The Yamas are ethical disciplines that can be practiced daily and follow the 8 limb path of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. We have already gone over Ahimsa and Satya and now it’s time to move on to Asteya.
It’s easy to say that you practice Asteya, non-stealing, on a daily basis because you are not a thief, right? But as always, there is more to it than the simple translation that we associate it with. Fear, time, and finding joy, are all ways that we “steal” from ourselves and others. As we shift more and more to look inward towards our spirit, there are many ways we can practice Asteya on and off our yoga mat.
Take A Look At Your Relationship With Time
What is time? Typically it is perceived as “not enough.” You know what I mean? Not enough time to get ready, not enough time to sleep, not enough time to cook, not enough time to spend with my significant other, not enough time with my best friend, not enough time for me…The list goes on.
Set Boundaries
Boundaries are important, especially if you are trying to make it to class without breaking a stress sweat because there was traffic and you left work late. I used to work an entire jam-packed day and then at the end when I was finishing up my work and ready to get in my car and head to a much-needed yoga class, someone would stop me to say “Hey, Elli, can we talk for a minute?” And of course, I’d say yes, and we would talk for WAY longer than a minute. After one minute turned into 25 minutes, I would get in my car and start stressing about traffic thinking that I absolutely can’t miss this class because I needed it so bad! Sometimes I would miss it, and sometimes I would walk in the door with one minute to spare. (which is still stressful because I would have to change and then try and find a spot and blah blah blah) At that point, I was stealing time from myself. The time that I needed to help me feel better physically and mentally disappeared in seconds because I didn’t set my own personal boundaries.
Tip: The next time someone needs a ride to the airport, but you have already planned a night of self-care, tell them you can’t. Because you are important and there is always a taxi out there 🙂
When You Are Constantly Rushing
If you find yourself constantly running from one point to the next and not having a minute to take a sip of water, then it’s time to take a break and examine what is happening. When you are rushing every single minute of the day it is not only hard on your body and health, but also hinders how you experience moments and encounters throughout the day. It’s hard to deeply experience connections and occasions when you are constantly worrying about where you need to be next.
Tip: Maybe don’t over commit to your day?
If you are early, you are on time. If you are on time, you are late.
Getting somewhere early FEELS SO GOOD, while getting somewhere late feels, well, not so good. And most of the time we think about ourselves and all the excuses as to why we are late and how full our day is and if they only knew what we had to go through to get here etc… me, me, me. How often do we stop and think about the other person that has been there waiting for us? This person may have a full day as well, and if they don’t, it doesn’t matter. We just stole valuable time right out of their pocket. Something to think about.
On the mat…give yourself the time to show up early and to get settled. Maybe slow down the practice and move at your own pace while skipping another chaturanga so you can take a breath in
Fear is the Thief of Dreams
Fear is the thief of so many things: freedom, self- confidence, power, love, joy, pleasure, hope and the list goes on. Fear can be debilitating. Fear is biochemical and emotional. The universal biochemical fear is a survival mechanism. The emotional fear, is highly personalized. Fear is a big ugly thief and the cousin of anxiety. Not a nice family.
On the mat…we may fear that we aren’t flexible enough or that we aren’t capable of stopping our mind from wandering, or even that someone may judge our body.
Off the mat…we may fear to make a lifestyle change or to have a conversation with someone or even going to the supermarket in sweatpants because we might run into someone we know.
The next time you feel fear, examine what your thoughts are telling you vs. what REALLY is happening. In many
Tip: When you are on and off the mat, practice Asteya by not comparing yourself to others and not worrying about what someone may or may not think. Yoga is a personalized, internal practice and nobody can take your own personal experience and spirit. A tree is a tree, but you wouldn’t compare an olive tree to a pistachio tree would you? We are just billions of trees with
Let Joy Shine and Be Where You Are
Much like I mentioned up above, if you aren’t deeply experiencing the thousands of moments throughout the day, you may be missing out on welcoming your good friend Joy into your life, more than once.
“Be where you are…otherwise you will miss most of your life.” -Buddha
Our minds can be like runaway trains that are hard to slow down and get back on track. Yoga (and meditation) come into play because they teach us to come back to our breath and actually feel and be aware of sensations, thoughts, and emotions.
Tip: On the mat…With each pose you do, come back to the sensations in the body and disregard the thoughts of what you are going to cook for dinner. Close your eyes during parts of the practice and move inward. (ok that is two tips!)
Tip: Off the mat…When you are with a friend and having a coffee, BE WITH THE FRIEND. Don’t look around at what others are doing or wearing. Don’t think about how much work you have to do. Look into your friend’s eyes and listen with your heart enjoying the lovely moment of connection.
Now What?
Take the tips and run with them! Begin by just be mindful of Asteya as the month passes. You may be able to make a change right away but if not, just stick to noticing when they come up. Then slowly but surely, Asteya will play a beautiful role in your daily life.
xxx