1. Ahimsa - non-violence
2. Satya - truthfulness
3. Asteya - non-stealing
4. Bramcharya - sex control
5. Aharigruha - non-possessiveness

1. Schouch - cleanliness
2. Santosh - contentment
3. Tafia - austerity (working to achieve something)
4. Swodhyaya - self study
5. Irshwarpranidhana - surrender to "god" or universal consciousness

"Sthir Sukhom Asanas" or steady comfortable posture. This is what most people associate with yoga. The body is physically placed into positions that promote awareness, concentration, relaxation and meditation. There is a common misconception that yogasanas are a form of exercise. In fact they are the polar opposite of exercise.

During exercise the heart and respiratory rates increase as the muscles demand more oxygen. This has widely known benefits to the body. It keeps builds and maintains healthy muscles, bones and joints, improves mental well-being and reduces the risk of diseases including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and many others.

During asana practise the body relaxes and the heart rate decreases. Asanas promote good health as mind is able to focus on the body there are specific effects on the glands, electrochemical activity of the nervous system, pranic channels (explained below) and internal organs.

Prana = energy source for all life activities
Ayama = to control

Each cell in the body has a life span. Some are replaced like skin cells and some are not like nerve cells. When a cell dies it is unable to absorb oxygen & glucose; it ceases to produce energy and in turn function; so it is excreted from the body. Prana is the stimulating force that made the cell function in the first place.

The technique of controlling prana is through breath control. The breath can be controlled unlike other systems like circulation and digestion. If you wish to control the breath, you can within certain limits. If we are not controlling the breath then prana is. So as prana controls other systems, the theory is that if you can control it through breathing you can control other systems e.g. control the pancreas's production of insulin to control diabetes.