The yamas are: non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-possessiveness.

The five yamas are universal ethical foundations:

Ahiṃsā: not causing harm, in thought, word, and action.

Satya: truthfulness, alignment between thought, word, and reality.

Asteya: non-stealing, not taking what is not freely given.

Brahmacarya: literally “walking in Brahman”; traditionally celibacy, more broadly moderation and wise use of energy.

Aparigraha: non-possessiveness, not accumulating more than necessary.

These yamas are the foundation upon which all practice is built. Without ethics, the higher practices lack a solid foundation.