According to enlightened master Pantanjali, Yama and Niyama are the two fundamental limbs of Ashtanga yoga; but a lot us start our yoga journey with the asanas directly and would never go. But even like this, the general ideas of these two limbs offer a guidance not only to our ethical life but to our asana practice.
Ahimsa is the practice of non violence. This no violence is not only towards others but to ourselves. We live in a competitive world, it built up our ego, unconsciously we compare ourselves with others for the results. This ego pushes us again and again, sometimes it leads us to success, sometimes it hurts us. For asana practice, it causes injury, type of violence to our body.
Satya taught us to live in the truth. By understanding our own body and mind, we become more conscious. This awareness leads us to living and enjoying the present (Santosha), but still to be able to oversee ourselves in a distance. With this clear mind, our consistent unbroken effort will bring us to a further stage and beyond ourselves.
Kathy
19th January