Yoga Philosophy for 21rst-Century Dancers: The Yamas and Niyamas

Though it’s not the common understanding in Western culture, yoga goes far beyond poses. In fact, by the formulation of the sage Patanjali (living around 200 BCE), the poses are only 1/8th of the practice. The first two parts of the practice, in Patanjali’s Eight-Limbed Path, are the Yamas and Niyamas. They’re essentially guidelines for ethical, harmonious living.

The Yamas, the first Limb of the Eight-Limbed Path, are social restraints (in other words, guidelines for how we treat and interact with others). The Niyamas, the second Limb, are personal observances (ways to reach greater harmony within ourselves).

You might wonder, well, ok, sounds great – but why should dancers care? For one, there can be a lot of drama and mental/emotional strife in dance communities: infighting, catty competitiveness, perfectionism, tunnel vision on dance at the expense of other parts of life, self-sabotaging and unhealthy behaviors. With growing conversations around, and commitment to, dancer wellness, it’s notably getting better. Yet still, we have a lot of room to grow there.

The Yamas and Niyamas principles can help turn unhealthy, unhelpful habits to healthier, more helpful ones. That can bring dancers more creatively fruitful, more sustainable journeys in dance – and simply make the journey more pleasant and fulfilling.

I shared the following descriptions of each of the five Yamas and Niyamas on the Mindful Movers social media accounts (along with examples of their unique applicability to dancers). I’ve put that information together here as a convenient resource, and also which offers the opportunity to take it all in together. I hope that it can be useful to you and perhaps even your students, peers, and colleagues. Please also note that I share all of it with non-judgment and loving-kindness. My intention is never to prescribe nor condemn, only to educate and inspire.

Lastly, before jumping in, a heads-up that this is a lengthy blog post. You can of course read part of it and come back to finish it at another time or times (no one ever said that you have to read it all at once – on the contrary, yoga is a lifelong journey of learning!). Ok, now let’s leap in!

Ahimsa, or non-harming, is the first Yama. This concept involves restraint from harming yourself and others in ways that range from outright violence (oof) to the subtler ways we might undermine, sabotage, or otherwise hurt ourselves or others.

Dancers work intimately with their own bodies, minds, and spirits as well those of others (we're in tightly knit communities and often spend a lot of time with each other!) -- so this non-harming approach is crucial. Classically, refraining from harm is the first step on the path towards our best selves -- but, in contemporary reality, we can work on refraining from harm at any point (and, arguably, we should!).

A more positive way to think about this concept, and a sometimes more practically useful one, is to flip it to a positive -- in everything you say, think, and do, are you acting with kindness? Does the impact of your thoughts, words, and actions reflect kindness?

For instance, can you help another dancer when they're struggling with choreography, or need another kind of support? Can you refrain from saying things about your fellow artists that are unkind, or could have an unkind impact, and try to redirect unkind thoughts to kinder ones? For both teaching artists and students/artists, are you putting safety and holistic well-being first?

Satya or truthfulness (sometimes expressed as non-lying) is the second Yama.

This concept involves restraining from dishonesty -- towards others or ourselves. That could be in outright lies, less obvious untruths or half-truths, or anything in-between. That said, ahimsa or non-harming comes first. We should refrain from expressing the truth if doing so would cause harm, or at least approach doing so with sincere thoughtfulness, care, and awareness.

Have we ever been dishonest, with ourselves or others, for the sake of getting that dream role or otherwise advancing in our careers in dance? Have we ever ignored the truth within messages from bodies, minds, and spirits for that "getting ahead" -- instead keeping the "hustle up" rather than resetting and re-evaluating? What resulted from those sorts of untruths, for ourselves and those we work with and are close with?

Asteya or non-stealing, or respecting others' possessions, is the third Yama.

This concept involves restraining from taking what is not yours -- be it physical objects, time, mental and/or emotional space, or someone's reputation; it encompasses a lot! Our words and actions have the power to give and to take. Awareness of that power is crucial.

Have we ever taken what is not ours for the sake of advancing as dance artists? That could include taking down the image of a fellow dancer so that we can advance ahead of them; their success is not something that's ours to take.

