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Spirituality and Morality in Yoga

(Author’s Note:  Yoga is the way I live my life, but I am not a Yoga scholar; and although I study Yoga every day, I would not presume to give the impression that I have comprehensive knowledge on the subject.  This paper, a requirement in the Yoga Research and Education Center’s distance-learning course on Georg Feuerstein’s Yoga Tradition, is one of the steps on my spiritual path.  In addition, the subject is so broad that I could never master all of the necessary sources to do it justice.  My hope is that I can synthesize some of the vast information on this topic in a way that is approachable.  And this paper represents MY Yoga—the fusion of my experience, studies, intuition, and practice. As such, it will remain a tool for me as I grow in Yoga.) 

Why Yoga?

Yoga is a comprehensive, non-religious, spiritual and moral system that provides direction that is accessible to all seekers through its many paths. 

Introduction

There is no single Yoga, since there is no single Yoga philosophy or convention.  In Yoga there is room for everyone; and Yoga meets us exactly where we are.  Yoga is a practice and a process—it is not a goal that must be met.  Therefore, we are free to set an intention to do the ‘good’ work and not succeed, but we then are also free to try again without judging the outcome of our past efforts.  The beauty of Yoga is that spirituality and morality, or ethics, are the same study.  They are connected in a way that I have not seen in religions.  Spirituality and morality are one; they are connected, and they cannot be parted. Dharma-shastra [i] is the term for the connection between ethics/morality and spirituality (Yoga).   

In this paper, I am speaking about spirituality and morality in separate sections.  This does not mean that spirituality can ever be practiced in Yoga without morality.  Indeed, the practice of spirituality is dependent upon the adherence, or intention to adherence, to the moral principles. 

Not only does Yoga possess all that is necessary for the seeker; but, remarkably, one ancient Yoga text, The Bhagavad-Gita, contains the entire path:  becoming one with the Divine, establishing a moral order, and teaching how one’s whole life can be Yoga.  I will refer further to this inspiring text in the discussion below. 

As a historical aside, Yoga is an ancient liberation practice foreshadowed in the ancient Vedas, dated as long ago as 6,500 BCE.  Asceticism (tapas) and Yoga were part of the Indian culture and moral life before the CE [ii]; and, indeed, Yoga and its pre-Yoga antecedents existed before Hinduism. 

Yoga’s Spirituality

 Quite simply, Yoga is spirituality. Spirituality is a sacred practice of realizing the universal Consciousness.  Morality defines the principles by which we live.  A truly wise, spiritually conscious person cannot commit immoral acts, because he/she is able to avoid the pitfalls the rest of us fall into.  

Yoga is all-inclusive, but it is impossible to generalize about Yoga, because of its vast history and cosmology.  Yoga spirituality is incredibly difficult to comprehend.  Even the venerable yogi BKS Iyengar finds the notion of Yoga as union “too abstract.” [iii]   In fact, intellectually, I do not have a clue what the universal Consciousness is. It is something that is experienced and felt and intuited.  

Yoga is not a religion.  Religions have dogma (doctrines proclaimed by an authority), usually a prescribed place of worship, a defined deity, or devotion to a religious faith. [iv]  These things are not required in Yoga, although Bhakti-Yoga requires devotion to God; and other types of Yoga may require faith.   Compare Yoga with the story of Jesus.  The lessons from Jesus were of spirituality and morality; what people did with Jesus’ story was to make it into a religion.  

In this paper, I will introduce the various branches of Hindu Yoga as they are discussed in my teacher’s comprehensive guide to Yoga, The Yoga Tradition.[v] There are seven major “spokes” in Dr. Feuerstein’s descriptive Wheel of Yoga.  Each spoke represents a branch of Yoga, indicating that there is a Yoga practice to fill the needs of every spiritual seeker.  Each branch contains its own practices, rituals, ethics, morality, and spiritual ideals.   

Yoga literally means yoking the individual spirit or soul with the universal Spirit (or Reality or God or Consciousness—interchangeable terms). [vi]  It is our “non-religious longing for deep connection with Higher Consciousness.”[vii]  Yoga teachers and students often say that Yoga means ‘yoking’ the body and mind.  That may be true, but authentic Yoga has a much deeper meaning.  Yoga is spirituality.  And, everything in life is a spiritual practice. 

