Finding Balance Through Asteya: Monday Night Yogastr Replay
Reflections on our recent practice exploring the yogic principle of non-stealing.
I teach a live class on the Nostr app Hivetalk Monday nights, then I post the edited replay of the class on Wimy.io so you can watch & practice on demand.
Welcome to Yogastr
For those who might be new to our community, I've been hosting these weekly practices as a way to bring yoga philosophy and movement to our digital space—creating what I call "Yogastr." (It's a play on Nostr, which is "Notes & Other Stuff Over Relays. So think of it as yoga class over relays).
This week, we explored one of yoga's ethical principles that has been particularly meaningful in my own practice: asteya, or non-stealing. I wanted to share some thoughts about our session for those who joined live and those who might catch the replay.
Our Journey with Asteya
As we settled into our practice, I introduced asteya as more than just the literal concept of not taking what isn't ours. In my own life and teaching, I've found that asteya invites us to recognize and honor boundaries—both our own and others'.
During our opening discussion, I shared something I've learned through years of practice:
"Sometimes we allow others to take more than we want to give. This too is a form of stealing—when we don't honor our own boundaries."
This perspective has transformed my relationship with myself and others. I notice how often I've given away my energy, time, or attention when my inner resources were already depleted. Asteya reminds me that non-stealing also means not over-giving to the point of self-depletion—a lesson I continue to learn and relearn.
Grounding in Breath
We began our physical practice with breath awareness, something I always emphasize in yoga sessions. Breath truly is our anchor—the essential foundation for both grounding and movement.
As we connected with our breath together, I guided you to notice the natural rhythm of your inhalations and exhalations without force or restriction. This awareness helps us tune into our present experience and creates a stable base for our physical practice. I could feel our collective energy settling as we synchronized our breathing.
Moving with Awareness
As we flowed through our sequence, I emphasized the integration of body and mind through breath-synchronized movement. Each transition became an opportunity to practice presence and intentionality—qualities that support our exploration of asteya.
We moved through:
- Gentle warm-ups to awaken the body
- Standing poses for strength and stability
- Forward folds for introspection
- Twists for energetic release
When we honor our body's capabilities in each moment without pushing beyond healthy limits, we practice non-stealing from our future selves in the form of injury or exhaustion. I try to embody this in my own practice daily, respecting where I am rather than where I think I "should" be.
And I can't say it enough—no one looks like the yoga person in the photo. We don't look like the person in the yoga book. We don't look like the person in the Instagram pics or videos. We look like us, pure and simple.
Opening Through Backbends
In my experience and understanding of yoga philosophy, the heart center connects deeply to our capacity for compassion and self-acceptance. As we opened this area through Bridge and later Camel Pose, I invited you to notice any areas where you might be either giving too much or holding back unnecessarily in your life—both relevant to our asteya exploration.
Finding Balance Together
The balance poses we practiced require both physical stability and mental focus—perfect embodiments of asteya as we find equilibrium between effort and ease, between giving and receiving.
During Side Plank and other balancing postures, I offered modifications for all levels, emphasizing a principle that grounds my teaching: recognizing our current capabilities is an act of self-respect, not limitation. This awareness helps us practice asteya toward ourselves by not stealing from our sense of accomplishment through comparison or unrealistic expectations.
Heart of Our Practice: Camel Pose
Around the 33-minute mark of our session, we moved into Camel Pose (Ustrasana), a deep backbend that opens the heart center while requiring substantial strength and flexibility. This challenging pose holds special significance for me in relation to asteya.
I guided us to approach Camel with mindfulness:
- Moving slowly and with awareness
- Using props if needed
- Honoring sensations that arise
- Breathing deeply through intensity
I hope this mindful approach resonated with you as well.
Our Closing Integration
As we moved into the final portion of our practice with gentle, restorative postures, I created space for us to integrate and reflect. I invited you to consider:
- Where in life might you be giving too much?
- Where might you be taking or expecting too much?
- How can the principle of asteya guide your interactions both on and off the mat?
These questions continue to guide my own practice and teaching. Through our final stretches and closing meditation, I felt our collective energy settle into a place of thoughtful reflection.
Taking Our Practice Forward
What I love most about our Yogastr community is how we carry these philosophies beyond our Monday sessions. Asteya has transformed how I move through the world, and I hope it offers similar insights for you:
- Listening to our body's signals prevents us from stealing our own energy and health
- Setting healthy boundaries in relationships prevents others from unknowingly depleting us
- Recognizing when we're taking more than we need helps us live more ethically
- Understanding that non-stealing also means not withholding our gifts when they could benefit others
Join Me Mondays on Nostr for the Live Class!
Thank you to everyone who joined our live session or who's catching this replay. These Monday night Yogastr sessions have become a cherished space for me to share and grow alongside this wonderful community on Nostr.
Next week, we'll explore another facet of yoga philosophy through movement and breath. Until then, I invite you to notice how asteya might show up in your daily life—in your relationships, your work, and your relationship with yourself.
With gratitude, Heather
What aspects of asteya resonated most with you during our practice? I'd love to hear your reflections in the comments. And if you have requests for future Yogastr sessions, please share those too!
See you next Monday at our usual time for another Yogastr session. Don't forget to spread the word to fellow yogis on Nostr!
Monday night is the night for #yogastr on the Nostr app HiveTalk! 🧘
Bring your whole self—and a yoga mat, water, and blanket to #yogastr
Join us on https://hivetalk.org/active at yoga time and pop into the room or follow the link I post on #nostr for the #plebchain 15 min before time:
5 pm Pacific 🌁
5 pm Arizona 🏜️ (@NostrPHX time zone!)
6 pm Mountain (Denver) 🗻
7 pm central 🌾
8 pm eastern 🗽
1:00 am utc (sorry, Europe) 🇪🇸
Free to attend, ⚡️ zap #V4V if you wish.