Have we ever taken rest and renewal away from our bodies, minds, and spirits -- the rest and renewal that we deserve? What could happen if we respected the possessions of others, in our artistic circles and beyond?

Aparigraha or non-possessiveness, non-grasping, is the fourth Yama.

Practicing aparigraha means not taking or wishing for more than we need -- be it money, possessions, our own or someone else's time, mental space, energy, and more.

That has a positive effect on our communities and the world at large, but can also spur empowering growth in us; being able to simplify our lives and let go of what we don't need can be incredibly clarifying, refreshing, and simply feel great.

Have you ever bought that cute new leo or pair of leg warmers even when you have tons of them? Have you ever sought that extra role or to be in that extra piece when you already have plenty to work on?

Are you respectful of the time and energy of teachers and mentors, and also have your own healthy boundaries when it comes to your training, rehearsals, and the like?

Brahmacharya is the fifth Yama. The arguably simplest, truest classical meaning is celibacy, so -- as one might expect -- it's arguably the most debated, most controversial of the Yamas and Niyamas.

In a more general sense, some discuss this concept as moderation. That's often resonated with me – Lord knows that we in 21rst century Western culture could use more of that! Dancers are in no way exempt from that; in fact, we can be incredibly “all or nothing”!

In a recent yoga teacher training I took, one of my teacher trainers described the concept as -- deriving from its literal Sanskrit translation -- conservation of vital energy. In other words, being intentional with how you spend your energy.

If you use a disproportionate amount of your energy on things that don't directly support your highest purpose and becoming your best self, you won't have energy (or other resources like time) for the things that do contribute to your true purpose or the best you you can be.

Interestingly, dancers often have the opposite issue, being out of balance in the other direction -- being so focused on dance to the detriment of their social, mental, emotional, and physical selves. Of course with exception, dancers are driven people, and sometimes overly so.

Back to the concept of moderation, coming back to balance would be not overdoing it when it comes to training, scheduling in adequate rest, and making sure to do things outside of dance that also nurture you (and which also contribute to your artistry in the long run!).

In the sense of spending your energy in ways that contribute to your highest purpose, you can't run on empty; you can't be the most impactful, fulfilled artist without refilling your cup.

We're now getting into the second Limb, the Niyamas or personal observances.

The first Niyama is saucha, meaning cleanliness or purity. We can also associate it with organization.

On the one hand, this is cleanliness in a literal, more conventionally-understood sense -- keeping your body and your things clean.

Yoga being a practice through which we can get closer to our highest and best selves, think about if you're wearing a leotard to class for the second time (and, umm…it’s a little stinky) and your dance bag is so disorganized that you have trouble finding anything in it. Hard to concentrate and do your best in class, right?

In a more abstract sense, saucha applies to our thoughts and actions -- are they pure, filled with kindness, truthfulness and good intentions?

Do we think judgemental things about other dancers when they go across the floor, or do we send them loving-kindness (and of course focus on the combo or exercise at hand, and learn what we can from them through observation as well)? Do we treat our fellow artists (and all others, of course) in ways that reflect our highest values and beliefs, our actions like clear glass reflecting the best of us?

The second Niyama is santosha or contentment.

To me, it involves finding the goodness in what is right now -- not what you imagine things to be or what you wish they were. That doesn't mean that you don't have preferences, goals or a larger vision for yourself or those in your life.

The difference is what happens if those things don't become reality -- the negative emotional weight (which is very human and understandable) isn't there. Whatever happens, you can be alright with and, further, find the wonder in.

Think about a time when you've been content -- what did it feel like in your mind, body, and spirit? As a dancer, maybe that was when performing at your best, maybe in a rehearsal when you felt in attuned community with your castmates and the choreographer leading you all, maybe in a great class when you had a few amazing "ah-ha!" moments. Yet could you also find something like that feeling in quieter, more everyday moments?

On the other hand, in those more difficult moments when you don't get the role you want or on a day when your pirouettes are just not happening, could you find something or some things that help you to reach some form of contentment? That's not easy, but it can be wonderful if you can find it.

