Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describe an eight-step path to succeed in samadhi, the state the place physique, thoughts and soul turn into one. Niyama is the second limb of this path. It consists of 5 interior guidelines that assist a practitioner develop self-discipline, readability, and purity in every day life.
Niyama is derived from Sanskrit and means “observance” or “optimistic rule.” Whereas the Yamas information how we behave with others, the Niyamas train us easy methods to work with ourselves – our habits, ideas, and life-style.
Patanjali positioned Niyama early within the eight limbs as a result of it creates the proper mindset for religious development. Practising Niyama builds interior power, preserving us regular when challenges come on the yogic journey.
Practising Niyama is like making ready the boat and oars earlier than moving into the deep waters of religious follow.
The aim of Niyama is to cleanse the interior atmosphere – physique, thoughts, and spirit. When this interior stability is achieved, the true nature of the self begins to unfold.
Yama vs Niyama (easy distinction)
- Yama: how we act with others (social ethics); largely “don’ts.”
- Niyama: how we act with ourselves (private self-discipline); largely “dos.”
Yama and Niyama collectively kind the muse of yoga. With out the primary, the second can’t be really practised.
Additionally Learn: What Are the 5 Yamas in Yoga?
5 Niyamas of Yoga
The 5 Niyamas are private observances that put together you for religious development. They aid you construct self-discipline, enhance interior qualities, and reside a balanced life.
- Shaucha – Purity of physique and thoughts
- Santosha – Inside contentment
- Tapas – Self-discipline that burns impurities
- Svadhyaya – Research of the self
- Ishvar Pranidhan – Give up to the Divine
Let’s perceive every Niyama.
1. Shaucha (Purity)
Saucha means cleanliness or holistic purity of each the physique and thoughts. It’s thought of one of the crucial essential elements for sustaining well being, happiness, and normal well-being.
Bodily purity might be achieved via every day ablutions, whereas interior or psychological purity might be cultivated via the acutely aware follow of Asana (bodily postures), Pranayama (respiratory workouts), and Dhyana (meditation). Together with every day cleaning of the physique, the precept of Saucha additionally encourages sustaining a clear atmosphere. Saucha consists of purity of ideas in addition to speech.
The way to purify the thoughts (easy method)
The thoughts turns into clear via self-awareness – noticing ideas, feelings, and causes behind actions.
That is referred to as Adhyatma Vidya (information of the interior self).
Common yoga follow makes mindfulness stronger, similar to muscle tissue develop when exercised.
Sensible methods to purify thoughts and mind
Listed below are easy Shaucha-based habits you possibly can apply every day:
- Eat recent, pure meals: Clear meals makes the thoughts energetic and alert. Very spicy, oily, salty or stale meals disturb readability.
- Apply every day kindness: Serving to others naturally clears ego and opens the center.
- Communicate gently: Calm phrases carry peace inside and concord with individuals round you.
- Keep engaged in significant work: An idle thoughts will get stressed and unfavorable.
- Continue to learn: Research books, knowledge texts, and observe your self — this hyperlinks with Swadhyaya.
- Stay morally and worship what you consider in: Practising values retains the center clear and humble.
Shaucha in Patanjali’s Personal Phrases
By cleanliness and purity of physique and thoughts comes a purification of the essence, a goodness(energetic) and gladness(peaceable) of feeling, a way of focus with intentness, the mastery and union of the senses(the self-realized state), and a health, preparation and functionality for self-realization.”
~ Patanjali, Yoga sutras 2.41
2. Santosha (Contentment)
Santosha means being joyful and peaceable with no matter you might have. It’s the interior pleasure that continues to be regular even when life turns into difficult.
When contentment is current, we cease chasing issues with a way of lack. As an alternative, we act from completeness, stability, and readability. This shift brings confidence, stability, and deep interior happiness.
Santosha is commonly ignored, however Patanjali locations it on the coronary heart of religious development. With out contentment, it’s troublesome to expertise the peace that meditation guarantees.
Saucha makes us able to do issues, Santosh is an artwork of determining what we have now and what we really wish to obtain.
Apply of Santosha
The second we realise that we’re respiratory, and have eyes to see, a nostril to scent, pores and skin to really feel, tongue to style, and life to expertise, we naturally really feel peaceable and contented. Nonetheless, there may be all the time room for enchancment.
Human beings can really really feel glad solely when the essential parts of life are fulfilled. Maslow’s hierarchy of wants explains the important parts that have to be met for an individual to really feel genuinely joyful and peaceable.
Right here is the mountain we have to climb:
After we observe individuals’s steady efforts of their day-to-day lives and mirror on the aim behind these efforts, we realise that every part is pushed by the will for satisfaction and peace. We attempt to derive contentment from exterior objects, and this isn’t fallacious so long as no one is harmed by our actions and our want to acquire issues shouldn’t be influenced by greed or jealousy. The need to get one thing ought to come up from real want, not from greed.
