Exploring the Integration and Application of the Yamas and Niyamas among Western Yoga Practitioners

As yoga gains popularity in the West, its emphasis has shifted toward physical movement and stress reduction, often overlooking the philosophical foundations that complete the practice. Rooted in South Asia, yoga is traditionally understood through Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, which outline eight limbs: asana (postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (sensory withdrawal), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), yamas (moral restraints), niyamas (moral observances), and samadhi (enlightenment). This study examines whether Western practitioners integrate the yamas and niyamas into their daily lives. A cross-sectional survey using the validated Yama and Niyama Questionnaire was administered to yoga practitioners in Burlington, Vermont. Results show that adherence to the yamas and niyamas was more strongly correlated with the practitioner’s age than with years of experience or frequency of practice. These findings suggest that philosophical engagement with yoga may increase with life experience rather than with time spent practicing yoga as typically taught in the West. The lack of correlation between practice frequency and philosophical integration indicates that many Western practitioners may not be exposed to these elements in their instruction. This study adds to existing research on the marginalization of yoga’s philosophical roots in Western contexts and calls for further investigation into how this exclusion may affect the practice’s potential health and wellness benefits.