Most of us in the West have heard of the Ten Commandments. If you’re a yogi, you probably also know about the five yamas and the five niyamas. If you don’t, they are the principles the yogic sage Patanjali gave yogis as a guide for right living; think of them as the ten commandments for … [Read more…]
Of all the yogic principles, the fifth yama — aparigraha (non-possessiveness)—is often the most challenging for me. It’s also the most powerful; when I’m able to practice it, my life improves dramatically! If you’re familiar with the yamas and niyamas, you know they are guidelines for yogic living. I sometimes think of them as the … [Read more…]
As we tap into the fire of tapas and learn more about ourselves through the practice of self-study, we begin to strip away layers of ego. Eventually, we reach a point beyond our intellect, and at that point, we need faith to go any further. This is the fifth niyama, called ishwara-pranidhana. The fifth niyama is … [Read more…]