After I get to choose the movie for mother-daughter movie night, I’ll suggest a heist movie each time. I really like watching a bunch of clever con artists develop a twisty, sophisticated plot to dupe some semi-villainous mogul out of a rare jewel or a priceless painting. Yes, these are, technically, thieves and so they are, in reality, stealing. So perhaps they’re not the role models I need for my kid. But she knows I don’t condone stealing in real life.

On the subject of the yogic principle of asteya, or non-stealing, we feel comfortable that we aren’t breaking-and-entering or robbing banks. (I couldn’t pull off a heist for those who paid me.) But when we expect of the third yama more deeply, we may find we’ve got some work to do.

Why do people steal?

Research shows that folks don’t all the time take things due to need. The impulse to take something that isn’t ours often comes from a deep emotional place. It might come from a way of lack or the necessity to fill a spot inside.

We could also be attempting to treatment the sensation that we don’t have enough. After we are confronted day by day with social media documentation of our friends’ luck—the sparkling engagement ring, the shiny recent automotive, the luxurious vacation, even the flowery brunch you missed—we will begin to feel like we’re missing out. If the sensation is intense enough it will probably make us eager to have the things we envy in others.

Our insecurities may also make us feel like we aren’t ok. That’s where we could also be tempted to take someone’s ideas as our own—plagiarizing another person’s academic, skilled, or creative work.

While the straightforward translation of asteya is non-stealing, this yama also addresses the cultivation of gratitude and generosity. And it overlaps with ahimsa if taking something causes harm to a different person, or with aparigraha, when taking things turns into hoarding behavior.

Greater than taking what’s not yours

Psychiatry professor Robert Tyminkski, creator of The Psychology of Theft and Loss, suggests that “the crime of theft is something we’re accustomed to and take with no consideration, seeing it as a part of the human condition.” This isn’t simply a cynical opinion that folks are generally immoral. It’s acknowledgment that, in reality, “taking” happens in lots of contexts.  There are occasions when taking something that isn’t yours is vital and even virtuous. Who would blame a parent for stealing to feed a ravenous child?

Legend has it that the Seventeenth-century Punjabi emperor Ranjit Singh forgave a hungry woman for attempting to steal mangos from his tree, and ordered his guards to provide her money for food.  She was held blameless for her desperate act, and his forgiveness earned him the status for being a good, noble, and generous leader.

The emperor’s act of generosity was asteya amplified. How higher to counter an impulse to take than by being openhearted and giving? And the way higher to support the practice of this yama than with an openhearted asana practice. Do that sequence when you ought to feel expansive and generous.

For a more in-depth perspective on asteya, read “Asteya: Knowing When Enough is Enough” by Susanna Barkataki. 

Open-Heart Practice

Begin your practice standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) at the highest of your mat. Find a bit movement in your body, perhaps moving barely forward to back and side to side, feeling your weight shifting in your feet. Alternate bending your knees barely. Circle your shoulders forward, up, back, and down a couple of times, noticing and releasing any tension. When you’re ready, come to stillness along with your hands by your sides and your weight distributed evenly between your feet.

(Photo: Andrew Clark. Clothing: Calia)

Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute)

Come to standing along with your weight evenly distributed between your feet on this pose that can also be generally known as Tall Mountain or Palm Tree. Stack the crown of your head above your pelvis, and draw your shoulders back and down away out of your ears, but keep your front ribs soft. Notice the gentle opening of your chest. On an inhalation, raise your arms overhead along with your hands shoulder distance or a bit farther apart and your palms facing one another. Align your arms along with your ears and rotate your biceps back and permit your shoulder blades to maneuver up and out away out of your spine. Take several breaths within the posture, listening to the space it creates in your chest, then release your arms down by your sides. Repeat for a couple of more times, inhaling to succeed in up and exhaling bring your hands down.

(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)

High Lunge

From Tadasana, barely bend your knees and, with an inhalation, step your left foot straight back 3-4  feet and convey the ball of your foot to the ground. Bend your right knee deeply to bring your thigh parallel to the ground. Step left foot back further if you have to; straighten your back leg as much as you may.  Sweep your arms out wide and up overhead, palms facing. Lift your chin to look up forward or toward your thumbs. Bring the shoulder blades deeper into your back to assist support the opening of your chest. Hold for 3-5 breaths.

(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2 Pose)

Pivot on the ball of your left foot and convey your heel to the bottom, as you switch your torso to face the long side of your mat. Keeping a deep bend in your right knee. Bring your arms down and stretch then straight out out of your shoulders in a T-position. Reach strongly toward the back and front of the mat and switch your head to look past your right fingertips. Stay here for 3-5 breaths.

 

(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)

Utthita Parsvakonasana (Prolonged Side-Angle Pose)

From Warrior II, lift through your spine to maintain the edges of your torso equally long, then lean toward your right knee, hinging on the hips. Bring your right arm toward the ground or rest your elbow in your right thigh. Reach your left arm straight up or extend it over your right ear, palm facing the ground. Turn your chest toward your raised arm and lengthen along either side of your body to create space for the torso to open. It’s best to feel a gap across your collarbones and chest.  Stay for 3-5 breaths.  When you’re ready, inhale, and return to Warrior II to organize for Triangle Pose.

