What are the 8 limbs of yoga? The name “8 Limbs” derives from the Sanskrit term Ashtanga: "Astha" meaning eight, and "ang" meaning limb. These "8 limbs" are broken down into the following: Yama (attitudes toward our environment), Niyama (attitudes toward ourselves), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (restraint or expansion of the breath), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (complete integration).
In this post, I will dive into the 2nd of the 8 limbs, "Niyama" - positive duties or observances.
Following up on the first limb of Yama, which is outwardly focused, the Niyama, naturally complements the first limb, and has an internal focus.
The following are five Niyamas (explained based on the translation from their Sanskrit forms):
Saucha (purity) - Finding clearness in thought, body and speech. Finding holistic "purity" of the body and mind.
Santosha (contentment) - Practise honesty and acceptance, for yourself and others around you, leading to self-contentment.
Tapas (self-discipline) - Being disciplined and staying committed in our daily routine or rituals (This one I am practicing currently by setting aside 1 min. a day for journaling).
Svadhyaya (self-study) - Traditionally taught as the self-study of ancient scripture, in our modern day, this can apply to maintaining an open mind and open heart to being a "forever student", always learning and being receptive to self-improvement.
Ishvara pranidhana (surrender to a higher power) - Acknoweldge and accept that we can't control every outcome in life, and accepting the unknown. Letting go of persistent thoughts that don't serve us. Relinquish those anxieties to the universe and replaced them with peace and acceptance.
How to practice the five Niyamas?
I find the Niyamas extremely relatable inside a yoga class room and outside in the real world. Had I known all these thoughts and ideas way back when, I would have handled and dealt many situations differently 😆. These ideas, being completely universal, can apply to people of all backgrounds and has no restrictions when it comes to beliefs. They are open to our own interpretations based on our belief system and personal experiences. They are a guide, and not a prescriptive way, to understanding and improving ourselves.
Saucha (purity) - The direct translation may seem somewhat confusing. What does purity mean exactly in practice? If we think about purity in terms of cleanliness, it may be more approachable. Take our eating habits for example. We can think about "good" food as being "clean" (ie. high fibre, low GI, fruits and veggies ...etc.), and "bad" food as being high in fats, salts, highly processed. By increasing the intake of these good foods, and reducing bad foods we are nourishing our bodies, and maintaining the "purity" of our physical self.
Santosha (contentment) - Not so much in a sense of, let's find euphoria (a temporary feeling of happiness), but rather practicing being happy / satisfied with the things we have in life. I think most people are programmed to always want more - the more money we make, the more we adapt our lifestyles to have more...and then we always feel poor or lacking once again. We can bring more santosha to our lives by acknowleding that what we have and what we are is enough. One of the ways that's become popular is a gratitude journal or diary, where you write down 1 thing we are grateful for. A simple reminder to be happy for the small things in life and not take the small wins in life for granted.
Tapas (self-discipline) - Not to be confused with a tasty Spanish snack 😋 this tapas is, in my opinon, the driver behind all the other niyamas. Tapas is the ability to commit to something, on a regular basis, so that over time it becomes a habit, and eventually, second nature. We can practice tapas in our classes by committing to a regular yoga class by showing up on time with good energy or committing to challenging ourselves. Off the mat, practicing tapas, to me, has meant listening to my gut, and learning to trust that inner voice. Having the courage to listen to yourself, irrespective of how others are persuading you to think/act/say, is the ability to cultivate self-discipline.
Svadhyaya (self-study) - An introverts dream! Self-study, not only from an external persepective, but also to connect with ourselves. Traditionally, it mean reading the Yoga-Sutras (ancient scriptures), but learning to be more in tune with ones-self can be practiced through meditation, journaling, or some good old alone time. Sometimes there is so much hustle and bustle going on in our external enviornment we feel overwhelmed, confused and lost. This is when we are at a disconect with svadhyaya. The easiest way is to create time for yourself - try yoga or meditiation. To take it one step futher, make personal time and personal reflection a regular habit.
Ishvara pranidhana (surrender to a higher power) - One of my personal favourite niyamas to practice. So often we hold onto things that do not serve us any purpose because we are attached to certain ideas and beliefs, or we dwell on problems that just have no clear cut answer. Being an accountant by trade, I have a default anlaytical mindset. There should always be an explanation or some rationale for every action. It took a long time for me to learn to be ok with letting things go without a response (that is to my satisfaction 😀 ). Because no answer is also an answer. As I became more accepting of the practice of letting things go into the universe, I felt my mind was much more at ease, and my physical well-being also improved. Now I have this phrase tattooed on my wrist as a reminder to not hold onto things or thoughts that are beyond my control. Trust me, it's hard to change mindsets, but it really can work! Don't dwell on the past; focus on what we can change presently; and the rest we say, "ishvara pranidhana".
So there you have it. These are the 5 Niyamas of the 2nd limb of yoga! Stay tuned for future blog posts on the rest of the 7limbs!
Namaste, Kathie
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