Patanjali says in Sutra 2.42 about Santosha (Contentment):
One who continually practises contentment weakens the extreme thirst for extra, and the sattva (purity) will increase. Such an individual experiences nice happiness and enjoys heavenly pleasures.
The attention-grabbing half is that we run all day to get the issues we would like, however we don’t achieve this with a peaceable, clear thoughts. The state through which we’re acutely aware, clear, and deeply glad whereas performing actions is named self-realisation.
The way to obtain contentment
Contentment can solely be achieved when there may be much less disturbance and extra readability in ideas. A peaceful thoughts is the last word objective of yoga, which is why eliminating psychological modifications (vrittis) is yoga.
A centered thoughts might be developed via steady and acutely aware follow of bodily postures, respiratory strategies, and meditation.
Yoga follow doesn’t finish inside an hour on the mat; it have to be practised past the mat. The way in which you sit, work, kind, stroll — when each motion is finished with full consciousness — that’s yoga.
Nothing comes simple, not even contentment. It have to be acquired via fixed follow. That’s the reason Tapas (Perseverance) is the following Niyama.
3. Tapas (Austerity / Perseverance)
Tapas means bearing discomfort or hardship with the intention of non-public development. Even when there may be bodily or psychological problem, one continues the follow with consciousness and dedication. That is referred to as Tapas.
When studying yogic philosophy, performing asanas, or doing all of your every day work, some discomfort might come up. One ought to stay acutely aware of it and examine these hardships from a optimistic perspective. That is the true follow of Tapas.
Tapas is often known as perseverance, and perseverance is likely one of the important keys to success.
Each essential process goes via many challenges earlier than reaching outcomes. Those that practise perseverance ultimately see progress – ultimately.
You will need to perceive that Tapas doesn’t imply being overly critical or inflexible. Somewhat, it’s the interior fireplace that will get the center pumping, awakens hope, and strengthens the will for private development..
4. Svadhyaya (Self-Research & Inside Consciousness)
Svadhyaya means self-inquiry, and it is likely one of the strongest methods to turn into self-realised.
It entails being conscious of what the thoughts is pondering, what the physique is feeling, and what feelings are rising at any second.
Most individuals are unaware of how their physique reacts after consuming sure meals. When an individual observes how they really feel after a specific meal, they’ll change their habits if the meals doesn’t make them really feel good. This consciousness of what’s occurring within the physique and thoughts is the start of transformation. When an individual turns into conscious of their ideas and actions, introspection naturally follows, and self-knowledge grows.
Western thinkers explored and understood the exterior world, which led to the creation of innovations like mild bulbs, vehicles, computer systems, and machines. Indian sages – the rishis and yogis – explored the interior world of ideas, emotions, and consciousness, and this is the reason they have been in a position to attain self-realisation.
Sage Patanjali himself used Swadhyaya to grasp vrittis (psychological fluctuations), kleshas (afflictions), and the last word state of peace.
The phrase “spirituality” actually means “interior.” In Sanskrit, the phrase adhyatmik refers to consciousness of 1’s physique and thoughts. Practising yoga asanas makes us conscious of the physique, pranayama builds consciousness of the breath, and meditation deepens consciousness of ideas.
In essence, Swadhyaya is about how properly you already know your self. As Lao Tzu fantastically mentioned:
One who is aware of others is smart and one who is aware of himself is self-realized.
5. Ishvara Pranidhan (Devotion)
The final Niyama, Ishvara Pranidhana, is the follow of surrendering or dedicating the outcomes of your actions to the next Self or larger function. This angle prevents the ego of “I” from getting into into your actions, and your work naturally turns into a part of karma yoga.
Patanjali describes Ishwara as “Purusha Vishesha,” a particular form of pure consciousness — one who by no means was embodied, shouldn’t be embodied, and can by no means be embodied.
The core instructing of yoga revolves across the actuality that every one consciousness has one supply. By the follow of Ishwara Pranidhana, we realise this fact as we permit our consciousness to maneuver from thought to thought with mindfulness.
This Niyama additionally turns into a robust resolution to human struggling.
Maharshi Patanjali thought of OM (AUM) because the treatment for all struggling. Many sages skilled supreme power and peace just by chanting the syllable AUM.
Chanting AUM is likely one of the best methods to focus the thoughts and hold the physique relaxed. You’ll be able to chant it whereas driving, sitting, travelling, strolling or working. Strive it your self and expertise the way it calms the thoughts.
Conclusion
The 5 Niyamas information the interior self-discipline of a yoga practitioner and assist purify the thoughts and physique. Saucha brings cleanliness and readability, Santosha develops interior contentment, Tapas strengthens perseverance, Swadhyaya builds self-awareness, and Ishwara Pranidhana teaches give up. Collectively, these observances kind the muse of yoga, making ready the practitioner for peace, focus, and religious development.
