Are you a fan of New Year’s resolutions? Or maybe you have a practice of setting intentions throughout the year?
There is something so inspiring and fresh about the start of a new year. For me, it’s a great time to take inventory and get into alignment with my ideals and goals. And I know that a more regular practice of setting intentions with the New Moon helps me stay on track.
This year, I wanted to share what the process looks like for me - using the Niyamas as a guide. The Niyamas are the personal moral code of yogis. These observances or ethics help us to carry our practice off the mat and into our daily lives. Read on to learn about the five Niyamas and how I’m applying them.
Saucha: Self-Purification
Saucha implies cleanliness of the mind, body, spirit and surroundings. Saucha helps us to cultivate a purity of intent with our practices.
As my teacher Alakananda Ma always said, "efforts at self-improvement rooted in self-hatred are rarely successful". When we come to our yoga mats or our self-care practices with an intention of self-love, it permeates our actions and yields a much greater result.
You can practice saucha with your morning routine by rinsing cold water on the face and eyes, using a neti pot to cleanse the nasal passages, tongue scraping and taking a shower or bath.
You can practice saucha with your asana, pranayama and meditation practices to remove impurities from the body and mind. Journaling is a great way to process emotions and promote saucha in your emotional space
Saucha can be applied to diet by eating freshly prepared foods and organic when possible. And of course tidying and cleaning your surroundings cultivates a flow of energy, space and a feeling a mental peace. Anyone else been on a Marie Kondo spree since the holidays?
Santosha: Contentment
Santosha or satisfaction is especially helpful for your inner critic. Where my enneagram 1s and 3s at? 👋🏻
How often do you tell yourself good job? How often do you feel satisfied with your self, appearance, work, life, etc.?
Contentment does not equal complacency but an appreciation for what is. *Ahem* exactly as it is.
This time of year it's easy to get caught in a tornado of self-improvement - no judgement, I'm right there with you! But SPOILER ALERT - if you're dissatisfied with your life, then losing 5 lbs or clicking 'buy now' won't actually change that.
So what is the solution?
Notice - what is the intention behind your actions?
Reflect - what parts of yourself, the situation, etc. do you find difficult to appreciate?
Practice - self-compassion & loving kindness
The magic happens when you aren't attached to the results of your actions but instead, do things because you enjoy the process of doing them! As a recovering perfectionist, I feel you that THIS IS HARD and that's why it's a practice.
Tapas: Self-Discipline
Sometimes translated as austerity or burning enthusiasm, tapas is quite literally, doing the work.
Fire has the power to transform and we can cultivate an internal fire to burn away mental, physical & karmic impurities. Intention is important here - how can we approach the work with love?
Self-discipline doesn't just happen in the gym or on your plate. You can practice tapas by going to bed early instead of watching another Netflix episode. By keeping quiet instead of gossiping. Or when you step outside of your comfort zone.
Svadhyaya: Self-Study
"Study thy self, discover the divine"
- Patanjali
Self-study or self-knowledge is the fourth Niyama. This practice helps us to distinguish the ego or small self from the true Self. The ego judges, criticizes, fears, and doubts - t is the chitta or mental chatter. The true Self is compassionate, kind and limitless.
Start to bring a loving attention to yourself and notice your thoughts. Study your breath. Feel your body.
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the Self”
– The Bhagavad Gita
Ishvara Pranidhana: Surrender
The final Niyama with good reason - if you're able to surrender yourself completely, then you've mastered the other Niyamas
We must cultivate trust in order to surrender - a deep faith in the universe . Trust that everything occurs in perfect timing.
Whether you believe in a supreme being, humanity or some force greater than yourself, do so with conviction. You can practice surrender by offering up your actions to the collective consciousness
Surrender can look like - resting, giving your best and not being attached to the results or opening to the possibility of what is.
In Ayurveda, we can surrender to the natural rhythm of life, reconnect with our intuition and embrace ourselves as we are.
I hope this reflection on the Niyamas helps to inspire your New Year’s intentions. If you feel called to do a little realignment, please join me for the 21 Day Reset starting January 11th. This free challenge will help to shift your routines, digestion and energy with purpose and gain clarity and ease.
I’d love to hear what your process looks like - tell me in the comments, what’s inspiring your year?
