The third of the five is Yamas is Asteya, means non-stealing or non-grasping. In the wonderful commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (which lays out the practice of yoga, of which the Eight limbs are a part), Sri Swami Satchidananda describes Satya and Asteya as ‘elephantary’ – they may seem elementary, but they are elephantine in their results on how we live.
If we can live a life free from greed and stealing, we will be contented. This Yama makes me think about those studies about people’s income and happiness. When people start making more than $75,000/ year, their happiness reduces. I suspect there’s partly an element of comparison – always a desire for more!
Sri Swami Satchidananda articulates another element of this which relates to selfishness. Holding onto things and not letting others have access – whether it be land, resources, food.