" alt="Featured 468x60 Ad" />
Eight Limbs Of Yoga- 2 Niyamas
September 19, 2008 by Ray Baskerville
Like the Yamas, there are five Niyamas. Direct translation of Niyama from sanskrit means "rules" or ‘laws’. A more fitting interpretation might be ‘disciplines’. The Niyamas then can be seen as the disciplines and dharma supporting a yogic life.
1. Sauca (Cleanliness)
In understanding the eight limbs of yoga we must at all times keep in mind the purpose of yoga and more importantly, the means that it’s practice forms to reach it. At this level cleanliness can be understood as the process of purification. We can find an application of this process in every of the eight limbs.
In Sauca the discipline is in relation with oneself. Cleanliness or ongoing purification requires a foundation of physical and mental health. Sauca then is the attention to care for the maintenance of our physical health. Because
yoga is a science of the inter-relation of body, mind and spirit, this personal cleanliness is applicable at each level. Also because we do not exist separately from our society and wider environment, sauca extends from us into the world in our actions and attitudes.
2. Santosha (Contentment)
Santosha is the mental aspect of our health foundation and is the seed of the fifth Niyama. The contentment of santosha is acceptance and acceptance is the seed of surrender. Santosha requires then presence in the moment. If the mind moves to what could be, should be, would be, contentment disappears.
3. Tapas (Heat)
Tapas is often given to mean austerity, the austerity is however the means of creating the heat. Tapas in this sense is
the heat required for purification.
At each level of our being purification is usually uncomfortable, getting increasingly so at subtler levels. It takes therefore a real conviction and courage to hold oneself in this fire. Tapas then also implies the heat of desire for truth, for self realisation, for liberation required to keep stepping into the fire.
4. Svadyaha (Self-inquiry)
As i have already expressed svadyaha is seen and required in each of the eight limbs. To do any action, be it a spiritual practice or something mundane without svadyaha is to be asleep in the dream. Svadyaha is the light that illumines our life wherever we shine it. Practicing and developing self-awareness is what transforms the eight limbs from a set of rigid rules into principles for living that can be applied with appropriateness to the moment.
Svadyaha is also the keyhole in the door that forms the veil of separation. It is also part of the key itself made up of the alive and vibrant totality that the eight limbs form in it’s light.
5. Isvarapranidhama. (Surrender)
In christianity isvarapranidhama is expressed as "thy will be done’. When the egoic mind has been tempered through living and deepening the yamas and niyamas and other limbs, space opens in us to feel and perceive the movement within life that is beyond our personal thoughts and desires. We begin to connect to the presence of the Divine and feel it’s movement around us and through us.
Isvarapranidhama, is a journey in itself, a broad threshold of subtler and subtler letting go. Yet it to is present and developed in each of the eight limbs.
I hope by now it is becoming apparent that in a holistic, even holographic way, each of the limbs and their aspects is in some way present within all the others. Rather than a series of stepping stones there are like a tapestry woven together, each requiring and supporting the others.
“Living Liberation - Meditation Training, and so much more" "It changed my life"Find out more
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! Scroll Down to leave a Comment
Related posts:
- The Paths Of Yoga Explained Primarily there are four paths of Yoga, they are:...
[...] posts:Eight Limbs Of Yoga- 3 Asana The practice of asanas is the aspect of yoga that…Eight Limbs Of Yoga- 2 Niyamas Like the Yamas, there are five Niyamas. Direct translation of…Eight Limbs Of Yoga 7- Dhyana With [...]
[...] viewsWho Was Krishnamacharya? – 343 viewsWhat Is Meditation? – 342 viewsWhat Is Karma? – 339 viewsEight Limbs Of Yoga- 2 Niyamas – 326 viewsEight Limbs Of Yoga- 4 Pranayama – 326 viewsWho’s ‘I’ Is It Anyway? – 319 [...]
[...] Eight Limbs of Yoga 2 Niyamas Ray Baskerville is a gifted healer “The most powerful energy work I’ve experienced. It works!” M Dales. Find out more May special- 1 free session with a pack of 3 or 6 [...]