Yoga is a lot more than just the poses. Yamas and Niyamas- morals

Yoga involves a lot more than just the asanas- yoga postures. In my yoga I try to pass on The eight limbs of yoga within the classes. The first limb is the set of Yamas and Niyamas- five observances to follow within our lives to gain more contentment. The first one being- Ahimsa: non-violence: being kind to others even if they are not kind to you. Which is harder then we think sometimes, but worth trying, as we can see that everyone involved is less stressed if we take this action. Being kind to ourselves is something that can be followed within our yoga asana practice also. This would be by way of listening to our bodies and not over straining them to create the perfect pose ( which in actual fact doesn't exist, as the perfect pose is what is actually feeling perfect to us within our own body). 'Himsa' Is being kind, so if we treat our body as our 'temple' to cherish and care for, then we can also be more patient with ourselves and kind to our bodies as well as our inner self. The second Yama is Truthfulness. Third is 'nonstealing'. Your body is your sacred vehicle which takes you through life and we should treat it with respect by taking care of it. The fourth is 'honouring your body'. The fifth is 'non-greediness'. Even in the under 5's to teens we can mention these observances, for example; being kind, 'himsa', acting without judgement of others, sharing equipment, being respectful, helping to pack up.