Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describe an eight-step path to succeed in samadhi, the state the place physique, thoughts and soul turn out to be one. Niyama is the second limb of this path. It consists of 5 inside guidelines that assist a practitioner develop self-discipline, readability, and purity in each day life.
Niyama is derived from Sanskrit and means “observance” or “constructive rule.” Whereas the Yamas information how we behave with others, the Niyamas educate us the right way to work with ourselves – our habits, ideas, and way of life.
Patanjali positioned Niyama early within the eight limbs as a result of it creates the appropriate mindset for religious development. Practising Niyama builds inside power, maintaining us regular when challenges come on the yogic journey.
Practising Niyama is like getting ready the boat and oars earlier than moving into the deep waters of religious apply.
The aim of Niyama is to cleanse the inside atmosphere – physique, thoughts, and spirit. When this inside 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); principally “don’ts.”
- Niyama: how we act with ourselves (private self-discipline); principally “dos.”
Yama and Niyama collectively kind the muse of yoga. With out the primary, the second can’t be actually 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 assist you to construct self-discipline, enhance inside qualities, and dwell a balanced life.
- Shaucha – Purity of physique and thoughts
- Santosha – Interior 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 necessary components for sustaining well being, happiness, and normal well-being.
Bodily purity might be achieved by means of each day ablutions, whereas inside or psychological purity might be cultivated by means of the acutely aware apply of Asana (bodily postures), Pranayama (respiratory workouts), and Dhyana (meditation). Together with each 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 approach)
The thoughts turns into clear by means of self-awareness – noticing ideas, feelings, and causes behind actions.
That is referred to as Adhyatma Vidya (information of the inside self).
Common yoga apply makes mindfulness stronger, similar to muscle tissues develop when exercised.
Sensible methods to purify thoughts and mind
Listed here are easy Shaucha-based habits you possibly can apply each day:
- Eat recent, pure meals: Clear meals makes the thoughts energetic and alert. Very spicy, oily, salty or stale meals disturb readability.
- Follow each day kindness: Serving to others naturally clears ego and opens the guts.
- Converse gently: Calm phrases deliver peace inside and concord with folks round you.
- Keep engaged in significant work: An idle thoughts will get stressed and destructive.
- Continue learning: Research books, knowledge texts, and observe your self — this hyperlinks with Swadhyaya.
- Reside morally and worship what you imagine in: Practising values retains the guts clear and humble.
Shaucha in Patanjali’s Personal Phrases
By way of 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 glad and peaceable with no matter you’ve. It’s the inside 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 a substitute, we act from completeness, stability, and readability. This shift brings confidence, stability, and deep inside happiness.
Santosha is commonly ignored, however Patanjali locations it on the coronary heart of religious development. With out contentment, it’s tough to expertise the peace that meditation guarantees.
Saucha makes us able to do issues, Santosh is an artwork of determining what we now have and what we really need to obtain.
Follow of Santosha
The second we realise that we’re respiratory, and have eyes to see, a nostril to odor, pores and skin to really feel, tongue to style, and life to expertise, we naturally really feel peaceable and contented. Nonetheless, there may be at all times room for enchancment.
Human beings can actually really feel happy solely when the fundamental components of life are fulfilled. Maslow’s hierarchy of wants explains the important components that should be met for an individual to really feel genuinely glad and peaceable.
Right here is the mountain we have to climb:
After we observe folks’s steady efforts of their day-to-day lives and replicate on the aim behind these efforts, we realise that all the pieces is pushed by the need for satisfaction and peace. We attempt to derive contentment from exterior objects, and this isn’t unsuitable so long as no one is harmed by our actions and our want to acquire issues just isn’t 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 always 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 accomplish that with a peaceable, clear thoughts. The state by which we’re acutely aware, clear, and deeply happy whereas performing actions is known as 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 relaxed thoughts is the last word objective of yoga, which is why eliminating psychological modifications (vrittis) is yoga.
A targeted thoughts might be developed by means of steady and acutely aware apply of bodily postures, respiratory strategies, and meditation.
Yoga apply doesn’t finish inside an hour on the mat; it should be practised past the mat. The way in which you sit, work, sort, stroll — when each motion is finished with full consciousness — that’s yoga.
Nothing comes straightforward, not even contentment. It should be acquired by means of fixed apply. That’s the reason Tapas (Perseverance) is the subsequent 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 issue, one continues the apply with consciousness and dedication. That is referred to as Tapas.
When studying yogic philosophy, performing asanas, or doing all your each day work, some discomfort could come up. One ought to stay acutely aware of it and look at these hardships from a constructive perspective. That is the true apply of Tapas.
Tapas is also called perseverance, and perseverance is likely one of the important keys to success.
Each necessary job goes by means of many challenges earlier than reaching outcomes. Those that practise perseverance finally see progress – eventually.
It is very important perceive that Tapas doesn’t imply being overly severe or inflexible. Moderately, it’s the inside hearth that will get the guts pumping, awakens hope, and strengthens the need for private development..
4. Svadhyaya (Self-Research & Interior Consciousness)
Svadhyaya means self-inquiry, and it is likely one of the strongest methods to turn out to be self-realised.
It entails being conscious of what the thoughts is considering, 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 selected 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 inside world of ideas, emotions, and consciousness, and for this 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 “inside.” 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 effectively your self. As Lao Tzu fantastically mentioned:
One who is aware of others is sensible and one who is aware of himself is self-realized.
5. Ishvara Pranidhan (Devotion)
The final Niyama, Ishvara Pranidhana, is the apply of surrendering or dedicating the outcomes of your actions to the next Self or increased objective. This perspective prevents the ego of “I” from coming into into your actions, and your work naturally turns into a part of karma yoga.
Patanjali describes Ishwara as “Purusha Vishesha,” a particular type of pure consciousness — one who by no means was embodied, just isn’t embodied, and can by no means be embodied.
The core educating of yoga revolves across the actuality that every one consciousness has one supply. By way of the apply of Ishwara Pranidhana, we realise this reality as we enable our consciousness to maneuver from thought to thought with mindfulness.
This Niyama additionally turns into a robust answer 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 maintain the physique relaxed. You possibly can 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 inside self-discipline of a yoga practitioner and assist purify the thoughts and physique. Saucha brings cleanliness and readability, Santosha develops inside contentment, Tapas strengthens perseverance, Swadhyaya builds self-awareness, and Ishwara Pranidhana teaches give up. Collectively, these observances kind the muse of yoga, getting ready the practitioner for peace, focus, and religious development.
