289. Brahmacarya – True Strength: The Right Use of Energy
My Daily Thread
We continue our exploration of the yamas in Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras with the fourth principle: brahmacarya. This yama is often misunderstood, yet it carries profound wisdom for how we direct our energy in modern life. The sūtra is Yoga Sūtra II.38: brahmacarya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīrya-lābhaḥ “When one is firmly established in brahmacarya, vitality is gained.” Sanskrit breakdown: brahmacarya — literally “moving in Brahman,” the creative spiritual essence. Traditionally translated as celibacy, but more broadly pointing to moderation, self-mastery, and alignment with...
info_outline
288. Asteya – The Abundance of Non-Stealing
My Daily Thread
Continuing the theme... Yoga Sūtra II.37, which speaks to the practice of asteya, or non-stealing. The sūtra reads: asteya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarva-ratnopasthānam “When one is firmly established in non-stealing, all jewels present themselves.” — Edwin Bryant Let’s pause on this idea of pratiṣṭhām — being firmly established. When asteya becomes the foundation of how we live, “all the jewels” (sarva-ratna) naturally manifest. Things flow toward us — and isn’t that what we want? Who wouldn’t love a few more jewels? But here’s the key: these jewels don’t arrive...
info_outline
287. Asteya – don’t steal my primary series poster
My Daily Thread
287-Asteya – don’t steal my In this episode of My Daily Thread, we continue our exploration of the Yoga Sūtras, searching for practical wisdom we can apply every day. We’ve already covered ahiṃsā (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness). Now, we turn to the third yama: asteya — non-stealing, “not taking that which is not freely given.” Yoga Sūtra II.37 says: asteya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarva-ratnopasthānam Translation: “When one is firmly established in non-stealing, all jewels present themselves.” — Edwin Bryant: “All jewels manifest.” Sanskrit breakdown: ...
info_outline
286. Satya – The Power of Truthfulness
My Daily Thread
It’s been a minute — I took some time to get out to the mountains, visit friends, and reset. Now we’re back, continuing our journey through the Yoga Sūtras. If you want your own “sunset and reset,” check out the NOW is the time to check out the in Feb 2026. For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been exploring satya-pratiṣṭhām — being firmly established in truthfulness. I connected this with Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements and his call to “be impeccable with your word,” a modern echo of what Patañjali was pointing to. We need to be mindful of what we manifest...
info_outline
Dr Paul Bramadat - "Yogalands."
My Daily Thread
In this special episode we are happy to have Dr. Paul Bramadat back to chat about his book Yogalands. Paul Bramadat received his BA in religious studies from the University of Winnipeg (1990), his MA in religion and culture from McGill University (1993) and his PhD in religious studies from McMaster University (1998). He taught in the Religious Studies Department at the University of Winnipeg from 1998 until 2008. In addition to directing the CSRS since 2008, Paul holds teaching appointments in the Department of History and the Religious Studies Program at the University of Victoria. Enjoy.
info_outline
285. Liar Liar ...
My Daily Thread
Today we’re taking another pass at satya, the second yama from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. The sutra we’re focusing on is YS 2.36: satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṁ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam—when one is firmly established in truth, their actions bear fruit. This is a powerful idea. It suggests that when we are rooted in truth, what we say comes to life. Something here touches on the modern idea of manifestation but is grounded in yogic ethics—truth as a force, not just a concept. But Satya isn’t just “don’t lie.” That’s only the surface level. The deeper understanding is about...
info_outline
284. Established in Truth!
My Daily Thread
YS 2.36 says: satya-pratiṣṭhāyām kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — “When one is firmly established in truthfulness, then their words become so powerful that the result of action rests upon them.” We’re back in the section of the Yoga Sutras that deals with pratiṣṭhā, being deeply and firmly established in a state of being. This time, the quality is satya, truthfulness. Patanjali says that when truth becomes our natural state—when we’re rooted in it, consistent with it—then even our words start to carry the power of truth. It’s not that we control outcomes like magic. But...
info_outline
283. A mercy that starts inside...
My Daily Thread
Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we return to ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being established in non-violence—as taught in Yoga Sūtra 2.35. We’ve already explored how the yamas and niyamas are not just rules, but deeply personal practices—moral and ethical disciplines that offer a framework for living. Simple? Yes. But easy? Not always. They are practices for managing our lives skillfully, for creating relationships rooted in integrity, peace, and...
info_outline
282. Ahimsa and our modern Matriarchs.
My Daily Thread
Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ When one is firmly established in non-violence, then all hostility ceases in their presence. Today, we reflect again on ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being firmly established in non-harming. Patanjali teaches that this is not a casual virtue but a transformative power: when someone has deeply integrated non-violence into their being, conflict and aggression fall away in their presence. We see examples of this principle embodied in historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Fred Rogers,...
info_outline
281. A Non-violent default setting ...
My Daily Thread
Today, we return to our study of aṣṭāṅga yoga, the eight-limbed path outlined by Patañjali. As a reminder, the eight limbs are: Yama – ethical restraints Niyama – personal observances Āsana – posture Prāṇāyāma – breath regulation Pratyāhāra – withdrawal of the senses Dhāraṇā – concentration Dhyāna – meditation Samādhi – absorption or union The first four limbs are external practices—disciplines that we can actively cultivate through behavior and intention. The final four, the internal limbs, arise naturally from the consistent and...
info_outlineThe yamas and niyamas are more than philosophical principles — they are ethical and moral disciplines, and for me, they’re the practices I return to again and again in my journey to become a better human being.
Now, let me slip in a little reminder — the San Pancho full court press is on. Our upcoming retreat in beautiful San Pancho is designed to lift your spirit, deepen your practice, and reconnect you to yourself in profound ways. If you feel called, visit www.jefflichty.com/events to learn more.
Back to the yamas and niyamas. These aren’t just for yogis on a mat — they’re inner anchors for anyone walking a path of integrity and purpose. You don’t have to twist yourself into a pretzel or chant in Sanskrit to benefit from these teachings. Whether you’re a yogi or not doesn’t matter to me — but I believe everyone needs an ethical and moral compass to guide their life.
The yamas help us in our relationships with others — how we interact, how we live in community, how we treat the people around us. The niyamas, on the other hand, guide our relationship with ourselves — our inner discipline, our personal practice, our state of mind. Together, they shape a framework for living with intention.
These are not simply behaviors — they are states of being we cultivate. And through these disciplines, we begin to align with our inner nature. As that inner alignment deepens, it naturally radiates outward and transforms our outer experience.
In the spiritual life, or in any life devoted to reflection and growth, there are what we might call Divine Mysteries — forces or truths that can’t always be seen, but that move us nonetheless. Aligning ourselves with these unseen truths, these universal patterns, brings a deep sense of order and connection.
Now let’s review the niyamas again — each one a stepping stone toward inner clarity:
-
Śauca (शौच) – Cleanliness or purity. Choosing simplicity over excess.
-
Santoṣa (सन्तोष) – Contentment. Choosing gratitude over striving.
-
Tapaḥ (तपः) – Discipline or effort. Choosing effort over escape.
-
Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय) – Self-study or reflection on sacred texts. Choosing inner truth over outer noise.
-
Īśvara-praṇidhāna (ईश्वरप्रणिधान) – Surrender to a higher power. Choosing surrender over control.
These aren’t just lofty ideas. They are choices we can make — every day — to live with more integrity, more grace, and more peace. Let these principles be a guide, no matter where you are or what your path looks like.
Tomorrow, we wrap this section up and move forward in the Sūtras. Thank you for walking this journey with me.