- Non-stealing, and Contentment with what you have, using only what you need.
“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
- Lao Tzu (an ancient Chinese Philosopher)
Asteya is about using only what we need in order to support our particular talents or service in the world – no more, no less. At its deepest level, Asteya is about letting go of the desire to possess or steal anything that does not belong to us, be it material wealth, a relationship, achievement, or success. If we take more than we need, we are stealing from others. If we deny ourselves the resources we need to fulfill our potential, we are stealing from ourselves.
Asteya applies to many aspects of life. Here are some examples of asteya in daily practice:
1) Listening to someone fully without interruption. (Not listening steals their right to be heard.)
2) Honouring others’ time. (Wasting others’ time steals it from them.)
3) Respecting others’ space. (Think of someone talking loudly as they walk into a quiet yoga room before class; they are stealing the peace of others.)
4) Being present and feeling all life experiences, both good and bad. (Clinging only to happy feelings—or only to troubling feelings—robs us of the fullness of life. By acknowledging the darker, more challenging life experiences, the positive experiences feel brighter and more vivid; by acknowledging the gifts that every day brings, we are open to the loving possibilities.)
5) Practising yoga poses mindfully, with awareness, being okay with where we are in the practice right now. (Pushing yourself beyond your boundaries because you want your pose to look a certain way robs you of the genuine practice, the experience of being right where you need to be.)
When I began practising yoga, I did not understand asteya. I’d look around the class to see how everyone else was doing their poses. Then I’d be unhappy because my poses did not look like theirs, so I’d push myself to look more like the others. I was not okay with where I was in my practice, and so robbed myself of the genuine yoga practice. It took me some time to realize that yoga is more than just another way to get in shape.
Start by practising Asteya on the mat. Try your best, practise consciously and mindfully, stay present, and notice what you actually need vs. what you think you need. Accept where you are in the practice today. Then expand the practice of Asteya into your daily life.
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