Spiritual Journey: Niyama - The Second Limb of Yoga

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Niyamas - Personal Observances for Spiritual Growth
  1. Saucha - purity, cleanliness
  2. Santosha - contentment
  3. Tapas - heat, intense practice that leads to transformation
  4. Svadhyaya - study of the Self
  5. Ishvarapranidhana - trust, confidence, love and faith in life's creative principles, surrender to or connection with a higher being
These are qualities that when cultivated even to a small degree can result in some increase in the level of harmony in our inner lives. Rather than being a list of criteria or rules, these are qualities that yoga enables us to be comfortable with, as we feel their benefits physically, psychologically and spiritually. Through their observation positive changes in our outer lives may naturally occur. However, in order to bring the ancient wisdom of the yoga sutras to life it is necessary to simultaneously be practicing the physical side of yoga.

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