and try to embody that thinking for the day. Use what you learn for your own self study and introspection.
- Knowledge helps me elevate my spiritual growth
- I embrace the challenge of learning new ideas
- I always have something to learn
Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender
Here with Ishvara pranidhana you surrender to what is. Try disconnecting from what’s going on outside and go deeply inward.
With svadhyaya you were reading and engaging in the process of learning from external information, now just be still for a little while.
As your thoughts stream by, see if you can observe them. Your emotions come and go, and they generate sensation in your body. Observe that as well. You are the observer.
In the stillness, associate with the idea that you are still you, regardless of anything that is external to you.
- I am a seeker of connectedness
- I do my best, then let go
- Being alone is an illusion, there is a connection between everything
What are Yama and Niyama?
Yama and Niyama are the first two limbs of Patanjali’s 8-step Ashtanga yoga process to find one’s true self. The Yamas and Niyamas are practices to strengthen your ethical foundation as you prepare for the higher practices of yoga (the higher six limbs).
Consider focusing on just one affirmation at a time. Embody just one Yama or Niyama, then see if you feel a deepened connection with any of the others. Maybe you will start to feel some are intertwined.
To further embody your experience of the Yamas and Niyamas, you could even set up a challenge and a consequence (Example: Challenge: I will go out of my way to compliment someone today. Consequence if I don’t do this: The following day, I will have to compliment three people!)
Many of us are familiar with Asana, or yoga postures. The yoga postures are the 3rd limb of Patanjali’s 8-limb system. Experience the richness of a full yoga practice by also considering the moral attitudes of the first and second limbs, the Yamas and Niyamas.
