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<strong>Namaskar</strong> • A Voice for Yoga in Asia<br />
EDITORIAL Environmental Yamas<br />
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle<br />
After practicing for a while an awareness develops that “yoga” does not end<br />
when we step off our mat. On the contrary, this is where our practice starts in<br />
earnest.<br />
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras lay out five rules of conduct or yamas to live by. These<br />
precepts give us guidance on how to act with our fellow man. If we look deeper<br />
they can also guide us in our actions as the current caretakers of our planet.<br />
The first yama is Ahimsa, or non-harming, non-maliciousness in actions, thoughts<br />
and speech. It is a commonly-held view that this non-harming should be extended<br />
to all creatures great and small, but what of our planet? With melting ice caps,<br />
holes in the ozone and air unfit to breath, surely it is time to look at the way we<br />
are treating “Mother Earth”. If we continue at the rate we are going we will<br />
collectively be responsible for ending the lives of many - so much for nonviolence!<br />
Another yama is Asteya, or non-stealing. This includes not taking what belongs to<br />
another without permission. Aren’t we taking resources our children and their<br />
children will need to survive in their lifetime? Would they give us the permission<br />
to do that? Or are we are stealing from the future to support our non-sustainable<br />
practices today?<br />
And what of Satya or truthfulness? This is the highest rule of conduct or<br />
morality. Are we being honest as individuals, or as countries, about the terrible<br />
legacy we are creating by our lack of regard for sustainability and environmental<br />
pollution?<br />
As individuals we are all works in progress, constantly changing and evolving. As<br />
yogis we know we have to practice daily to evolve towards an ideal. In order to<br />
make some changes to our global environment we need to put this same ethic<br />
into effect. We need to ask ourselves what small or large thing can we do, or<br />
refrain from doing, that will help the environment. All of our individual choices<br />
add up to making the world a better or worse place to be. Therefore, we are all<br />
responsible.<br />
First Reduce This critical first step of<br />
waste prevention has been a little<br />
overshadowed by the focus on<br />
recycling.<br />
Reduce stuff Simplify your life as<br />
much as possible. Only keep belongings<br />
you use on a regular basis. Make the<br />
effort to reduce what you own, and you<br />
will naturally purchase less and create<br />
less waste in the future.<br />
Reduce waste Switch from disposable<br />
to reusable: food and beverage<br />
containers, pens, razors, diapers, paper<br />
towels, shopping bags etc.<br />
Reduce tree products At home try to<br />
use less products from trees:<br />
• Use cloth napkins and cleaning rags<br />
instead of paper napkins and kitchen<br />
towel<br />
• Buy bleach-free toilet paper made<br />
from recycled paper with the highest<br />
post-consumer waste content available<br />
• Create and use note pads from once<br />
used paper, use a message board.<br />
Reduce energy Change to energy<br />
saving bulbs, switch off appliances and<br />
lights not in use. Only run the<br />
dishwasher and washing machine when<br />
they are full and choose the shortest<br />
wash possible.<br />
Over the next few issues we would like to introduce some tips that may help you<br />
put your good intentions into concrete action, or give you some ideas on how you<br />
can help.<br />
4<br />
Reduce water Turn water off while<br />
brushing teeth, washing hands or<br />
dishes. Take shorter showers. Wash<br />
clothes, towels, linens only when<br />
necessary and choose a cycle that is<br />
short and uses low water volume.
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