Niyama in yoga and its 5 parts
Niyama in yoga are the guidelines and duties of healthy living and a liberated state of the soul. Niyama is a Sanskrit word and when translated it means rules and Niyama in yoga are the rules of the life by which one should live. When one follows the saying of Niyama in yoga they get the satisfaction of the soul which is extremely hard to achieve otherwise.
There are a total of 5 Niyama in yoga. Let us look at all those Niyama in yoga in detail:
Sauch
Sauch means cleanliness. This Niyama in yoga is all about cleanliness and clearness. It means the purity of both the mind and body. The mind is our inner self and is the first part of the process of Sauch. While the second is the body and is our external self by which we interact with the world.
Our outer body needs to be cleaned as well as our surroundings. Clean body and clean surroundings are the first aspects of healthy living. When the body and surroundings are unclean, it becomes the host of various diseases and conditions. However, when the environment and surroundings are cleaned the disease cannot exist there.
A clean mind is also as important as a clean body. When the mind is not clean it becomes host to various negative thoughts and feelings. Some thoughts and emotions are very harmful to one’s very existence so one needs to follow the rules of Sauch.
Santosha
Santosha means satisfaction. This Niyama in yoga is all about getting happy with what one has. Human beings have endless desires and wishes. No matter who they are and in what position they are, their needs and desire are never going to get settled. A person may either be extraordinarily rich or extremely poor, they have a good life with basic needs or not, it does not matter most are not satisfied.
Santosha Niyama in yoga, tells everyone to be satisfied with what they have. Yes, one needs to always try to be their better self and strive for excellence. However, one also needs to be satisfied with what one has.
Tapas
Tapas means self-discipline. This Niyama in yoga is all about living in the discipline. Discipline is another thing that sets humans apart from everyone. Animals can be trained to be disciplined, through fear and other means. However, they will never be in discipline to obtain something more or to get near to their soul, that is only what humans can do and that is what makes them very much special.
One needs to set boundaries and discipline themselves to achieve great things. Tapas in simple terms means austerity. May it be from sexual pleasure, or through the path of rejecting the world and material environment, the path is paved towards freedom and finding one’s greater self. Tapas Niyama in yoga assembles spiritual power through the process of austere. When all of the distractions are rejected and only focused on the soul, the one thing that truly matters wonders happens.
Svadhyaya
Svadhyaya means self-reflection. This Niyama in yoga is all about learning about yourself. The world is very big and mysterious, there are wonders and magic in every part of the world. It is amazing how much there are. However, while looking at the vastness and everything about the world we forget to see ourselves. The eyes and the body that are watching and experiencing this vast and entire world are also as worthy and amazing as the world which deserves knowing, studying and reflection.
We are a soul that is living in this body. Most of us think that we are body and experience the world through it, trying to figure out the world. However, we also need to figure out ourselves and that is what Niyama in yoga tells. When one closes their eyes to the world then they see themselves, the real them which is hidden from the world even themselves. One can meditate, think about their actions, practice yoga to self-reflect.
Ishvarapranidhana
Ishvarapranidhana means to surrender to higher power or Ishvara. This Niyama in yoga is about giving yourself to the almighty. Here higher power means Para Brahma who is the source of everything. By everything, it means the source of all of the life, non-living, living everything is Para Brahma. Even we are all part of the eternal soul.
Eternal peace and eternal bliss are only obtained when one truly connects with Parabrahma. We all have the fragment of God inside of us but without realizing it and working we are never going to activate the connection. Ishvarapranidhana Niyama in yoga tells the way to surrender oneself to the higher power and make the way to bliss.
There are various questions regarding what or who is Ishvara. Ishvara depends upon the individual. Meaning that Ishvara is not a specific god or entity, they can be anyone with a personal connection to the individual.