287. Asteya – don't steal my primary series poster

287. Asteya – don't steal my primary series poster

From My Daily Thread by Jeff Lichty

August 15, 2025 · 5 min · Episode 287

About this episode

In this episode, Jeff Lichty explores the concept of asteya, or non-stealing, as outlined in the Yoga Sūtras, discussing its deeper implications beyond material theft.

287-Asteya – don't steal my primary series poster In this episode of My Daily Thread , we continue our exploration of the Yoga Sūtras , searching for practical wisdom we can apply every day. We've already covered ahiṃsā (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness). Now, we turn to the third yama: asteya — non-stealing, "not taking that which is not freely given." Yoga Sūtra II.37 says: asteya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarva-ratnopasthānam Translation: "When one is firmly established in non-stealing, all jewels present themselves." — Edwin Bryant: "All jewels manifest." Sanskrit breakdown: asteya — non-stealing ( a = not, steya = stealing) pratiṣṭhāyām — when firmly established, rooted sarva — all ratna — jewel, treasure upasthānam — appear, present themselves Commentary with Jeff Lichty: On the surface, asteya is obvious: don't shoplift, don't rob a bank, don't sneak a candy bar (yes, I did that as a kid). But the deeper layers are more subtle — and more powerful. Non-stealing isn't just about possessions; it's about energy and integrity . When you live without taking what's not freely offered, things naturally flow toward you. Examples: Time theft: showing up late, interrupting, or monopolizing…

People in this episode

Host: Jeff Lichty

Topics covered

  • yoga
  • non-stealing
  • self-improvement
  • spirituality
  • practical wisdom

Keywords

  • asteya
  • non-stealing
  • yoga
  • spirituality
  • self-improvement
  • energy integrity
  • time theft

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Yoga Sūtras

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