There are 3 forms of Yoga, all of which have roots in the Indian sub-continent: Hindu-Yoga, Buddhist-Yoga, and Jaina-Yoga. For the most part, I study Hindu-Yoga, whose major branches are:

o    Hatha-Yoga—the Yoga of force.  In Hatha-Yoga we use our bodies to go deeper into our inner beings and connect with Higher Consciousness.  This is done beautifully in the Yoga that I study, Svadhyaya Yoga, where we study the maya-koshas (physical, energy, thought/emotional, intellectual/intuitive/wisdom, and bliss bodies) during asana and all other yogic practice. 

o    Mantra-Yoga—the ancient practice of using sound to transcend the physical body. The famous OM is a mantra that is inspiring—it is a sound that resonates through the heart and spirit. There are many mantras, and most have a specific purpose.  The first mantra I used in my Yoga Teacher Training was a mantra to heal the past.  I practiced it for 40 days, and many memories came up. I was able to acknowledge the memories, sometimes cry or laugh, and then let them go so that the healing could begin. 

o    Bhakti-Yoga—the Yoga of devotion to a deity.  This Yoga is seen in what is perhaps the most important spiritual Yoga text, the Bhagavad-Gita as contained in the Yoga Epic, the Mahabharata.  In this text we witness Prince Arjuna’s devotion to Lord Krishna, who then grants Arjuna his grace.

o    Karma-Yoga—the Yoga of action, pure, without self-interest.  Karma is an essential part of spiritual teaching, even if one does not believe in reincarnation.   For me, there is no spiritual path without the practice of Karma-Yoga.  Doing right actions with right intention and no thought of the self unites the morality and spirituality practices of Yoga for me.

o    Raja-Yoga—also known as Patanjali’s 8-Limbed Path or Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.  The Yoga-Sutra contains the compilation of moral principles that this paper connects with Yoga spirituality.

o    Jnana-Yoga—the Yoga of wisdom.  This Yoga is an important teaching in the Bhagavad-Gita, and it is brought about by study and gaining knowledge. It is another essential part of my practice.  Without study and gaining wisdom, I would probably not be on a spiritual path.

o    Tantra-Yoga—Includes Kundalini-Yoga, Laya-Yoga, and Kriya-Yoga.  Tantra-Yoga seeks to unite the masculine and feminine natures through the energy system

The 2 other forms of Yoga, Buddhist and Jaina, each have a number of schools, which may contain their own beliefs and practices.  I take from these 2 forms of Yoga much to incorporate into my life.  But Hindu-Yoga is the path that resonates for me. 

In my life, the non-dualist schools of Yoga (and proto-Yoga, or pre-Yoga), which originated around the end of the Vedas, hold the greatest spiritual significance for me. Non-dualistic Yoga means that everything is, in fact, one; and our job on earth is to realize that and to unite the individual soul with the Universal Soul, ending our separation, leading to the bliss of belonging and eternal love.  Several branches of Yoga (including Patanjali’s Classical Yoga, from which I take my comprehensive Yoga moral structure) promote dualism, the separation of spirit and matter.  Buddhist Yoga holds that there is no eternal, immortal soul.  But, my study of the non-dual branches of Yoga have brought me back to my ultimate nature and the path to the union of my Self with the universal Self.  Finally comprehending that Atman, the eternal individual soul, upon enlightenment, is the same as Brahman, the transcendental Soul, is the most inspiring realization of my life.  For over 30 years, I have been haunted by the phrase at the beginning of Hermann Hesse’s Demian: “I wanted only to live in accord with the promptings which came from my true self.  Why was that so very difficult.”[viii]  Yoga has the answer:  It is in our very nature to suffer and be isolated from Ourselves.  Yoga has the cure:  Oneness with the True Self and liberation in the universal Consciousness. 

The spirituality in Yoga also allows me to consider all forms of life as sacred.  By instinct, I know that animals have immortal souls.  Spirit is in everything.[ix] Yoga has room for that belief.  I can be connected, as my experience dictates, to other humans and life forms, without censure from Yoga—my personal experience is accepted, since the Yoga I practice is experiential.  In the magnificent Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna that, “I am the same to all beings.” [x] 

Yoga also brings spiritual acceptance to all beings in its doctrines of non-judgment (which includes non-harming, discussed below) and witness consciousness.  Witness consciousness is letting my True Self stand aside and “witness” my life, experiences, and actions, without judgment.  Witness consciousness allows me to live in the eternal present by letting me acknowledge mistakes and good deeds, alike; learn from them; and let them go.  Witness consciousness in Yoga lets me free myself of the burden of guilt, the ultimate self-harming.  Present-moment living lets me release the past while rejecting the worry-burden of the future. [xi] Losing the capacity for present-moment living is something I saw in my grandmother as she lay dying from Alzheimer’s disease:  my Nanny seemed to not be present at all, the greatest tragedy. 

