At Sunflower Studio, we often say that yoga is for every body.

Not just every flexible body.
Not just every calm body.
Not just every body that “has it all together.”

Every body. Every story. Every season of life.

Most of what we call yoga happens long after class ends. It happens in traffic. In hard conversations. In the quiet moments when we notice how we are speaking to ourselves. It happens when we’re tired. When we’re reactive. When we’re trying again.

Long before yoga became a fitness practice, it was a way of living. The ancient text known as The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describes eight limbs of yoga — and the very first limb isn’t about poses at all.

It’s about how we treat one another.
And how we treat ourselves.

These first teachings are called the Yamas — gentle ethical guideposts for living well. Not rules. Not commandments. Not a moral checklist.

A compass.

At Sunflower, we approach the Yamas the same way we approach our classes: warmly, inclusively, and without pressure. They are not standards you must achieve. They are invitations you can return to.

Again and again.

1. Ahimsa — Compassion First

Ahimsa means non-harming.

It sounds simple. It isn’t.

Non-harming includes how we speak to others — but it also includes how we speak to ourselves. The harsh inner voice that says you should be further along. The quiet criticism after a mistake. The pushing past your limits because you “should” be able to do more.

Ahimsa invites a pause.

What if kindness was the starting point?

In class, this might look like choosing Child’s Pose instead of pushing through discomfort. In daily life, it might look like softening your tone in a tense conversation. Or offering yourself grace after a long day.

Ahimsa doesn’t mean we never cause harm. We are human. It means when we notice harm, we choose differently next time.

This is where healing begins — not in perfection, but in gentleness.

2. Satya — Truth With Tenderness

Satya means truthfulness.

But truth without compassion can become sharp. And compassion without truth can become avoidance.

At Sunflower, we practice truth gently.

Truth might sound like:

• “I’m more tired than I realized.”

• “That hurt my feelings.”

• “I need support.”

• “This doesn’t feel aligned anymore.”

It also means being honest about your capacity. About your limits. About your longing.

In yoga class, Satya may be recognizing that today’s body is different than yesterday’s. Off the mat, it might mean setting a boundary instead of saying yes out of habit.

Truth is not about being blunt or dramatic. It’s about being real — in a way that keeps connection intact.

3. Asteya — Respecting What Is Given

Asteya means non-stealing.

Most of us aren’t taking things that don’t belong to us. But we may be taking more than we realize.

Taking on responsibility that isn’t ours.
Taking someone else’s time without awareness.
Taking from our own future selves by overcommitting today.

Asteya asks:
Are you giving from fullness — or from depletion?

In community, this principle helps us honor each other’s energy. It reminds us that boundaries are healthy. That rest is allowed. That we don’t need to overextend ourselves to belong.

You already belong here.

4. Brahmacharya — Wise Use of Energy

Traditionally interpreted in many ways, at Sunflower we understand Brahmacharya as stewardship of your life force.

Where is your energy flowing?

Is it scattered across too many obligations? Drained by comparison? Poured into proving your worth?

Brahmacharya invites intention. It invites sustainability.

In yoga, that might mean moving with steady breath rather than rushing through transitions. In life, it may mean protecting quiet time. Turning off notifications. Choosing fewer things — more deeply.

Gentle movement. Deep connection. Sustainable devotion.

Your energy is precious.

5. Aparigraha — Letting Go

Aparigraha means non-grasping.

Clinging can show up in subtle ways:
Holding tightly to how things “should” look.
Holding onto resentment.
Holding onto who we used to be.

Letting go does not mean we stop caring. It means we soften our grip.

In class, this might look like releasing comparison. Off the mat, it might mean allowing change without resisting it at every turn.

Aparigraha makes space.

And in that space, breath returns. Perspective returns. Peace returns.

Living Yoga, Gently

The Yamas are not about becoming spiritually impressive.

They are about becoming more present.

More honest.
More compassionate.
More aligned with who you truly are.

At Sunflower Studio, we believe healing happens in community. We believe yoga is not about achieving a pose — it’s about coming home to yourself. The Yamas remind us that this home is built through small, daily choices.

Choosing kindness.
Choosing honesty.
Choosing rest.
Choosing to begin again.

You don’t have to master these principles.

You only have to notice.

Which one feels most alive for you right now?
Which one feels tender?
Which one feels like a doorway back to peace?

Living yoga gently doesn’t require intensity. It requires attention.

And attention, offered with warmth, becomes love.

You are welcome here.
Every body, every background, every story belongs.

Come home to yourself.

Where healing and community bloom — one breath at a time. 🌻