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Tantra Yoga Ethics

Meditation tends to free a great deal of energy that is usually tied up in various kinds of mental and emotional tensions. When these tensions are released we have more energy available to live full and creative lives. But we only meditate for a short time each day, and if our habits and attitudes are creating more tensions during the rest of the day, we are not going to make much progress.

For this reason, yoga has always stressed the importance of an ethical code to guide us in our daily lives and to help us to bring the peace and understanding that we find through meditation into every moment. This code is known as Yama and Niyama. These ten principles are the prerequisite to successful spiritual life.

Yama:

Ahimsa: A-himsa means not to harm. Ahimsa means action performed without the intention of harming anyone by thought, word or deed. We must strive not to be motivated by hatred or anger. Ahimsa is not synonymous with non-violence. Violence can be used in self-defense, but only after non-violent means were considered and deemed ineffective. Therefore, violence is acceptable when it is the only way left to protect oneself.

Satya: Satya means to have intention of welfare behind all thought, speech and action. Satya also means to be true to oneself and one's inner vision and to face honestly one's emotions and motivation.

Asteya: Asteya means non-stealing, i.e. not physically taking or mentally coveting that which rightfully belongs to someone else. It also means trustworthiness and fairness in dealing with others.

Aparigraha: Aparigraha means not to indulge in the enjoyment of unnecessary comforts. It is an ecological principle: minimize your resource consumption and a psychological one: learn to enjoy ideas instead of thing. Every person must find his or her way to practice this principle.

Brahmacarya: Brahmacarya refers to a state of mind in which we see everyone and everything as an expression of the Supreme. To practice Brahmacarya, we must open our minds to delve into the hidden depths of creation and to see that there is a single energy and a single consciousness pervading all forms. The word Brahmacarya is a composite of two words, i.e. Brahma, the Supreme, and carya, to observe. (Contrary to popular Indian meaning, it does not mean celibacy.)

Niyama:

Shaoca: Shaoca means the cultivation of mental and physical cleanliness. Good exercise, asanas, meditation and positive mental attitude help in observation of this principle.

Santosa: Santosa means to be content and to remain mentally balanced in both positive and negative situations in which we happen to find ourselves.

Tapah: Tapah is the practice of sacrificing petty personal pleasures in order to experience the greater joy of helping others.

Svadhyaya: Svadhyaya involves developing of cognitive understanding of intuitive knowledge. It also means to clearly understand the underlying spiritual meaning of the world's great scriptures.

Iishvara Pranidhana: Iishvara Pranidhana means realizing that reunion (yoga) with the Supreme is the goal of life. It also means moving with ever increasing commitment toward the fulfillment of that goal. Meditation is the best method of observing this principle.