The word Isvara is most commonly translated as God. But the meaning is simply something bigger than ourselves: a higher power or higher self; divine or universal energy, collective consciousness or nature.

Leaving aside Isvara, I think that it’s Pranidhara that is the essence of this niyama, of yoga and of life itself. It can be translated as surrender, or devotion or more broadly as letting go, opening, accepting. In yoga we can practice surrendering in the flow of a sun salutation, accepting where we are in each asana and letting go of the ego involved in wanting to be better.

Off the mat, surrendering, letting go and accepting is not to say that we just give up and make no effort. It is more that we do our best but let go of expectations, of attachment to the outcome. We can see all our actions as a practice of devotion – to a higher power, to our true self or to humanity as a whole.

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Self-study is a two-pronged method. As well as studying self, with a small ‘s’, through all these thoughts and emotions we are also encouraged to seek the Self with a big ‘S’. To connect directly to the divine and recognise our true Self – that which is beyond the mind, the ego and the limited sense of self.

The other translation of Svadhyaya is said to be studying the scriptures. And you are making progress just by reading this interpretation of the fourth niyama! Along with the Yoga Sutras, other texts often studied are the Bhagavad Gita and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. These guides to living are as relevant today as when they were written. There are also many contemporary writers that can help with self exploration and Self-study – Ekhart Tolle, The Dali Lama and recently departed Dr Wayne Dyer.

Another path is to find a practical approach that works for you. Maybe consider a yoga teacher training course or a retreat. These are excellent ways to combine all the aspects of self-study. As well as absorbing new information you observe yourself on and off the mat and, most significantly, the intense practice of asana, mediation and pranayama opens a connection to the Self.

What does Svadhyaya mean to you – on and off the mat? Join in the conversation on facebook or email us.

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“Only when a correct method is cultivated continuously over a long period of time with total wholehearted devotion does the practice becomes strong and well established’, or as Pattabi Jois said – ‘Practice, practice, practice’.

Important for the yogi is self- discipline in maintaining a sattvic diet, surrounding yourself with positive influences from friends to films; employment and entertainment; nurturing and nourishing the body, mind, spirit and spending time in nature.
The more literal translation of Tapas is ‘heat’ or ‘fire’ or ‘ to burn’ and in this sense we practice asana, pranayama and meditation to burn off impurities. Impurities can occur in the body, the mind or energetically. Tapas can help us to cultivate a burning desire for spiritual progress, to create a fiery passion for transformation and to proceed on the path with willingness, enthusiasm and self discipline.

What does tapas mean to you – on and off the mat? Join in the conversation on facebook or email us.

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“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” – Lao Tzu

We continue our journey through the 8 limbs of yoga with the second of the niyamas, santosha.

Santosha means contentment. While the translation is a simple one to grasp, the practice of santosha is a challenge for many in today’s world. In the yoga context, contentment refers to detaching from our desires and cultivating an inner peace and joy that is not dependent on what is happening in our lives.

In Patanjali’s yoga sutras, attachment is often referred to as the basis of our unhappiness and discontent in life. It seems we are all on a search for happiness yet in our yoga study, we are reminded that happiness is not a ‘thing’ to attain. We can’t buy happiness or find it through the next job or a better relationship. Happiness is about finding contentment in the now. That is santosha. It’s letting go of striving for what you don’t have and accepting with joy what you do. Santosha is a peace inside that doesn’t change regardless of what is happening externally.

Mindfulness – the practice of conscious attention on the present without judgment – is the key to santosha. When we are not projecting into the future about what we want to happen, what we want to do or have; and when we are not dwelling in the past on what we should have done differently, we find contentment with what is right now.

On the mat, santosha sees us welcome a range of asana that includes those we enjoy and those that challenge us. We accept the feelings that arise in the body and mind during asana practice and detach from the outcome of the poses. Be reminded of santosha next time your body doesn’t go into a pose the way you would like it to.

3 tips to practicing santosha in daily life:

1. Get mindful: notice the times you are ‘living’ in the future or the past and bring your conscious awareness to what you are doing in this moment.

2. Meditate: daily meditation – in whatever form that is for you – helps bring the mind into the now and find contentment in the present.

3. Get grateful: when you find yourself pining for what you don’t have, stop and focus on something you do have in your life that you are grateful for. It’s impossible to be discontent when you are truly grateful. Start a gratitude journal and capture each day three things you are grateful for in your life.

What does santosha mean to you – on and off the mat? Join in the conversation on facebook or email us.

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“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves.” – Mahatma Gandhi

As our journey through the 8 limbs of yoga continues, we arrive at the second limb: the niyamas. While the yamas are about our relationship with others, the niyamas are about our relationship with our Self. The first of the five niyamas is saucha.

Saucha is the personal practice of cleanliness – of body, mind and spirit. At the physical level, saucha applies to our surroundings and environment as well as our bodies. Keeping our space (our home) and our temple (our body) pure, we are able to move closer to pure consciousness.

Observing saucha in our lives quickly brings the realisation that this is a never- ending quest. We learn that cleanliness and purity of our environment, our bodies and our minds are impermanent. Judith Hanson Lasater beautifully explains that saucha is in fact a practice, not a ‘perfect’: “Purity is the consistent and loving intention to accept our inherent goodness.”

5 simple ways to practice saucha:

1. Declutter: start with clearing and organising the desk at work, then look to declutter the whole house.

2. Eat clean: look at what you put inside your body and bring pure and nutritious foods to the menu.

3. On the mat: make a ritual of cleaning your mat following every asana practice.

4. Breathe: pranayama is a sure way to cleanse and purify within. Practice nadi shodana daily to clear the internal energy channels and cleanse the nervous system.

5. Meditate: what better way to declutter the mind than daily meditation. Practicing any form of meditation helps calm and clear the head, and gives us glimpses of pure stillness.

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