The First Limb of Yoga – The Yamas

Infertility Resources • Yamas and Niyamas • Yoga
November 9, 2021

The Yamas are the first limb of the eightfold path and are often referred to as ‘the restraints’. At a high level, they’re how you interact with the world around you. On a deeper level, they help inform how you filter, decipher and choose to respond (not react) based on your internal landscape.

Below are brief descriptions of each Yama: 

AHIMSA means nonviolence towards yourself and others (e.g., people, animals, plants). The stress of infertility can make everything harder including being kind to yourself and those around you. How can you bring a sense of kindness into the situation?

Read more about Ahimsa here: Where can you find more kindness in your life?

SATYA asks us to honor the seeds of truth we know are there but we may not want to witness for ourselves or express to others. By examining your emotions (e.g., frustration, grief, anger, jealousy) and understanding the source, you’re better able to recognize them, let them move through you, and choose a more beneficial way to respond in the future.

Read more about Satya here: How to Honor Your Truth During Infertility.

ASTEYA means non-stealing. It’s a golden rule, but many only think of it in relation to material items. Procrastination is one way. Denial is another. How else might you steal from yourself or others (knowingly or not)?

Read more about Asteya here: Infertility and the 3 Hidden Ways We Steal.

BRAHMACHARYA means moderation. Ways in which this might show up for you while trying to conceive are obsessing over a small twinge or baby’s names when you don’t have a little one on the way. What excessive negative behaviors might you change to better serve your infertility journey right now?

Read more about Brahmacharya here: The 1 Place to Find Moderation and Improve Your Infertility Perspective.

APARIGRAHA means non-attachment. And being unattached doesn’t mean you can’t have a vision at all. It just means that when you have a dream, or a vision of how you’d like something to come into existence, that you avoid grasping for a desired end result. This concept is big when it comes to dreaming of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby.

Read more about Aparigrapha here: Letting Go

Now, take a moment to consider how these might play a role in your daily life as it relates to your infertility journey.

In next week’s post, we’ll offer up different ways to apply the Yamas into your life to create positive change for yourself.