Yogi Corner: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Niyama)
The most famous part of the Yoga Sutras is called the "eight limbs." Sometimes referred to as branches, these limbs are to be worked on until the impurities are dwindled away in order to achieve yoga. For April, let's discuss the second limb, also known as the "niyamas."
"Sauca Samtosa Tapah Svadhya Yesvarapranidhanani Niyamah."
B.2, V.32
Translation: Niyama consists of purity, contentment, accepting but not causing pain, study of spiritual books and worship to God (self-surrender).
The next step (or limb) on the yoga journey is the observances or niyamas. Through the yamas we really just got ready for the trip ahead and prepared the body-mind for further study and practice. The niyamasrequires us to dig a bit deeper and trust a lot farther in the path of yoga.
Our first niyama is that of saucha, which means purity. We must purify our body. The fact is that we are constantly detoxing through bodily secretions all the time. And yet, there is still more to do. Keeping our body clean is one part of saucha. Dressing in clean clothing, keeping our surroundings clean, and eating only foods that are healthy, natural and fresh are more. Most of us have a healthy method of daily hygiene already in place: we shower, wash our hair, brush our teeth, put on clean clothes, and head out for our day. I find that most students struggle the most with eating pure. Diets are getting better with more and more awareness that we are gaining, and yet many health issues due to poor diet continue. Yoga says to eat pure. That means eating only whole foods that are in season. In today's world, that also means eating organic. Due to our lengthy winters this is a challenge, so you have to make the right choices. Having an Ayurvedic consultation will also help you determine how to eat for the seasons as well as for your own body type.
Samtosha means contentment. Contentment is found when one is truly happy with who he/she is. It means being happy in the moment. Cultivating samtosha means learning from your experiences and overcoming the limitations and obstacles that you put in the path of your own happiness. True contentment requires complete responsibility to your life and the situations that you are in, but also being able to release negative thoughts and take yourself lightly. In the spirit of the great philosopher Socrates who said, "True wisdom comes from the acknowledgement of our own ignorance," remember that it is okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them and then learn to let go.
Tapah is often explained as "accepting pain and not causing pain." Sri Swami Satchidananda tells us the perfect example of this is a mother who feels so much joy in bringing forth a child, that she, in a sense, welcome the pain of childbirth. When we can get to the point where we can actually accept pain, it transforms into joy because we now understand the benefit of it. This takes great mental awareness and strength for it is easy to get hung up in the victimization of a perceived negative experience. A shift of awareness, and you find yourself grateful for the opportunity to have learned.
The fourth niyama is Svadhyaya or the study of spiritual books. Every spiritual practice comes with study. In the yoga practice, of course the physical aspects of the body (asana) and breath (pranayama) are part of our continued study. The yogi is always studying: studying the body, studying the mind, and studying text and scripture. It is a never-ending journey. The day you stop studying is the day you stop growing as a human being. It is our duty to study and in the yoga family there are now literally thousands of different text on the subject from ancient ones being translated for the very fist time to older manuscripts like The Yoga Sutras and The Hatha Yoga Pradipitka to more modern books on specific fields of study like Yoga for Depression and many, many more. Keep studying. Remember, acknowledge your ignorance!
The final niyama is that of Isvarapranidhanani: worship of God and self-surrender. This is not an option, this is an observance. The yogi believes that God is within him, not without ("as above, so below"). The yogi believes that his/her life is a dedication and that each action that each of us take should be for the greater good of humanity. A yogi gives everything to God and possesses nothing for the self. But what does that mean for those of us who are householders and not renunciates? Well, it means to have faith. It means to believe in "Spirit," "Universe," "Higher Power," "God," "Buddha", "Goddess," "Christ," or "Krishna." It means believe in Divinity. It means live your Dharma (duty, right). And it means to practice Karma Yoga (the path of selfless action). Yoga is and always has been a spiritual practice. Cling to this branch, because it will propel you to the next one.
Namaste.
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