The First Step to Peace, Part Two: Reflecting on the Five Yamas

Last week, we began our journey through the Yamas — the ethical foundation of the eight-limbed path of yoga. These five guiding principles help us cultivate harmony in how we relate to others and to ourselves.

This week, I invite you to take a deeper look within. As we explore each Yama again, I’ve included a journal prompt to support your personal reflection and help live these principles out in a meaningful and relevant way. You don’t have to have the perfect answer — this is about uncovering what’s real and relevant for you right now.

Ahimsa - Nonviolence

Ahimsa calls us to practice kindness, compassion, and gentleness in action, word, and thought. Nonviolence isn’t just about refraining from harm; it’s about choosing love.

Journal Prompt: Where in my life can I soften — toward myself or someone else? What would it look like to respond with compassion instead of criticism?

Satya - Truthfulness

Satya isn’t just about saying what we think or feel in the moment. In Sanskrit, Sat refers to ultimate truth — that which is timeless, pure, and unchanging. Practicing Satya means learning to discern between passing perceptions and deeper wisdom.

In our culture, we often hear the phrase “speak your truth,” but this can sometimes stem from woundedness or misunderstanding. True Satya is rooted in Ahimsa - nonviolence — and invites us to speak and live from a place of clarity and compassion, rather than reaction. When we honor truth in this way, it becomes a healing force that builds bridges instead of walls.

Journal Prompt: What deeper truth is asking to be heard beneath my current thoughts or emotions? How can I express myself with both honesty and kindness, in a way that invites connection rather than division?

Asteya - Non-stealing

Asteya invites us to look beyond the obvious. It’s not just about physical theft — it’s about respecting time, energy, attention, and trust, both ours and others’.

Journal Prompt: In what ways might I be overreaching, over-consuming, or taking more than I give? What actions can I take, or avoid, to restore balance?

Brahmacharya - Wise Use of Energy

Traditionally interpreted as celibacy, Brahmacharya today is about directing our energy toward what matters most. It’s about conscious choices and sacred boundaries. Brahmacharya and Asteya walk hand-in-hand. Both Yamas ask us to consider our relationship with energy - how we use it, where we direct it, and how our choices ripple out into the world. When we practice Brahmacharya, we become conscious of where our life force is going - physically, emotionally, spiritually. We begin to notice what drains us, what nourishes us, and where we may be giving away (or stealing) energy unconsciously.

Journal Prompt: Where in my life am I overextending — either by giving too much or taking more than I need? How can I begin to reclaim my energy and move through the world in a way that feels sustainable and respectful, to myself and to others?

Aparigraha - Non-Possessiveness

Letting go. Aparigraha asks us to release our grip on control, outcomes, and attachments - trusting that we are supported even in the space of the unknown.

Journal Prompt: What am I holding onto (possessions, ideas, etc) that no longer serves me? What might open up if I let it go?

Closing Reflection

The yamas offer more than a moral code - they are a call to live with awareness and integrity. This week, I encourage you to take time with these reflections. Maybe write one each day, or sit with all five in a quiet moment, and see what comes up. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, or message me if something resonates deeply.

Until next week - be gentle, be curious, and keep walking the path of Yoga.

With love,

Linda Marie