Many forms of Yoga use meditation as a method to unite with the universal Consciousness.  Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutra sees meditation as one of the key methods to liberation.  Someone once said that prayer is talking to God, meditation is listening to God.  Doesn’t that sound like the use of meditation for union?   In meditation, we calm and relax the mind; carefully centered, we quiet the body and mind; and, then we listen, in reality or spiritually.  We can then find the state of bliss (samadhi) and move into surrender with the universal Perfection. So Yoga offers us the direct route to the Divine, with no one to intercede, no special place to go, no special person to be.  My intention is that Yoga will someday bring me to that ethereal realm of the Unconditional love of the Divine. [xii] 

Yoga offers me joy and delight.  It has always seemed to me that religions were too staid, judgmental, and gloomy.  Yoga wants me to be happy NOW, to delight in my body, to bring that delight to others and the universe around me.  There is even a Yoga doctrine from Vedanta (philosophy at the end of the Vedic era) called jivan mukti.   Jivan mukti is living liberation—the idea of achieving liberation in this human lifetime. [xiii]  What joy that would be! Yoga also gives me a choice about whether to seek liberation for myself as a Yogin or to serve others as the Buddha did and other bodhisattvas do. (Not that I am anywhere near the level of a bodhisattva: one who attains enlightenment but postpones ultimate liberation as a compassionate approach to assist others to enlightenment.)  In actuality, I choose to do both: seek spiritual fulfillment for myself and help others. 

Yoga wants us to know that we are complete and whole, with “everything abiding in Self.” [xiv]  This part of the Yoga teachings lets me know that I can find all that I need by going deep inside to the center, through Yoga practice.   

Yoga (and the Reiki that I practice) even offers a sublime way of conscious dying. Even that is available inside me.  In the Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna tells Arjuna that if he remembers the Lord at the time of death (actually meaning that Arjuna is yoked to Lord Krishna in his daily life), he will be united with the Divine. [xv]  

Yoga spirituality also asks us to practice another difficult ideal, that of non-attachment.  Non-attachment (Also see aparagrapha, below.) leads us to live in the eternal present, knowing that no matter what happens here in the material world, all is well in the “spiritual” or Real universe.   

Morality

Yoga recognizes the guidance of the soul, which brings life to all of us.[xvi]  This cannot be done without Yoga’s moral principles—the soul works by those principles.

Everlasting soul—is everywhere and in everything—the wind, the snow, the birds, the rain. (Described beautifully in a 1932 poem by Mary Frye.)[xvii] 

The fullest prescription for human morality is contained in the principles of Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutra, also known as Classical Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, and the 8-Limbed Path.  Patanjali lived around 200 CE; [xviii] and his Yoga Sutra built on pre-Classical Vedic texts and early Buddhist teachings, many of which contained identical principles.  But, I believe that Patanjali’s text has endured and flourished beyond the others for its concise and complete discourse on morality.

(Note: Even though Patanjali set down a dualist Yoga, I believe that his work is all encompassing and proper even for a non-dualist, like me.) 

The moral principles of Hindu Yoga are contained in the first “limb” of the Yoga Sutra -- the Yamas, universal moral principles. These principles are much broader than any I have found in religion.  The Yamas are: ahimsa—non-harming; satya—truth; asteya—non-stealing; brahmacharya—self-restraint; and aparigraha—not hoarding.[xix]    

Practicing the yamas means devoting my existence to Transcendence—this is the link between morality and spirituality. 

Ahimsa: Let’s look first at what I consider Yoga’s prime directive: ahimsa, non-harming or non-violence.  We could actually ignore the other yamas, if we confine our practice to the all-encompassing ahimsa.  Ahimsa goes farther than the 10 Commandments of the Judeo-Christian Bible.  Arguably, ahimsa covers more than Commandment 5, honor thy father and mother; Commandment 6, thou shalt not kill; and Commandment 7, thou shalt not commit adultery.   

Ahimsa first asks us to practice by not harming ourselves. [xx]  This is one of the very first things I teach in Yoga class, and I teach it in every class.  Respect for ourselves, our bodies, our minds, and our own spirit must come first so that we are open to walk our spiritual path.  This is something that I believe is totally missing in most religions.  Indeed, in my experience of the Christian church, we were taught guilt and other lessons that serve to actually hurt us.   Learning to practice ahimsa is a gift and a blessing. 

