Asteya can be thought of as non-stealing and non-coveting. It's easy to interpret this in material terms, such as gift-giving and receiving, being happy with what you already have and for what someone put the time and thought into giving you (even if it would not have been your first choice – thanks for those socks!) Some of the most interesting thoughts I read on asteya describe the ways in which a sense of entitlement in your yoga practice can betray this principle. For example, coveting the abilities of another practicioner instead of tuning into your own body and its abilities. I found this particularly comforting after reading about the world's youngest yoga teacher – she's six and teaches 5:30am classes at an ashram in India.
Another fantastic essay encourages us to think about other things that we take which are not ours like
- time (being constantly late for an appointment with someone)
- credit (taking praise without cause)
- funds (buying on credit when we can't pay off the debt)
- thoughts (assuming the outcome of an argument rather than listening to the other party)
- food and drink (ingesting more than our body can handle)
All this to say, I'm reconsidering what I “take” and how that effects my life. I'm reminded to spend more time giving thanks for what I already have.
There is a fantastic mantra that my teacher told me to practice once: I am enough.
Hannah Leatherbury is a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance (RYT-200) and a blogger within the Yoga Journal Community. She received her training in Classical Hatha yoga in 2009 and has been teaching ever since. Her interest in movement and wellness evolved from a childhood filled with dance training in tap, jazz, ballet and modern coupled with a post-college urge to stay active and healthy. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Goucher College. You can contact her via her blog http://community.yogajournal.
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