Yoga Lifestyle Tips - The Niyamas

Some people may wonder, how does doing stretches and exercises in yoga affect the rest of my life? If you are interested and willing to learn more about yoga, you will realize that every part of the practice is applicable to every part of life. What is especially helpful is looking at the whole picture of yoga and not just the physical aspect. So we come to the whole "tree" of the yoga lifestyle. We talked about the first limb called the Yamas, last month. This month we will look at Niyamas. The first limb has to with social disciplines, the second has to do with individual disciplines. The Niyamas give us things to work on our selves which means there is no delay, no excuses! Dive in and give them a try and see what you come up with.

The Niyamas:

Saucha - cleanliness - this is most likely a no-brainer. Taking care of your own health is a huge part of a yoga lifestyle and a huge part of any lifestyle that aims to bring happiness and well-being. So keep your body clean with good, natural foods, clean your teeth well, clean your body well, keep your room and your environment clean, and use natural cleaners for your home. You can make your own products for pretty much everything these days - there is tons of information out there. Or, supporting someone who makes homemade soaps or cosmetics for example is a great way to practice the yama of non-harming (not giving your support to big companies who pollute the earth, pay horrible wages, and do animal testing). If you are wondering how a clean room or house will make your life more "yogic" then just notice how it feels when you are in a cluttered, dusty room, in comparison to when you are in a spacious, clean room. Does it not feel more relaxing? Like you have the room to breathe and to think? Our environment plays a big role in how we are feeling, and sometimes it can mirror our state of mind. The releasing of old patterns of negativity or unhappiness can be kick started with the releasing of actual old junk or unneeded items in your immediate surroundings. Even the very act of cleaning your body can become a daily practice in letting go of stress or unwanted energies from your self. Try making your shower or bath a moving meditation where you feel the water and soap washing away anything that is bothering you.  

Santosha - contentment - sounds nice doesn't it? Contentment. Wouldn't it be loverly (my fair lady anyone?) to have your life just as you wish it could be and then you could be happy - content. This is not what this niyama is about. In yoga, your contentment is within your grasp and within your control. It is not something you have to long for. Santosha means you actively choose contentment. Basically, it's the old "think positive" advice. But as cliche as it may seem, it's absolutely worth it. If a person looks at any part of their life and looks for what is ALREADY there that makes them happy, then they can feel content whenever they choose! It is a discipline, yes. It is very easy to focus on all the stuff that sucks. But that's just because it is a habit. Somewhere along the way we get into a habit of talking and thinking about the stuff in ourselves and our lives that make us unhappy. The good news is habits can be broken. It takes effort. Consciously CHOOSING to think about and talk about the things that make us happy will naturally bring us contentment. Give it a try, but don't expect overnight results. Be patient but persistent.

Tapas - heat - how can heat be part of a lifestyle? Heat is the fire that keeps our engines going. It is the passion in your soul, it is the driving force that will carry you forward. Heat is so important in the practice of yoga. For one - it is the sweat we generate in our bodies when we exert ourselves in poses and sequences. More so, it is the fire of breath. Breathing exercises in yoga are the ultimate fire -stokers. When we take control over our breath, our life force, we give fuel to our internal fire. Our internal fire helps keep our digestion and metabolism functioning well, but it also gives us the energy to persevere in our journeys. Tapas can also be interpreted as discipline. Anytime we buckle down and put our minds to a task, we are using discipline. Self-discipline may not sound very fun or relaxing but it is absolutely essential for bringing about change and growth. If we were complacent with ourselves and our lives and never got fired up to do anything we would become lifeless, lusterless, uninteresting blobs of people. We need our heat, our discipline, to take us beyond our so-called limitations. Tapas takes us through discomfort and brings us to the otherside, where we find strength, courage and wisdom. 

Svadhyaya - study of self and scriptures - Know thyself. Read books. This niyama may be a tough one for some. What scriptures are we supposed to be reading? I believe that is completely up to you, but as an avid supporter of reading, I would encourage anyone to study whatever scriptures you can. I believe that the more a person reads, and the more varied their reading material, the greater their humanity. Learning about ideas and thoughts from a variety of times and places and viewpoints is priceless in it's ability to expand one's mind and bring about compassion. Through studying what others of shared, one can begin to make informed thoughts of their own to share. Beyond reading, however, taking the time to study yourself is an important, on-going task. You are your own universe within the universe. You perceive the world through your body, your senses, your brain, and your spirit. You interact with the world in the same way. Being on this planet without taking the time to study yourself and be with yourself would be a huge waste of time. To study yourself, you can try taking an objective approach. Observe yourself as often as possible. Be prepared to recognize not only your good qualities, but also your shortcomings. When you can see yourself as a true whole, you can make choices and take actions that will take you closer and closer to your authentic self. The self you have inside of you that is already waiting to be unleashed. The self that is full of energy, love, and possibility. 

