Today we are taking a deep dive into the five Niyamas. If you read my last post on The Yamas and Niyamas then you already know that the Niyamas are all about our relationship with self. What better month than February to tap into these a little deeper and use them as a tool to connect to ourselves deeper and take yoga off the mat? I am so excited you’re here, and I can’t wait to show you how to practically apply all five of them to your daily lives. 

Let’s get started! 

The first Niyamas we have is Suacha or self-purification.

Think cleanliness and purity in a very literal self-care way. Pamper yourself, girl. Clean your room (and make it feel super cute). Suacha is all about how you care for yourself and the world around you, in a very physical sense. However, it goes deeper than this. It is really about building and maintaining habits that will allow you to be the healthiest, brightest, and happiest version of yourself. 

Yes, Suacha is a little about washing your face and ensuring your room is clean, but it is more about how you feel and think. How you show up in your world and how you feel moving about it. I want us all to have a Lizzo moment here! When we are all “feeling good as hell” about ourselves, we can be more confident and love ourselves deeper.

Real-world applications:

1. Clean out your room.
   
2. Redo it and make sure it feels like YOU.
   
3. Set a daily self-care routine that involves doing a 3-5 step skincare routine, putting on makeup in the morning, and an outfit you feel fresh in. 
   

Next up, we have Santosha or contentment.

Think acceptance, optimism, and being in the present! We are often so focused on what we believe will make us happy that we are not focused on where we are today. By being in the present, we learn to find peace in the journey. 

A big piece of this is honesty. Often we choose to ignore or avoid what makes us feel uncomfortable, especially when it involves ourselves. But with Santosha, we have to confront the feelings of discomfort head-on and accept where we are with compassion and love for ourselves. This is where the relationship to self really begins to deepen – it is so powerful when we lean into this. 

Real-world applications: 

1. What about yourself would you say you don’t like? 
   
2. Identify those. Name them. Sit with them. 
   
3. Then find a way to flip it. Find the positive in whatever it may be because a positive ALWAYS exists. Focus on that now and moving forward. 
   

The third Niyamas is Tapas, or self-discipline.

Tapas is all about building a foundation for the ritual of a daily practice. Obviously, yoga itself takes discipline to grow your practice. It requires us to commit to things — as most great things do. So you want a strong relationship with yourself? Tapas is all about making rituals to get there. 

By incorporating daily rituals into your routines, they become tools to work on your relationship every day. Eventually, you may even feel less grounded and balanced without these rituals. 

Real-world applications: 

1. Meditate daily. 
   
2. Do a little yoga flow! 
   
3. Write down 3 things you love about yourself. 
   

Pair what you choose with something you already do to make it easier. For example, while you are waiting for your morning coffee to brew or tea to steep – add in a ritual! By incorporating it into your day with something you are already doing, you are more likely to stick with it, and that is what Tapas is all about. 

Then comes Svadhyaya or self-study.

What comes up when you are asked to get still? This is a great question to reflect on the mat during Savasana and off the mat. But it doesn’t end there—question everything about what makes you, YOU. Study yourself deeply. Ask all the questions. And really get to know yourself at the core of who you are. 

I think this one is easy for us to disregard because we all think we “know” ourselves. Still, in building a deep relationship with ourselves, I challenge you to go even deeper. Know your triggers. Know your compulsions. Know the things that genuinely bring you joy. Often these are things that are so automated we lose sight of them. But Svadhyaya is all about knowing yourself like you know the back of your own hand. 

Real-world applications: 

1. Journal
   
2. Question everything. 
   
3. Buy self-discovery books, do self-discovery worksheets, or even enroll in self-work programs — shameless plug for The Yoga Inspired Life! 
   

And last but not least, Ishvara Pranidhana or self-surrender. 

Also often interpreted as contemplation of a higher power. Really Ishvara Pranidhana is about letting go. We can have a specific higher power in mind or just know something else more significant than ourselves is ultimately in control. 

The most crucial part is that we find freedom in this. A deep knowing. You know that pesky thing we know as anxiety or fear? This isn’t felt once Ishvara Prahidhana is embraced. It is about understanding what passes you by is not meant for you… and what is meant for you will never pass you by. 

Real-world applications: 

1. Explore what spirituality and a higher power mean to you. 
   
2. Go out in nature and connect to the natural world around you. 
   
3. Surrender in your yoga practice! 
   

So there you have it, my deep dive, into the 5 Nimyamas and how you can use them every single day to deepen your relationship with SELF. The beauty of this is that the Nimyamas are always there for you. They cost nothing! And they are so freaking powerful! If you’re feeling called to learn more about the Yamas and Niyamas I highly recommend reading The Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele – it’s a great read and goes into a lot more detail in a really digestible way!

Your relationship with YOU is the most important one you will ever have. May as well invest in it and make it a strong and powerful one, bb. If you’re looking for a little extra self-love inspo make sure you’re subscribed to my podcast, The Yoga Inspired Life Podcast, as we are focusing on all things self-love all month long! 💗✨