Often when we think of yoga, the physical postures and positions come to mind. They are called “asanas” and comprise only one part of the practice. Yoga is considered to be an eight-limbed path, and asana is the third limb.

The first two limbs are the “yamas” and “niyamas”. They guide us in our manner of living, in how we treat others and how we treat ourselves. They can be seen as the ethical principles of yoga. The teaching of these first two limbs is often woven into the conversational fabric of a yoga class.

The fourth limb of yoga, as described by the sage and author Patanjali, is "pranayama". This refers breathing techniques that are commonly included in our yogic instruction. The final limbs encompass phases of meditation that may lead to “samadhi”, or enlightenment. Meditation practice is also commonly included in our yoga classes.

The idea of ethical asana can be taken further in our regular yoga practice. It helps keep yoga accessible regardless of where we are in our body's journey and allows for the varying mental states we experience each day. We can use positive ethics to highlight an awareness and acceptance of where we are in each moment and guide us to adjust our yoga practice accordingly, with self-love and kindness. Our practice should be nurturing, and ethical asana is a key instrument to use towards that end.

Namaste