(Photo: Andrew Clark)

Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

From Warrior II, straighten your right leg. On an exhalation, extend your torso to the proper, reaching out toward your right leg so far as you’re able. Then hinge on the hip and reach your right hand down toward the ground as you stretch your left arm toward the ceiling. Your hands, arms, and shoulders will form a straight line, perpendicular to your mat. Open your torso to the left, keeping either side of the torso equally long. Open your chest, creating space and a heart-opening energetic movement within the pose while rolling shoulders back toward the spine. Stay within the pose for 3-5 breaths. To return up, reach up along with your left arm and lift your torso to come back back to standing in a wide-legged position.

Utthita Tadasana (Five-Pointed Star Pose)

Turn your right foot forward to come back into Utthita Tadasana (Five-Pointed Star Pose). Proceed to succeed in out strongly with each hands, and adjust your stance in order that your feet are aligned along with your hands. Loosen up your shoulders. Gently open your chest and breathe.

Utkata Konasana (Goddess Pose)

From you wide-legged stance, turn your toes out. Bend your knees and lower your torso straight right down to bring your legs toward a 90-degree angle. Rotate your thighs externally and convey your knees wide to be according to the direction of your feet. Keeping your shoulders open, bend your elbows 90-degrees to Trident or Cactus arms.

For a tutorial on this pose watch Master Goddess Pose with Sierra Campbell.

Repeat poses 1-7 on the opposite side. Then come to a seated position in your mat.

(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)

Sukhasana (Easy Pose)

To return into Easy Pose, sit in your mat, bend and open your knees, cross your shins, and pull your heels toward your torso. You may sit on a blanket, cushion or blocks; support your knees with rolled blankets. Adjust your posture in order that your pelvis maintains a neutral position, without tilting forward or back, and lengthen your tail bone toward the ground. Firm your shoulder blades against your back to elongate your upper torso. Don’t over arch your lower back or poke your lower front ribs forward, but maintain an openness across your shoulders. Sit on this position for 3-5 breaths, then alternate the cross of the legs and take one other 3-5 breaths. (To emphasise the sensation of chest opening on this pose, try sitting along with your back to a wall, barely closer than the length of a yoga block, and wedge the tip of the block between the wall and your lower shoulder blades.)

Marjaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow Pose), seated

From Sukhasana, inhale, lengthen your spine and arch your back, making a smooth, even curve out of your tailbone as much as the back of your head. Look up, but maintain length along the back of your neck. On an exhalation, round your spine, tucking your tailbone, drawing your belly in, and dropping your head toward your chest. Repeat the movements, slowly moving from Cat to Cow for several breaths, then return to Easy Pose.

(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)

Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

For this variation of Fish Pose, roll a blanket and place it across your mat behind you. Lie back along with your knees bent, feet on the ground. Adjust the blanket roll in order that it’s under your shoulder blades. Reach your arms out in a T-position. With an inhale, lift your head and release it back down in order that the back of your head back rests on the ground. Stay for 3-5 breaths. To return out of the pose, roll to 1 side to remove the blanket then return to your reclined position.

(Photo: Andrew Clark)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Lying in your back, come into Bridge Pose by bending your knees and bringing your feet to the ground, moving them as near your buttocks as possible. Keep your legs, knees, and feet parallel and hip-distance apart. Press down firmly through each of your feet and your arms. On an inhalation, raise your hips. Broaden your collarbones and keep space between your chin and your chest. Hold for 3-5 breaths. On an exhalation, lower your hips to the ground. Allow your back to rest in a neutral state as you observe the spaciousness in your chest

(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose/Upward-Facing Bow Pose)

Come to Wheel Pose from Bridge. Lying down along with your knees bent, check that your legs and feet are hip-distance apart and parallel. Place your feet directly under your knees. Reach back to put your hands alongside your ears along with your palms down and your fingers pointing toward your shoulders. Draw your elbows toward each other, and begin to arch your middle and upper back. On an exhalation, lift your hips, torso, and head enough to put the crown of your head on the mat, without resting any weight in your head. With the subsequent inhalation, press down along with your hands and feet, and lift into the pose. Stay within the pose for 1-2 breaths. To return out of the pose, tuck your chin and lower your body on to the ground.

(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

To finish your sequence in a resting pose, slowly extend your legs along with your feet apart and toes turned out equally. Rest your arms by your sides, angled evenly away out of your body and prolonged toward your feet. Turn your palms up. Ease your shoulders down and away out of your ears, and rest your shoulder blades evenly on the ground.  Make whatever adjustments you have to find comfort within the pose, relaxing your body out of your toes to your head. Soften your face and forged your eyes downward to gaze toward your heart. Stay on this pose for at the very least 5 minutes, respiratory.