Ishvara Pranidhana - study of or surrender to divine - for anyone who is religious this may come naturally. This idea that we are not alone and that we are all connected through a divine consciousness that guides and protects us. Giving into this idea may not come as easily for others. When things can go so badly and there can be so much hurt in the world, how can there be any divinity? One way of looking at this niyama is taking a smaller step - perhaps studying those who are happy and well. What I mean is, how about start with learning about the people who are/were enlightened. Whether it's historical figures or someone you happen to know who exudes alot of peace and harmony. Study them. What are their views, their practices? I remember my psychology professor telling our class how interesting it would be to begin expanding the field of positive psychology. If you have ever taken a psychology course, there are dozens and dozens and dozens of studies on criminal minds, violent minds, psychopathic minds, broken minds, sick minds. That's interesting and possibly necessary. But why are we harping on this field to the exclusion of studying happy minds, peaceful minds, enlightened minds? That question really stuck with me, and when I came across the teachings of yoga and this niyama, it made alot of sense. Studying any divinity we can find in this world can go a long way towards giving into the idea that it exists! Whatever your word for the divine, whatever story line you follow, the idea that there is a loving energy that we are a part of, is one that can be truly uplifting. 

Looking at Yama

A new day, a new year, that could seem the same as any old day, any old year. What is the big deal? Well, there is none unless you want it to be so. I am choosing to use the number on the calendar as a catalyst for focus and direction. As 2014 begins today, I am going back to the beginning of my yoga practice. Today is the first, so I begin at looking at the first limb of the eight-limb path of yoga.

In the ancient text "Yoga Sutras" by the sage Patanjali, the yoga lifestyle is outlined into eight parts or limbs. I enjoy the term limb here because it seems too simple and linear to describe yoga like a magazine article "8 Amazing Ways to Get the True You!" Eight limbs imply that each is a branch that is part of one whole tree. Which is much more accurate to the reality of life and living. Everything is interconnected. Practicing any part of yoga helps enhance the whole "tree".

Yamas- or social disciplines/ethics, are the first limb. Goodness knows the world needs more people to stop and reflect on ethics, let alone make the step to putting them into practice. As I always say to myself and anyone who will listen - just by practicing yoga and developing yourself, you do the whole world a favour!
There are five in the Yoga Sutras and they are as follows:

ahimsa - non-violence
satya - truthfulness
asteya - non-stealing
brahmacharya -  restraint
aparigraha - non-coveting

Fairly straight forward, but of course they are quite open to interpretation. What I like to do is first find a way to apply them to my practice of yoga on a mat. It would be pretty general to say, all these things are good in daily life and wouldn't the world be a better place etc etc. But if we all know that then why aren't we all doing it? Okay, there's probably lots of reasons but the point I'm trying to get at it is - we don't take time to PRACTICE. In the same way we learn skills through practice, we can learn behaviour and even thought through practice. By setting aside the time and energy to actively work on developing these five yamas we will be more likely to draw upon them in day to day situations. It's training. For the body, mind and spirit. Tadaa!

Non-violence on the mat can be applied in the way that you choose to treat your body during your yoga practice. If you are someone who wants to be better and better and gets there by pushing against your body's natural resistances with force, then you are actually doing violence to yourself. This is where we also use satya, truthfulness. If you are truthful with yourself about your current capabilities then you will know that it would be violent to force your way past. For example, imagine a person in a simple seated forward fold where the hamstrings and back are not yet flexible enough to allow them to reach their toes. They lie to themselves and say, yes I can if I pull really hard and force myself! This person is risking putting pressure on the lower spine which could lead to a slipped disk if repeated over and over. The reason for this person to even want to force themselves to reach their toes could be a lack of the fifth yama: non-coveting. See how it's all connected? Perhaps this person has seen pictures of other people in deep forward folds and covets that image or that body, wishing it were theirs.

Non-stealing is a bit harder to apply to just a person on a mat, but perhaps it could creep in when practicing with a group of people and being ethically strong enough to not steal from anyone else in anyway. Whether stealing a belonging, or an idea, or their sense of personal space.

Brahmacharya, restraint, is one of the yamas that is most open to interpretation since it has been referred to as sexual restraint. As soon as sex enters the conversation there tends to be some extremes in opinion, but the wonderful thing about yoga again - is that it's for YOU. If you feel strongly about something and having complete restraint or no restraint feels wrong to you then, you are in control of your own self and can choose to decide what is best. While I believe that sex is a hugely important in being part of this world, it still is another thing that we can use for our betterment or our downfall. Therefore it should be approached with full awareness. Restraint doesn't have to be just about sex as well. I see it as another way of saying: moderation in all things. Or just don't get so caught up in anything that causes you to lose yourself.

So the next time you practice try watching out for at least one of these yamas and you may find that a few others come into play. Observe and experience.

Happy New Year!