And now for the NIYAMA, awakening great energy from within!
The second of the Eight Limbs of Yoga are the 5 Niyama, which have to do with self awareness and spiritual respect. Saying grace before meals or prayer before bed, developing your own personal meditation and/or yoga practice, taking contemplative walks in nature, regularly attending temple or church services, studying sacred texts and even just turning off your cell for periods of time are all examples of the Niyama in practice.
I feel such resonance with the concepts and guidance they provide.
And let me say again: while the Yama and Niyama (and the Eight Limbs) are tenets of Yoga Philosophy, which was birthed from the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, I feel such resonance with the concepts and guidance they provide. For me, they are about our spirituality, mindfulness, self-regulation, thought management and finding our inner compass . . . not about religion.
The first Niyama is SAUCHA: Purification of our body, our thoughts, and our words. Purification brings about a brighter awareness. As we purify ourselves physically and mentally, we become clearer of toxins, distractions and clutter. We gain clarity to meet each moment with integrity and freshness. Lightening the load we all carry. Marie Kondo, anyone?!
“There is a great energy that lies, mostly dormant, within each of us. This is the energy of awakening. We’ve all felt the movement of this energy at times: moments when tears silently well in our eyes; when beauty captures us in wonder; when well-being oozes from our pores; when our life force pulses like electricity making us young & vibrant; when deep wisdom bathes it’s light on our problems. These are examples of what the jewel of SAUCHA unlocks.” Deborah Adele
Our next Niyama teaches us to find the middle ground between Not Seeking, and Not Avoiding.: Santosha.
SOURCES: ‘Get to Know the Eight Limbs of Yoga’, article in Yoga Journal 2007, Mara Carrico ‘The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice’, Deborah Adele, 2009 deborahadele.com/ ‘Ten Ways to Heal Your Life’, article from Yoga Conference, 2013, Randal Williams
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