How to Use The Yamas to Create Change

How to • Infertility Resources • Yamas and Niyamas • Yoga
November 16, 2021

Last week we talked briefly about how each Yama shows up in our daily life as it relates to infertility. (If you missed that blog post, go back and read it so that you have a solid understanding first.) We also mentioned that they help inform how we filter, decipher, and choose to respond based on our internal landscape. That’s the piece of the puzzle that we’ll look at today.

Your internal landscape consists of your personal narrative or the stories you tell yourself (supportive or not); the conditioning you received throughout your childhood; influences from your upbringing and family of origin; your level of education; your financial security (or lack thereof); your constitution or general mode of operation (think Ayurveda dosha, Myers-Briggs, Birth Chart, or Human Design); your contentment with where you are (right now); and societal constructs that influence you. All of this feeds into your overall well-being, which informs how you choose to move throughout your day.

Knowing this, I invite you to consider how each Yama plays a role in our daily life. Doing so will allow you to connect the dots of what’s working for you (or not), where that pattern, behavior, thought, or emotion is coming from, and most importantly, what you want to do about it (or not). 

Below you’ll find a chart. For each Yama, consider how it shows up in your life. In the next column, explore what about each Yama is working or not. And in the last column, consider what you will do differently and by when. 

You’re welcome to grab your journal and use as much space as you need to work through each section. Give yourself time to explore what shows up. And feel free to take a break if you get stuck or you just need a moment. It’s ok!

Here’s a quick example to get you started:

Once you’re done, pick one of the Yamas to focus on. Maybe you would feel comfortable tackling the easiest one. Or if that’s always your mode of operation, challenge yourself by starting with the hardest one first. Start to weave the changes you seek into your daily life. And check back with yourself in 30-days to see how things have shifted for you. If you feel like you’ve incorporated the changes you want and you’re happy with the results, identify the next Yama you’d like to tackle and get started!