Purity: THE ART OF REMOVING AND CREATING HABITS PART 7

DAAJI continues his series on refining habits, in the light of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga and current scientific and yogic principles and practices. Last month, he explored the final Yama, the virtue of aparigraha, which means the removal of possessiveness, greed, and focus on material gain. This month he moves to the Niyamas – those positive habits that are worth cultivating in order to live a contented life, starting with the first Niyama of purity or shaucha.

- DAAJI

Good and bad habits

By now, if you have been following this series and the practices that promote Yama, you may have already let go of many negative habits and tendencies, and cleared complexities from your system. Yama is the removal of all the “don’ts,” such as violence and dishonesty, and that is one aspect of working with habits. The other aspect is to cultivate the “dos,” the Niyamas, those positive habits that will take our lifestyle to another level.

The Niyamas help us to intensify life itself and radiate goodness and beauty into the world around us – the fragrance of purity, simplicity, compassion and universal love. The Niyamas fill our hearts with noble qualities. They help us to refine ourselves toward subtler and subtler states, both inner and outer. They lead to a lifestyle that is in tune with Nature, and thus they are regenerative. And that is exactly what humanity and our planet need right now.

In essence, Niyama is about cultivating positive habits so that both our minds and bodies are in sync with the highest universal principles. In Nature we see tremendous order, and the higher the goal the greater the order required.

What are those five positive habits that propel us forward?

Shaucha – purity of body and mind Santosh – contentment and inner happiness Tapas – penance or removal of impurities Swadhyaya – study of the self Ishwar pranidhan – surrender to God

Purity of body and mind