Niyama – the observances
Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
The first of the Niyamas, śauca, is a practice of physical, energetic and mental cleanliness. Building on the foundations the aspirant has already developed in Kriyā Yoga and the five Yamas, yogis will find this practice expands beyond regular bathing and brings about clarity of thought, health and vitality. This practice includes both inner and outer cleanliness. Yogis must work to keep their environment clean, their physical body clean and their inner thoughts and intentions clean.
Cleanliness of thought can be a comprehensive practice of all the previous practices we’ve been discussing. With our kriyā yoga practice firmly rooted, and non-violence as the foundation for all our connections, the aspirant can find that practicing śauca aligns comfortably with our spiritual journey and aids in commitment to the path of self-discovery and the search for Truth.
For our journaling work today, try to identify a subtler way you can incorporate a practice of cleanliness. Maybe it involves a small shift in the food you nourish your body with, possibly a change in the media you consume today, or even a practice of joyfully removing an item of waste you see.
Additionally, explore how cleanliness is important to your spiritual growth and development?
Can you identify subtle ways cleanliness is essential for a safe and effective posture practice?
The following guidelines can help to deepen your śauca practice through the context of your posture practice. As the body sweats during practice, it releases toxins and impurities; it also releases essential minerals during this process. Teachers suggest the yogi rub the sweat back into their skin to give the body a chance to reabsorb the minerals back into their system. It is also advised to refrain from showering immediately after practice. Try waiting 15-30 minutes before getting into the shower, this is another opportunity for the body to reabsorb minerals, which left the body during the practice.
Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
The second niyama, saṃtoṣa, requires the yogi to practice contentment in all situations, in every moment. This practice can bring about clarity of heart and mind. It opens the aspirant to the vast network of connectivity which weaves the fibers of existence together.
The idea of finding peace and joy, regardless of whether the circumstances are pleasant or unpleasant can be an overwhelming practice to begin. Life consists of highs and lows and the emotions, sensations and knowledge that comes from those situations is invaluable in the experience of life. It’s a bit boring to think of a life lived without the rising and falling of the waves of a life well lived.
It’s important to distinguish the practice here, saṃtoṣa is not a practice of disconnecting from these moments and viewing them as plain, gray, stagnant components of a life free from highs and lows. Contentment is a practice of feeling the pleasant joy of existence through these ebbs and flows of life, without being ruled by the avoidance of pain or the continual lusting for joy. Saṃtoṣa is present when we see the sufferings of life as teachers, as messengers of truth and keys to where we need to grow on our journey inward and when we feel the beauty of our magical life, without clinging to it.
For our journaling practice today, try uncovering what contentment could mean to you?
How can the practice of contentment lead to a deeper experience of honesty on our journey of self-discovery and healing?
Does it feel as if this practice of contentment ask you to be disingenuous about difficult situations?
Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
The exploration of the Niyamas continues with the third being tapas. This is a familiar concept and a familiar word since we saw this come to the surface at the beginning of our journey as one of the three components of Kriyā Yoga. In fact, the tree remaining Niyamas are the three same components of Kriyā Yoga as laid out by Patañjali in the first sūtras of this chapter on practice.
So, why does Patañjali repeat these three practices again in this second limb of Aṣṭāṇga Yoga? It could be to invite in the importance of these three practices and to call the aspirant toward a deeper and subtler understanding of each component. Maybe Patañjali is asking the yogi to return to the practice of self-discipline, self-study and connection with the heightened knowledge which comes from dedication and understanding of the previous Yamas and Niyamas.
As the yogi prepares themselves for the most subtle practices of Aṣṭāṇga Yoga, it’s absolutely necessary they have a firm root in non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, conservation of energy, non-grasping, cleanliness and contentment.
As a means to refine and polish the dedication to self-discipline, the yogi might explore their understanding of self-discipline previously and examine how that practice needs to evolve and shift to support the full integration of the previous Yamas and Niyamas.
For our journaling practice today, explore your previous understanding of self-discipline and examine areas where the practices of ahiṃsā, satya, asteya. brahmacarya, aparigrahāḥ, śauca and saṃtoṣa might add to your existing practice of tapas. Additionally, explore the following questions.
What does it mean to practice tapas in our asana practice?
How is tapas important for the aspirant on the path of Self-discovery?
Tapas is a practice of greater self-restraint. A practice of avoiding actions, which lead the yogi away from the path of spiritual growth. This practice leads the aspirant toward actions which which will propel the yogi along this path of self-discovery. Additionally, this practice of self-discipline is a process of purification. The yogi is able to ignite their inner fire to burn away toxins, impurities, saṃskāras and karmic imprints from consciousness. An initial way to practice tapas is to show up for practice, consistently and for a long time. A next step might be to eat a simple diet, allowing the body to keep burning away old toxins, impurities and saṃskāras instead of adding more toxins, etc. What are some additional ways you might polish your understanding of self-discipline to further your spiritual journey?
Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
The fourth of the Niyamas is a call to deepening our study of ourselves as a means to prepare the aspirant for the continued journey toward Liberation. It is with true knowledge of existence and the reality of the world of change that the yogi can finally see through the fog of human existence to the Truth of themselves, to know the Ātman (Soul, Self, Divine Within, etc.).
Svādhyāya surfaces in the Niyamas, as a repetition of one of the components of Kriyā yoga and can initially cause some misunderstanding. While the word svādhyāya gets commonly translated as ‘self-study’ there is often an important mechanic of that self-study which is often omitted. Patañjali teaches yogis to learn about themselves by studying spiritual texts, chanting, repeating mantras, etc.
Through the study of spiritual texts, the aspirant can gain knowledge on the journey ahead of them. Additionally, knowledge of the subtle layers of existence can be revealed through this continued study. When combined with chanting and repetition of mantras, the yogi will find balance in their subtle energies and gain increased clarity of the human experiences. With this knowledge and awakening, the aspirant will gain grace and ease with navigating the challenges of daily life and the human experience.
For a journaling practice today, explore how does self-study can lead to more meaningful and productive relationships? How has your knowledge of yourself grown from reading and studying spiritual texts?
For a chanting practice, you might try repeating this mantra 12 times:
Oṃ Gaṃ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ
This is a chant which invites in knowledge of our own innate capacity to overcome obstacles. It acknowledges that we each have the power Gaṇeśa represents contained within ourselves. It’s already there, we just have to awaken to our own divine nature.
A gentle way to ease into a chanting practice is to begin with 12 repetitions, for one week continuously. After that, you might try 36 repetitions for two full weeks. Next step could be to complete 108 rounds of the chant daily (or twice daily). See this post on the benefits of Chanting and encouragement for a consistent chanting practice.
Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown
The final niyama, Īśvara-pranidhāna, can be understood as devotion to God, connection to the unknown, connection to the Universe, etc. This practice is of the utmost importance for aspirants along the path of yoga.
It’s extremely important to note that Īśvara is a completely neutral Sanskrit word for God. Patañjali is not asking yogis to follow his God, or any specific religion. In fact, Patañjali is guiding the aspirant to connect to something of their own choosing, which is greater than themselves.
Īśvara-pranidhāna is the practice of complete surrender of oneself to a higher power. Surrender in thought, action and deed without expectations of personal benefit or reward. Devotion and surrender to God leads to a more open heart chakra and allows Prāṇa to flow freely and unrestricted along the central channel of the body.
As an ongoing exercise, continue to journal and meditate on what devotion to God means to you. And, when is it necessary to practice Īśvara-pranidhāna? Can your posture practice be a tool to connect to and understand God?