Precepts of Conduct

Most people expect a yoga practice to begin with movement, this one begins with how you live.

Before any posture or breath practice, the tradition begins with conduct: the 21 precepts form the ethical and relational foundation of the work: a set of principles governing how a practitioner relates to themselves, to others, and to the practice itself.

These are not rules imposed from outside, they are understood as the natural expression of a life that is increasingly aligned, the outer dimension of what the inner practices gradually reveal, they cover non-harm, honesty, humility, cleanliness, contentment, discipline, openness, and gratitude, among others. In this lineage, conduct is not separate from practice, it is its first and most fundamental expression; what happens on the mat is only as deep as the life it returns to.

A dedicated piece expanding on each of the 21 precepts is coming: what they are, where they come from, and how they show up in daily life.

This is the second piece in the Elements of Practice series. Next: Opening Practice — the formal beginning of each session.