BASICSThese five concepts lay out ways to act in the world.
They encourage you to contemplate how you act as an
individual, consistently.
SAUCHA
Saucha means “cleanliness.” This can mean everything from
keeping the house clean to eating pure and good foods to
freeing your life of things that do not serve you. It’s a simple
concept and one that can relate to just about every aspect
of your life.
SANTOSHA
Translated as “contentment,” santosha is all about being
happy with where you are right now. It’s still fine to have
goals, but even as you strive for them, be content with what
you have in the moment. Have aim and intention, but don’t
be fixated on the outcome.
TAPAS
Tapas means “working through the difficult things in life
in order to create change.” Sometimes in class teachers will
talk about building tapas, which can mean “heat.” This heat
is meant to create a literal change—perhaps by making you
more flexible or stronger or leaner. In the general sense,
however, it is about working through problems and find-
ing solutions. You know that saying, “What doesn’t kill you
makes you stronger”? Well, whoever came up with it might
have read a little bit about tapas.
SVADHYAYA
Svadhyaya is the act of self-study. It asks you to become your
own keeper. Through self-study you begin to learn which
tapas are good for you, which pain is going to help you grow,