Sherriann Melwaniis a yoga teacher
who shuttles between Hong Kong, Bali
and Singapore, and is a freelance writer
for Yoga Journal Singapore. Read about
‘Asana’ in the next edition.- Shaucha:Cleanliness
I remember a discussion about body hygiene
and cleanliness some years ago during my
first yoga training camp. We, the trainees,
were staying in a tropical jungle, and in close
proximity with each other for many hours
daily where temperatures reached the low 30s.
Hygiene wasn’t a priority for some, and due
to our constant togetherness, some tensions
flared up. My teacher approached this with
kindness and compassion. Without singling
anyone out or making anyone feel bad, he
introduced ‘Shaucha’ to us in one of our group
meetings. He encouraged us to take great
pride in the care of our physical bodies, which
he referred to as a sacred special gift and
instrument, a temple even.
Shaucha refers to personal hygiene and
purity of mind as well as keeping the external
environment around us clean. Clutter inhibits
thinking and clouds one’s concentration.
When my desk or mind is cluttered with To-
Do’s, it is difficult to concentrate on anything
else. If I try to sit down to meditate, but haven’t
finished the “laundry”, then I end up meditating
about all the “laundry” that awaits me.
However, when I do what must be done first,
I can more easily concentrate on my practice.
Shaucha also affects Santosha (contentment),
the next niyama.
2)Santhosha:Contentment
We live at a time where the mind is easily
seduced with perceived needs. We always
want more and trick ourselves to think we
need more to be content. This endless pursuit
of acquiring (clothes, approval from others,
money, followers, etc) may be stunting
personal and spiritual growth. In our attempt to
constantly fulfil our desires and needs, we miss
the opportunity to enjoy what we have at the
moment.
By relying on external stimuli to bring us
contentment, we hold ourselves back from
enjoying existing blessings in life. We cannot
enjoy the present moment as we hold deep
fears from the void, and don’t feel complete.
When the mind is fixed on cravings and
desires, we believe we can only feel happy
when all perceived needs are met, which in
itself is a trap as our needs are often endless.
This constant seeking destroys our ability to be
in the here and now. We have to learn to purify
our minds (Tapas) through self knowledge, and
this will help us realize we actually already have
all we need inside of us in order to experience
contentment.
- Tapas:Purification
While visiting the Perth Mint several years ago, I
witnessed how gold bars were made. The
goldsmith showed us the purification process:
he heated the rough gold nuggets at a very
high temperature, melting them into glowing
liquid and pouring them into a rectangular brick
cast before dipping them into cold water. What
emerged from water was a solid and pure gold
bar. The intense heat removes the impurities,
he told us.
Throughout our lives, we pick up impurities
along the way and we need to go through
“fire” or Tapas, to remind us of our pure nature.
Alistair Shearer in his translation of The Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali eloquently describes Tapas as
“a process of transmutation, an inner alchemy
that burns away the dross of imperfection”.
Detoxification of the mind and body is often
very uncomfortable, requiring much effort and
internal heat. Through hardships and successes,
opportunities to love, opportunities to be
loved, and other experiences, we gain a more
refined sense of self. A good yoga practice
eliminates toxins, and guides us towards a
strong and healthy body and mind. We shed
superficial layers as we evolve through the
ebbs and flows of life, and take our yogic
practices beyond the mat.- Svadhyaya:Self-Knowledge
I once attended a course where we were asked
to choose something from our suitcases and
place it on a table, where it would remain for
the duration of the month-long course. I chose
a small mirror as I decided to create an intention
of being able to “see” myself differently as the
training progressed. Throughout that month of
practice and my experiences, I became aware
of the masks I wore. Through awareness and
practice, I learned how to peel off the masks.
The exercise planted a deeper seed within me
about the power of ongoing self-reflection.
The true cause of pain and suffering is
one’s own ignorance of the true self. Only
light (knowledge) can remove the darkness
(ignorance). Svadhyaya means study of one’s
self, and this could be via introspection and
meditation, as well by reading sacred books,
such asThe Gita or The Yoga Sutras,or any
other text that allows you to delve deep within
yourself.5)Ishvara Pranidhana:
Surrender, DevotionThis final niyama is perhaps the essence of
yoga, because without it, we succumb to
‘ego’ and slow down our progress.The Yoga
Sutrassay devotion to something deeper
than ourselves plays a vital role towards self-
realization. The ego will tell us we can do it on
our own. When we recognize we need help,
we enhance ourdevotionand allow ourselves
to surrender to the Supreme. This type of
surrender is very different from giving up or
feeling failure. Yoga reminds us of our oneness
with everyone and everything. We become
more humble and purified.
The five niyamas are like our own personal
spiritual compasses. They shine light onto the
process of purification in how we view and
care for our body and mind. Along the path of
purification, we release the masks that dim our
light. As with everything, through practice it
gets easier. Observing the niyamas brings great
inner strength, and we become the steady and
bright flame that is undeterred by the wind.