Niyamas (Internal-restraints) Ethical guidelines for the yogi pertaining to her daily activities. Observances of one’s own physical appearance, actions, words and thoughts.

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 Niyamas (Internal-restraints)

Ethical guidelines for the yogi pertaining to her daily activities. Observances of one’s own physical appearance, actions, words and thoughts.

These also are 5 in number,

Shauca (Purity):

Cleanliness, orderliness, precision, clarity, balance. Internal and external purification. Cleanliness.  

Santosa (Contentment):

Equanimity, peace, tranquility, acceptance of the way things are. Contentment.

Tapas (Heat):

Burning desire for reunion with God expressed through self-discipline, purification, willpower, austerity, and patience. Self-mortification.

Svadhyaya (Study of the Self):

Self-inquiry, mindfulness, self-study, study of the scriptures, chanting and recitation of the scriptures. Searching for the Unknown (divinity) in the Known (physical world). Scriptural Study.  

Ishvara Pranidhana (Devotional offering to the Lord):

Surrender to God, open-heartedness, love, “not my will, but Thy will be done,” willingness to serve the Lord. Surrender to God.

Relevance.  Learning the lessons of the Yamas and Niyamas is a daily one.  In particular, I have to consistently move my inner dialogue for being self-judgmental.  I can get into the mental state where I draw conclusions about myself, and my self-worth from what I have achieved (at work, at home or on the mat).  Ideally I should be able to honestly (Satya) acknowledge that I have not done by best (i.e. take responsibility), however stay present to consider and learn lessons why (but not then draw conclusions about myself for that situation).