The first two limbs of the eight-fold path of yoga sutras—the basic text for classical yoga—are examined in this spiritual guide to the practice of yoga. Foundational to all yogic thought, they’re regarded as to be the guidelines to the yoga way of life that free individuals to take ownership of their lives, direct them toward the fulfillment they are searching for, and gain the skills to select attitude, thought, and action. The first five guidelines are known as the yamas—a Sanskrit word that translates to “restraints”—and encompass nonviolence, truthfulness, not stealing, nonexcess, and nonpossessiveness. The last five are known as the niyamas, or observances—purity, contentment, willpower, self-study, and give up. A self-study section at the end of every chapter can also be used by instructors for group discussion.
