Bathing - Dr. Hansaji J. Yogendra

It is said, ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness.’

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The first Niyama in yoga is Saucha i.e. cleanliness. The Niyamas are the things you have to do for yourself. These are at the second step in the eight-fold path of yoga. The first step is what you should not do with others, which are the Yamas.

So the first Niyama i.e. Saucha talks of cleanliness at the internal, external and mental levels. These are the levels we have to clean ourselves at. We do get dirty knowingly or unknowingly. However, much as we may clean ourselves externally, if we have bad/dirty thoughts, their toxic effect will definitely influence the mind. If we clean ourselves only from the inside and not from the outside, that, too, is wrong.

Bathing is a simple and beautiful process. The