Niyama is a Sanskrit word meaning rules or laws.
These are the rules prescribed for personal observance. Like the five
yamas, the Niyamas are not exercises or actions to be simply studied.
They represent far more than an attitude. Compared with the yamas, the
Niyamas are more intimate and personal. They refer to the attitude we
adopt toward ourselves.
Sauca
The first Niyama is sauca, cleanliness. Sauca has both an inner and an
outer aspect. Outer cleanliness simply means keeping ourselves clean.
Inner cleanliness has as much to do with the healthy, free functioning
of our bodily organs as with the clarity of our mind. Practicing asanas
or pranayama are essential means for attending to this inner sauca.
Samtosa
Another Niyama is samtosa, modesty and the feeling of being content
with what we have. Literally the word means happiness. There are
occasions we work hard to get something. We get very disappointed when
we don't get it. Some people will get into extreme depression as a
result. Some people may even contemplate suicide in extreme cases. We do
these things because we do not have the discipline of being content with
what we have. We should accept that there is a purpose for everything -
yoga calls it karma. In 'Celestine Prophecy', James Redfield calls this
synchronicity. The real meaning of samtosa is 'to accept what happens'.
God has a plan. Christians prays, 'Thy will be done.' Accept what God
has given us with humility and happiness. Be happy with what we have
rather than being unhappy about what we don't have.
A commentary on the Yoga Sutra says: "Contentment counts for more
than all sixteen heavens together." Instead of complaining about
things that go wrong, we can accept what has happened and learn from
them. Samtosa encompasses our mental activities such as study, our
physical efforts, and even how we earn our living. It is about
ourselves-what we have and how we feel about what God has given us. It
is about our whole outlook on life. Do we look at a cup as half empty or
as half full?
Tapas
Tapas refers to the activity of keeping the body fit or to confront and
handle the inner urges without outer show. Literally it means to heat
the body and, by so doing, to cleanse it. Behind the notion of tapas
lies the idea that we can get rid of the rubbish in our body. Asanas and
pranayama are tools we can use to keep ourselves healthy. Another form
of tapas is paying attention to what we eat. Eating when we are not
hungry is the opposite of tapas. Attention to body posture, attention to
eating habits, attention to breathing patterns-these are all tapas that
help to prevent the buildup of rubbish in the body, including excess
weight and shortness of breath. Tapas makes the whole body fit and well
functioning. It gives us the discipline of developing healthy eating
habits and prevents us from getting high cholesterol, high blood
pressure and heart diseases.
Svadhyaya
The fourth Niyama is Svadhyaya. Sva means "self' or "belonging
to me." Adhyaya means "inquiry" or "examination".
The word Svadhyaya literally means, "to get close to something."
It means to get close to yourself, that is, to study yourself. It could
also mean meditation or contemplation. It teaches us to be centered and
non-reactive to the dualities, to burn out unwanted and destructive
tendencies.
All learning, all reflection, all contact that helps you to learn more
about yourself is svadhyaya. In the context of the Niyama the term is
often translated as "the study of ancient texts." Yes, yoga
does instruct us to read the ancient texts because we cannot always just
sit down and contemplate things. We need reference points. The world is
changing fast around us. We can read the Bible or a book on spiritual
healing or one that is of personal significance or the Yoga Sutra.
According to the Yoga Sutra, as we progress in our self-examination, we
will gradually find a link with the divine laws and with the prophets
who revealed them. And since mantras are often recited for this purpose,
we sometimes find svadhyaya translated as "the repetition of
mantras."
Isvarapranidhana
Isvarapranidhana means "to lay all your actions at the feet of
God." It is the contemplation on God (Isvara) in order to become
attuned to god and god's will. We should accept the fact that we will
not always get everything we want. Sometimes we get disappointed. Things
do go wrong. This is the reason why samtosa (modesty) is so important.
We have done our share. We have done the best we could under the
circumstances. We can leave the rest to a higher power.