But ahimsa goes even further.  The practice of all of the yamas demands that we be present in each moment to witness our own actions.   (See discussions of witness consciousness and present-moment living, above.) Living ahimsa means examining what we eat, what we say, how we think—since Consciousness is universal, what we think actually affects everyone else—how we drive our cars, how we raise our children, and how we live our lives in every respect.   

Satya: Now, let’s discuss the second yama, satya—truth.  This yama is also broader than several of the 10 Commandments put together, but I will not belabor the comparison.  Satya means truth in speech, thought, action, and inaction.  It is secondary, however, to ahimsa; since in telling the truth, we must closely examine if it will hurt another or oneself.  Nobody ever said that the practice of the yamas in real life would be easy or simple.   

Asteya:  Non-stealing seems pretty straightforward at first.  But if we look deeper, we find that non-stealing also means not stealing from yourself—not stealing your present-moment living by indulging in worry and guilt.  Not stealing the time of others.  Not stealing from the boss by loafing.  Not stealing all the attention.  Not stealing the confidence and power of others. [xxi]  This more subtle and all-encompassing practice of non-stealing far surpasses the simpler notion of not stealing material objects.  This is Yoga with its strongest moral principles for us to follow. 

Brahmacharya:  This yama is sometimes translated as celibacy, a noble and worthy practice.  For the householder, however, I believe that brahmacharya means self-restraint, mindfulness, a middle path of balance.  As one who loves extremes, this yama presents its own set of challenges for me.  It not only requires moderation, but it requires mindfulness in all things at all times and the setting of boundaries on my actions and thoughts.  Sometimes to balance too much mindlessness, I practice a day (like the day I write this sentence) of renunciation of speech and communication outside myself.  This too, however, is an extreme; but it certainly serves to strengthen the practice of self-restraint. 

Aparigraha:  What do we know about not hoarding or collecting?  This Yama means that we live with what we need, do not take more than we need, live simply, work for what we want. [xxii]  I believe it also means that we do not hoard our talents, abilities, and skills that we can use to help others.  It means being generous, without thought of what it might get me. (The Karma-Yoga ideal –see above.)  To me, it also means honoring all living things, and being a vegetarian, respecting the rights of all life to the best of my ability.  It means composting instead of throwing away leftovers; it means giving, when I can, to what I consider to be ethical causes; and it means turning my garden into a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.  To me, this yama is also the step on the path of non-attachment.  (See discussion, above.) 

Now, a word about intention.  Since I do not believe that anyone is fully capable of living the Yamas every moment of every day, the notion of intention is central to Yoga practice.  In the morning, I may set my intention to fully practice the Yamas, witness my actions and thoughts, and perform spiritual work and study.  Yet, during the day, I become frustrated, make mistakes, feel guilt.  Does that mean I failed?  I had set an intention to live Yoga; where I went wrong was in failing to live in the present moment mindfully aware of my intention.  This does not excuse bad behavior, or wrong actions, or mean thoughts.  It means that I am now free to reflect on my intention and what happened to it, without judgment, and start practicing again.  Yoga is about practice not perfection. 

Conclusion

I do not see Yoga as a goal.  Yoga is first and foremost a practice.  We have the opportunity to practice our moral and ethical principles all day, every day; and that opens us to our spiritual Natures. My teacher, Susan Hamadock, calls the Yoga we teach,  “Svadhyaya Yoga.”  This type of Yoga practice always starts with self-study; and it stresses the necessity for all of the things I have mentioned above, study of the scriptures, spiritual work, and the practice of the moral principles.  To really “get” Yoga takes constant study, meditation, and living in the eternal present.  Yoga is a way of living an ethical, spiritual life that brings us ever closer to our True Selves.

Yoga offers us the ability to be one with our highest Self and become non-judging witnesses to life.  Therefore, we have the opportunity to observe, practice, and observe some more, without harming ourselves.  Yoga offers us that ability to honor our own Natures and gain the wisdom through study and practice to unite with the Universal Consciousness.  Yoga, as I practice it, offers me the highest moral principles and the recognition that things are in my own hands as I observe the law of karma.  

Just as I have adopted MY Yoga from the different forms and branches of Yoga, so everyone can find in Yoga exactly what resonates with them as Truth.  Why do I think Yoga can provide a spiritual path for all seekers?  Yoga offers many paths to union with Higher Consciousness.  And we do not have to follow any special rules. People of every religion can practice Yoga, since Yoga does not interfere with any religious beliefs. Yoga does not even demand a belief in God; atheists can be quite happy in Yoga for its emphasis on connectedness with other consciousness.   

Yoga welcomes everyone and has room for everyone.