The third Niyama is tapas or consistent, dedicated practice. Another way it's often understood is comfort at extremes -- going to the edge of one's comfort zone and staying there, even if it's a little uncomfortable.

That's where and when growth happens. Of course, that's within the bounds of safety; going too far past those edges of one’s comfort zone can have the opposite effect of setting one back on the path to progress.

With this concept, I think about that scene in Center Stage (the original one -- with Amanda Schull, Sasha Radetsky, Zoe Saldana). Saldana's character has oodles of raw talent but, some might say, sometimes a bit of an attitude problem (for very understandable reasons).

She's working alone in the studio one night and her teacher spots her working, comes in, and gives her a technique correction. The teacher gets more serious and reflective, puts her hand on the barre, and says "it's here" -- no matter all of the noise and drama out there, it's at the barre. It's coming back to the work, over and over again.

I also remember a favorite teaching artist when I was a young dancer telling us that you do plies at three or thirty-three years old -- you're never "too good for" or "beyond" the pure, focused work. "It's here" -- it's in coming back to the work. There's no substitute for it.

Of course, just as going too far outside the comfort zone can actually be counterproductive for progress, dancers have to bring balance to this idea of consistent work. We also need rest to be at our best. Cars need to refuel, electronics need to recharge -- and so do humans. It never ends well when we don't. Finding that balance is a consistent practice of its own. It's not always easy, but it's incredibly important to put in our best efforts there.

The fourth Niyama is Svadhyaya ("svad-h-ya-ya" or "swad-h-yaya") or self-study and self-reflection.

Knowing ourselves better is incredibly beneficial to us as artists, and can also help us grow stronger as people outside of dance. Every class, every audition, every performance, and every home practice session is a chance to learn more about ourselves and to self-reflect.

In class, do you listen closely to your instructor and also watch other dancers going across the floor to see what you can learn from them -- or do you have trouble focusing? Do you do your best to show up early for class and get in the right headspace, or rush in quickly and put on your shoes when others are starting class? When it comes to technique, what are your strengths and growth areas? When it comes to auditioning or performing, do you get excited or anxious?

Those are some of many possible questions which can guide your dancer self-study and self-reflection. Of course, all of that is a first (though of course vital step) to making changes and establishing new habits that will make us stronger artists (and people!).

The fifth Niyama is Isvara Pranidhana ("is-va-ra pran-id-ha-na") or surrender to God.

In a less theological interpretation (which can be off-putting to some), yet which can still remain truthful to the idea, we can see this is surrendering to a higher power or even forces beyond our control. The main idea is "surrender", of adapting to rather than resisting the ebbs and flows of life that result from things that we can't control.

There's a lot in a dancer's career or the creative life more broadly that can be way, way bigger than oneself and beyond one's influence (like it or not, there's no changing it). There's typecasting, what those with decision-making power are looking for to fulfill a creative vision. There's what’s available and not available at a particular time and in a particular region within artistic communities.

There are scheduling challenges and difficult decisions to make when it comes to commitments, conflicts, and the like. There's even when and how the river of creative plenty will flow (and when it will be dry). There’s way more where all of that came from.

Of course, it can be challenging to discern what's within one's control (and the consequential fruitful action). Not to mention actually being able to do that surrendering -- letting go, to put it simply. Here, I like to think of the Serenity Prayer: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I can't change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Even if the religious overtones there don't appeal to you, the idea of finding serenity, courage, and wisdom from beyond yourself can be comforting and clarifying. Forces beyond ourselves can make things tough, but they can also help us with tools to deal with those challenges.

So, there you have it. That’s a lot of information to take in – you can of course come back to it at another point. As noted, yoga is a lifelong journey, with ever-evolving understanding and growth for each of us. Please also feel free to reach out with any comments, questions, concerns, et cetera – mindfulmovers5678@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram (@mindfulmovers5678) and Twitter (@movers_mindful).

I’m sending you all my absolute best in your creative journeys and lives (and, as I write this is late December 2021, happiest of holidays!).

Images courtesy of the writer and Canva