The Niyamas
personal observances
Saucha
purity
Saucha is about clearing your path of negativity and impurity. Physically it can be as simple as keeping your body clean. Mentally it is the challenge of removing negative energy, thoughts and ideas in order to make room for positivity and growth.
Santosa
contentment
Santosa is about acceptance. Accepting all that we have and all that is. It does not call for utmost happiness not matter what your situation, rather the quiet contentment that comes with acknowledging your experience and all that it is.
Tapas
self-discipline
Tapas is the disciplined practice of how you direct your energy. It is the act of choosing to grow, to make changes to think or feel a certain way. Tapas is about practising having the strength to approach life with enthusiasm and curiosity rather than fear.
Svadhyaya
self-study
Svadhyaya is the practice of self-awareness and self-reflection. It is the idea that we never truly know everything, so we must endeavour to continue digging deeper and learning more throughout our lives. Svadhyaya encourages us to listen and contemplate on who we are.
Ishvara Pranidhana
surrender
Ishvara Pranidhana encourages us to surrender to the divine. To acknowledge all that exists outside of ourselves and the profound depth within each of us. It is accepting the magnitude and vastness of the universe without closing ourselves off from what it offers. Ishvara Pranidhana asks us to open ourselves to life.
