12/30/2025
Most of the ways we steal aren’t obvious.
They’re subtle, habitual, often unintentional.
In a culture that constantly asks us to buy more, prove more, become more, Asteya invites us to pause and notice how that message shapes our choices, our nervous systems, and our sense of self.
Often translated as non-stealing, Asteya asks us to notice when enough is enough.
Off the mat, Asteya shows up when we stop chasing what we think will finally make us feel complete. When we notice desire before it turns into overwork, overspending, or over giving. When we say no before resentment builds. When we stop treating rest as negotiable, stop rushing our healing, or stop taking on more than our bodies, finances, or relationships can sustain.
This isn’t about settling, shrinking, or stagnation. It’s about choosing a way forward that doesn’t require force.
When capacity is honored, we stop stealing from the future to survive the present, and contentment arises naturally. Not because we bypass discomfort, fatigue, grief, or desire, but because we stop exhausting ourselves in the chase for more.
Asteya isn’t deprivation.
It’s liberation.
Let’s practice together.