The first two tenets of yoga Yama, meaning restraints, and Niyama, meaning observances, are the most ignored. They are considered by many beginners and even some adepts as a pack of moral bullshit. But these two limbs of yoga take on more importance as the yogi progresses on the path towards higher realisation and the sincere disciple, by virtue of the practice, feels an inner urge to follow them. They set a standard of conduct for the practitioner so that the least amount of karma is generated. The law of karma has been described by Einstein who said, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

The yama, or observances, include the following guidelines to right action; ahimsa - non violence, which means more than just restraining from injuring others or as popularly believed 'turning the other cheek'. In a wider connotation, it means a responsible behaviour that does not harm our surroundings, environment and people. Thus excess use of the earths diminishing resources; callous behaviour that leads to natural calamities or endangering the universe, bad governance will all be against the prescribed practice of ahimsa.

Satyam - meaning truthful living, not only in speech but in thought and action as well. Most people live out their lives in hypocrisy, influenced by peer pressures and social obligations. The true yogi is one who lives life according to the truth within, following no other besides the guide within. This faculty of intuitive living is developed as the practitioner progresses on the path of yoga.

Asteya or non-stealing is the third restraint. Once again this does not apply only to the act of stealing what belongs to others but extends to even not coveting what is another's by right. The purview of this includes, embezzlement, breach of trust, adulterous behaviour by thought word or action. The yogi is expected to move on shrugging of excess baggage in the form of worldly possessions and cravings. This does not mean a true yogi cannot be rich but only that like Raja Janak the yogi can walk away from all comforts at one command from the satguru.

Brahmacharya - meaning celibacy has become the butt of many a joke in India as well as abroad, the greatest example being that of Rishi Vishwamitra and Menaka, the apsara who supposedly seduced the yogi. Celibacy does not mean abstaining from sex per se, for history is full of examples of great householder yogis who enjoyed marital bliss and fathered a great many children. A practising yogi cannot use this as an excuse to deny physical intimacy to the spouse. In higher yogic practice, the sexual energy produced is restrained and reversed to attain the highest bliss of samadhi