In the spiritual and new age community the question often arises “how to live a high vibe life?” The answers to this question vary greatly depending on the source and tradition of the one answering, and a lot of the information tends to be contradictory. Over the years the structure of my spiritual path has largely been informed by Ashtanga or Raja Yoga as articulated in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
The Yoga Sutras are a classic Hindu text compiled sometime around 500 BCE by the sage Patanjali, who synthesized and organized knowledge about yoga from much older traditions. As I’m sure many of you know yoga is not just the asanas (postures) practiced in Hatha yoga classes. Rather it is a comprehensive spiritual path that impacts ever aspect of your life to facilitate the evolution of your consciousness. In short it is the science of ascension.
The Yoga Sutras outline an eight limbed path for spiritual evolution that includes: (1) yamas (external disciplines), (2) niyama (internal disciplines), (3) asana (postures), (4) pranayama (breath control), (5) pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), (6) dharana (concentration), (7) dhyana (meditative absorption), and (8) samadhi (union, integration).
By cultivating and practicing the seven limbs of yoga we obtain the eighth limb, samadhi, which is that unitive blissful state of consciousness where we become one with god. We obtain the goal of the spiritual path by observing and cultivating these the various limbs of yoga.
Cultivating a high vibe lifestyle is part of the first two limbs of the yogic path which include external and internal discipline or the yamas and niyamas. These are not commandments like the Abrahamic traditions and you aren’t going to hell if you do not strictly observe them. Hell is of your own making and the consequence of your own unskillful actions. The yamas and niyamas are simply a roadmap for living a skillful, ethical and productive life and purifying your state of consciousness.
The five yamas or internal disciplines that help you live a high vibe life include:
- Ahimsa (non-harming)
- Satya (truthfulness)
- Asteya (responsibility/non-stealing)
- Bramacharya (moderation of sense pleasures)
- Asparigraha (non-hoarding, freedom from grasping, non-attachment)
The five niyamas or external disciplines that help you live a high vibe life include:
- Saucha (cleanliness)
- Santosha (contentment),
- Tapas (self-discipline)
- Svadhyaya (self study/self inquiry)
- Isvara-pranidhana (surrender/devotion)
My experience with the yamas and niyamas has been one of an upward spiral, as I continually work to live an ever more sattvic (spiritual) lifestyle. My path has been one of discipline and flow. Eliminating one habit here or adding another there. I’ve found that as my inner spiritual life deepens I crave more and more external and internal purity.
This is a process of gradual realignment of self to higher states of consciousness. At times it may take a lot of discipline and effort to reform a habit or pattern, at others you may simply experience a gentle unfolding and releasing of old ways of being that no longer serve you.
It is good to keep the yamas and niyamas at hand and periodically revisit them to see how you are doing. By engaging in self study and self inquiry you can evaluate how closely you are embodying these qualities and where reform may be needed or where success has been achieved.
This will be a never ending process of unfolding, purification and elevation of your consciousness. As you raise your vibration you will come to crave high vibration things and find yourself naturally embodying these traits and enjoying the process.
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