As with most of the yamas and niyamas, this week’s niyama has multiple layers of meaning. SWADHYAYA (often written as svadhyaya or svadyaya) is simply translated as self-study. It does NOT mean self-study in the egotistical sense of congratulating yourself
Tapasya – self-discipline
TAPASYA (sometimes written just as tapas) is the third of the niyamas (after saucha and santosha, and the five yamas: ahimsa, satya, asteya, brahmacharya and aparigraha). I have had a notice stuck on my fridge for eight or nine years,
Santosha – finding contentment
At first glance, SANTOSHA (contentment) sounds like a warm, fuzzy, 1970’s high-on-dope sort of virtue – like, yeah man, come sit and smoke with me and watch the world go by. However, if you’ve been with me from the beginning
Saucha – keeping it clean
Today we start on the NIYAMAS, the second of Patanjali’s eight stages or limbs, of yoga. While the yamas are about harmonising our relationships with others, the niyamas are about harmonising our relationship with ourselves. The first niyama is SAUCHA