By Raquel Issenberg
The journey of self-awareness, preparedness, and growth follows a non-linear path. As we navigate through life, we find ourselves repeatedly returning to our profound insights, embracing new states of being along the way.
Yoga's overarching purpose is to free us from physical, mental, and spiritual discomfort. Interestingly, many of us embark on this journey with a limited understanding of the underlying causes of our disconnection. This superficial awareness is, in fact, a common blindspot along the path to discovering our life purpose, or dharma.
From a philosophical perspective, yoga's ultimate objective is the union of body and mind, culminating in samadhi—a focused state of mind that leads to pure consciousness. In our pragmatic lives, what we usually want from yoga is to improve our health, and foster more calmness into balance.
How can we begin? Our suggestion is to "attend a yoga class." However, postural yoga serves as just one avenue. As you cultivate a more profound connection with your body, you will enhance mental clarity. Consider this approach as one of many to kindle an awareness of the origins of our discomfort. By clearing our thoughts, we lay the groundwork for personal growth.
As you might be familiar with, the Yoga Sutras outline an eight-step path known as The Eight Limbs of Yoga, with the initial focus directed towards the mind through the first two steps: Yamas and Niyamas.
Patanjali, the sage who compiled these ancient texts, revealed a more accessible approach for yoga practitioners, introducing two sets of restraints and observances designed to "weed out" our thoughts.
The thread that consecutively weaves together Non-Violence, Truthfulness, Non-Stealing, Abstinence, and Non-Possessiveness is almost seamless. These are the five restraints (Yamas) to consider to clear our path of tall weeds:
Non-Violence (Ahimsa) = The point of departure for all the Yamas and Niyamas is always Ahimsa. We practice non-animosity toward all living beings, including ourselves. Violence starts with self-talk and as the spectrum expands, it ends in physical harm and spiritual emptiness.
Truthfulness (Satya) = If we get caught up in violence, we eventually end up lying about our inadequacies, therefore we compromise the truth. We practice Satya to keep our destructive tendencies in check.
Non-Stealing (Asteya) = When we are constantly lying to ourselves and others, we’re prone to claim things that aren’t ours. Even appropriating time, joy, and peace from others, is considered a form of stealing.
Abstinence (Brahmacharya) = As we start behaving recklessly, we can obsess with pleasure and the false comfort that this brings to our spiritual void. We can practice Brahmacharya as a way of not getting caught up in conflictive or addictive behaviors.
Non-Possessiveness (Aparigraha) = Finally, if we are stuck in an obsession with one or many pleasures, we tend to grasp onto worldly possessions. We practice Aparigraha to break this chain of suffering caused by a feeling of “lacking”, which started back with Himsa (violence).
As we bring more clarity into our journey circling back and forth, we start noticing glimpses of wellbeing. We now feel ready to pursue Purity, Contentment, Austerity, Self-Study, and Surrender to Ishvara (Higher Power/Higher Self). These are the five observances (Niyamas), the sweet yet powerful habits to nourish harmony in our minds:
Purity (Saucha) = Our cleanliness is external and internal. From the physical space we live in to the inner space that feeds our body, thoughts and feelings, we purify ourselves with our daily routines.
Contentment (Santosha) = As we self-care and continue de-weeding our thoughts, we begin to be mentally and emotionally aware of the fulfillment we carry inside. One of the simplest ways to practice Santosha is to be happy with what we have, finding our security and comfort within.
Austerity (Tapas) = As we nurture our mental patterns with contentment, we are ready to bring “heat” into our practice with deliberate intention. In our everyday affairs, as well as with our postural yoga, breathwork, and meditation, we build Tapas by engaging with joy and effortless effort.
Self-Study (Svadhyaya) = After strengthening our intentions, we have prepared the ground for self-inquiry. Yogic tradition suggests the study of ancient scripture and mantra, but we can also practice Svadhyaya with a regular self-inventory of our desires, patterns, and actions.
Surrender to Ishvara (Ishvarapranidhana) = Reinforced with self-study, we then deepen our awareness of a higher reality that is ever-present. Yogic tradition refers to Ishvara as an omniscient divine force, the representation of a Higher Consciousness, Higher Self, or Higher Power.
In simple words, we move through consciousness from asana -postural yoga- into samadhi -meditation-. This is the way of the ancient yogi and the modern yogi, even if we don’t consider ourselves to be one. In reality, postural yoga and meditation are not required to be rewarded by the practice of the Yamas and Niyamas.
As we clear our thoughts by exploring restraints and observances, and prepare our bodies by trying out the remaining Eight Limbs of Yoga, we will continue to circle back to step one in order to embrace new meanings.
Remember, growth isn’t linear. Higher learning always moves back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And acknowledging this process is the wellspring of self-awareness, and peace of mind.
Sources:
• “The Practice of the Yoga Sutra: Sadhana Pada” by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD
• “The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”, by Alistair Shearer
It all starts within
“If you are truly installed in the principle of non-violence, the feeling of animosity in those around you will vanish.”.— Pandit Rajmani Tingunait’s commentary on the Yoga Sutras (2:34).
