The 8 Limbs of Yoga - Niyama, the 2nd Limb
The Second Limb of Yoga - The Niyamas
As we continue our journey through the Eight Limbs of Yoga, we now arrive at the Second Limb: the Niyamas.
The Niyamas reflect personal observances that guide us towards greater inner clarity, self-discipline, and spiritual connection.
While the first limb, the Yamas encouraged us to reflect on how we relate to others and the world around us, the Niyamas invite us to turn inward. They support us in cultivating a life of balance, intention, and authenticity.
A brief description of the Niyamas:
Saucha (Purity): Cleanliness in body, mind, and environment.
Practical ways to practice Saucha: Eat nourishing food, keep your space tidy and free from clutter, limit exposure to negativity, create personal boundaries.
Santosha (Contentment): The practice of finding peace in the present moment. Embracing gratitude and simplicity.
Practical ways to practice Santosha: Let go of comparison - comparison is the thief of joy, take time to notice the small things in life that bring you joy - that first sip of coffee, a smile from a stranger, a hug from a loved one.
Tapas (Discipline): The inner fire that fuels transformation. Showing up, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Practical ways to practice Tapas: Establish a daily or weekly routine and stick to it, don’t overthink it, if it’s part of your routine - just do it.
It’s so easy to make excuses not to do something that you know will help you - you let life get in the way - but Tapas is there to remind you of what’s really important.
Svadhyaya (Self-Study): Studying oneself through reflection, meditation, or sacred texts.
Practical ways to practice Svadyaya: This can be a tough one. Svadyaya means sitting with your emotions, seeing your behaviours, the uncomfortable thoughts or experiences.
It encourages us to observe our inner dialogue and learn about the patterns of our lives. What world are we unconsciously creating around us? Sit with it, feel it, acknowledge it. Sometimes it helps to write down these thoughts and feelings.
Ask reflective questions such as; who am I beyond the roles and responsibilities I have in this world?
Ishvarapranidhana (Surrender to a Higher Power): Letting go of control and trusting in something greater.
Practical ways to practice Ishvarapranidhana: Practice letting go of control in stressful situations. When you’re worrying about something, try to remember that worrying will not resolve the problem - have faith and surrender to a higher power - trust that the universe will have your back.
Take five minutes at the end of the day to meditate and visualise writing those worries down on a feather and then releasing that feather into the wind, watching it float away.
You may remember hearing mention of these during our meditations at the beginning and end of our yoga classes and some of my class themes focus on elements of the eight limbs and the Niyamas. We will continue to practice the Niyamas on the mat, but perhaps, now that you know a little more about them, you can take that practice off the mat and into your own daily lives.
These observances are not rules, but invitations, gentle yet powerful ways to align our inner lives with our deepest intentions. They remind us to live mindfully, with presence and result in so much more balance and clarity in our lives ✨
Next time, we’ll explore Asana, the 3rd Limb of yoga - the poses we practice on the mat 🧘♀️🧘♂️