Asteya is the third of the 10 yoga ethics - it is often described as non-stealing or non-coveting.
It helps to think about the source of stealing behavior. Although the yamas and niyamas (the yoga ethics) seem to describe specific behaviors, yoga is mostly concerned with the source of the behaviors. Stealing comes from a sense of entitlement - a feeling or belief that you deserve something that you have not earned. Why does someone steal a wallet? Why does someone run themselves into debt, using other people’s money? Why does someone pass off another person’s ideas as their own? In each case, the root of the behavior is a belief that an individual’s wants and needs are more important than those of another person. This self-importance, selfishness, and sense of entitlement manifest as stealing behavior.
Consider your own behavior. Does it come from a place of authenticity? Are you “stealing” someone’s time or energy for your own need? What do you really want to manifest for yourself and how can you tap into your own rich well of knowledge to find it? What is stopping you, what is your fear?
