The Five Yamas: The five Yamas are considered codes of restraint, abstinences, self-regulations, and involve our relationship with the external world and other people.
Ahimsa: non-violence, non-harming, non-injury (2.35)
Satya: truthfulness, honesty (2.36)
Asteya: non-stealing, abstention from theft (2.37)
Brahmacharya: walking in awareness of the highest reality, continence, remembering the divine, practicing the presence of God (2.38)
Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, non-holding through senses, non-greed, non-grasping, non-indulgence, non-acquisitiveness (2.39)
Actions: The first level of self-awareness and self-regulation is that of actions in the external world. Each of the Yamas are consciously cultivated at the level of actions. By mindfulness and self-awareness, you see when your actions are contrary to the Yamas, and you can counter that by noting that the action is not useful (2.33, 2.34), and acting more in line with the Yamas.
Speech: Self-awareness and self-regulation of each of the Yamas are also consciously cultivated at the level of speech. By mindfulness and self-awareness, you see when your speech is contrary to the Yamas, and you can counter that by noting that the speech is not useful (2.33, 2.34), and speaking more in line with the Yamas.
Thoughts: The subtlest level of self-awareness and self-regulation is that of thought in the inner world. Each of the Yamas are consciously cultivated at the level of thought. By mindfulness and self-awareness, you see when your thoughts are contrary to the Yamas, and you can counter that by noting that the thought is not useful (2.33, 2.34), and promoting positive thoughts that are more in line with the Yamas.
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The Five Niyamas: The five Niyamas are the observances or practices of self-training, and deal with our personal, inner world
*Shaucha: purity of body and mind (2.40, 2.41)
*Santosha: contentment (2.42)
*Tapah: training the senses, austerities, ascesis (2.43)
*Svadhyaya: self-study, reflection on sacred words (2.44)
*Ishvara pranidhana: surrender; (ishvara = creative source, causal field, God, supreme Guru or teacher; pranidhana = practicing the presence, dedication, devotion, surrender of fruits of practice) (2.45)
Actions: At the same time that one is aware of actions in the external world through practicing the Yamas, he or she also becomes aware of the personal, inner processes related to body, senses, and mind, by practice awareness of the Niyamas. By mindfulness and self-awareness, you see when your actions are contrary to the Niyamas (as well as the Yamas), and you can counter that by noting that the action is not useful (2.33, 2.34), and acting more in line with the Niyamas. Speech: Through similar mindfulness and self-awareness of speech in relation to the Niyamas, you see when your speech is contrary to the Niyamas. This can also be countered that by noting that the speech is not useful (2.33, 2.34), and speaking more in line with the goals of the Niyamas. Thoughts: The subtlest level of self-awareness and self-regulation is that of thought in the inner world. Each of the Niyamas are consciously practiced at the level of thought. By mindfulness and self-awareness, you see when your thoughts are contrary to the Niyamas, and you can counter that by noting that the thought is not useful (2.33, 2.34), and promoting positive thoughts that are more in line with the Niyamas.
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