The introduction and integration of instant gratification into mainstream culture is conditioning our society to prioritize activities that bring instantaneous rewards – social media, pornography, fast food, fast fashion, etc.
The value of hard work, discipline and commitment to a goal is being lost.
Thousands of years ago, Sage Patanjali enumerated the 8 limbs of yoga. In this blog post, we’ll explore the five niyamas (self-conduct) as the second limb of yoga and see what gifts it has in store for us.
Table of Contents
What are the Eight Limbs of Yoga?
yama niyama–asana pranayama pratyahara dharana dhyana samadhayo-‘stavangani
|2.29| Patanjali Yoga Sutras
Restraint, observance, postures, regulation of breath, substitute food for the mind, ability of the mind to focus, meditation and higher states of consciousness are eight limbs of yoga.
The limbs of yoga develop together; similar to how pulling one leg of a chair results in the entire chair coming toward you, when you practice one limb of yoga, the other limbs begin to develop as well.
The Goal of Yoga
Before we dive into the five niyamas and their purpose, let’s understand yoga.
The word yoga comes from the root word yuj in Sanskrit. Yuj means union between the body, breath and mind. It is when we come into that union that we experience all the wonderful benefits of yoga.
Besides what is already commonly understood about yoga, here are some of the lesser-known facts about the practice:
- Yoga is a spiritual practice.
- Yoga brings your body, mind and soul into harmony.
- Yoga helps you find purpose, peace of mind and deeper meaning in life.
- Yoga helps you heal, burns your karmas and takes you toward moksha or spiritual enlightenment.
The goal of yoga is to eliminate pain and suffering from your life, empower you, and bring you home to your Self.
The Role of the Five Niyamas in Yoga
The five niyamas are observances of certain principles.
The practice of yoga frees you from the maya of the outer world and reconnects you with your inner world. This is a journey of many lifetimes and by training your mind to observe the five niyamas, the journey will become easier.
Why Practice the Five Niyamas?
For the yogi pursuing moksha or anyone pursuing a life of purpose, peace of mind, and deeper meaning, there will be many obstacles on the path to success.
To prevent yourself from burning out, falling prey to frustration, and giving up, the five niyamas are essential. These personal observances help to protect your mind from its own negative tendencies.
sa tu dīrgha kāla nairantarya satkārā sevito dṛḍhabhūmi
|1.14| Patanjali Yoga Sutras
That (practice) becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and with deep devotion.
Here, Sage Patanjali shares that for the practice of yoga to be effective, one must practice for a long period of time, consistently, without a break, and with honour for the practice.
Observance of the five niyamas will keep you grounded and steady on the path of yoga so you can continue moving forward despite the nine obstacles that may come up.
Shoucha (cleanliness and purity)
Yoga philosophy emphasizes maintaining cleanliness and purity in body, speech and mind with the most important aspect being purity in the mind.
It is easy to shower regularly and wear clean clothes. It’s harder to keep your speech sweet and truthful. It’s even harder to keep your mind free from negativity.
However, the real fruits of this niyama show up when you can free your mind from negative thoughts.
The state of your mind reflects in the state of your environment. You must have seen spaces that are spotless and spaces that could use a little love. Why the difference? The difference is in the state of mind of the owner of each space.
We maintain our environment in the way we’re most comfortable and that is a direct reflection of our inner state. Internal purity shines through to the world in who we are and in everything we do.
By committing to saucha as we walk the path of yoga, we save ourselves from tamas and create space for internal and external purity will grow.
Santosha (contentment and happiness)
Santosha or contentment has been given as an observance or one of the five niyamas. Here, santosha asks us to practice happiness rather than seek it externally.
In a world that is constantly seeking instant gratification, santosha allows us to disengage from the search for more – more happiness, more stimulation, more productivity, more speed, more luxury – and take a deep breath of fresh air.
By realizing that you are the source of your happiness, you free yourself from countless, unnecessary, worldly pursuits. Whether you have everything you could possibly want or next to nothing, you will not be happy until you decide to be happy.
This niyama asks us to practice contentment and decide that regardless what society, our family or our neighbours say, we have enough.
Observing santosha frees us from rajas and creates space in our lives for pursuing the highest.
Tapaha (forbearance)
Tapah is forbearance – the ability to forebear undesirable circumstances.
Life is full of ups and downs. It won’t always be smooth sailing and this niyama asks us to take everything in stride and keep moving forward.
Tapas or tapah can also be translated as penance.
We do penance for our own benefit. For example, we fast for various reasons, we train rigorously for competitions, we study before exams, we practice countless hours to master any craft. This is tapas.
The reward of our tapas is not immediate – it generally comes after a long period of consistent practice, without a break, done with love.
That sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Like this, your practices and the difficulties in life should be faced with the attitude that this is my tapas and come what may, I will go through it with a smile. Nothing in life is permanent, and this too shall pass.
This attitude gives us the strength to move through difficult situations when they arise.
Tapas shifts your focus from immediate satisfaction to long term benefits and raises the sattva in you.
Swadhyaaya (Self-study)
Swadhyaaya, or self-study, is the study of yourself and the study of the Self.
The Self is known to you by many different names: the universe, the Divine, the higher consciousness, the cosmic intelligence, God, Om, Jesus, Allah, Waheguru, etc.
Swadhyaaya is done in two ways: study of scriptures and texts in which the Self is described and direct experience of the Self. When you practice yoga with awareness and experience stillness in meditation, you are directly experiencing the Self.
Experiences of the Self trickle down through the panchakosha or the layers of the Self and help you burn through negativity and karmic blockages in the system.
Ishwara Pranidhana (surrender)
Ishwara pranidhana is letting go and surrendering.
We go through life thinking we’re the ones responsible for everything in our lives. Ishwara pranidhana invites us to let go of this idea and recognize that there is a higher power at play.
Gurudev says we’re not in control of our breath, our hunger, how much we need to sleep or even the thoughts that come into our minds. If we’re not even in control of these basic functions, is there anything that we’re in control of?
The answer is no.
There is a higher intelligence that is orchestrating everything in our lives. Acceptance of this fact allows us to fully surrender our thoughts, our desires, our emotions, and all the things in our lives that bring us pain and suffering.
Leaving it in the hands of the Divine brings you unparalleled inner freedom and allows you to act from a space of innocence and hope. Ishwara pranidhana allows you to be fresh and new at every moment like the water in a river.
Practice of the Five Niyamas
The five niyamas are observances or attitudes that you should adopt on the path of yoga. They teach you how to manage the negative tendencies of the mind that arise when unfavourable events happen in life.
Observing the five niyamas in parallel with your asana and meditation practice will help erase self-limiting beliefs, release stress and free your mind from negativity.
Your body and mind will become stronger, and you’ll gain the courage and endurance required to continue walking this path.
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