Yama means Internal Self-restraint and an internal ethical principle.  To practice, Yama is action at the moment in a certain way that doesn’t harm another or yourself, doesn’t steal from another or yourself, doesn’t hoard ideas or materials, connects to truth and honesty, and gives moderation from being overthrown or overtaken.  These are the things that no one else but you can see when they show up in practice or life, and yet everyone around you reaps the benefits of your awareness growing into a more precise and focused one.  In the physical practice of yoga, you can practice Yama in a certain way that you can approach to support injuries and the physical limitations that may appear.  Do it by communicating at the moment with your body.  Running away or being afraid to be still to learn can often harm us, and it steals the moment of growth or healing, and then the nature of holding onto and making excuses creates a future imbalance.  Instead, it can be thought of when those moments of fight or flight come in, as they knocked on your door and asked you to listen, but you are turning away, now you can see them and invite them in for a cup of tea and hear what is trying to be shared.  We don’t see is that when we confront fight or flight, it never actually leaves; it just invites itself in, and we deal with what showed up.  If you can consciously choose to welcome these moments in, you will know in detail what you need to be kind to yourself physically and mentally in a posture or circumstance.  You will have the clarity to give because you have enough.  You will feel more honest with yourself about what you can do in a pose and what you should do in a yoga pose because you can think for yourself. And you can find balance as you approach Yama with total effort. It will begin to remove its disguise as the pure effortlessness we all strive to partake in our yoga practice.  There is one good way to go about a successful Yama practice, and that way is through you.  You are not on your own, talk to anyone about what you are going through, and they will have the knowledge you don’t have without judgment; you will learn how to help yourself through others.  Have a great yoga practice today!