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24 September, 2020
Yama (5): Aparigraha
Aparigraha is the last of the Yamas and possibly one of the greatest opportunities for inner peace and freedom... What does it mean? Non-hoarding, non-possessiveness, non-seizing... are we acquiring and holding on to things which we do...
Read more...24 September, 2020
Yama (4): Brahmacharya
Yama number four is Brahmacharya... We might translate it as ‘moving towards truth’ and in order to do so it is essential to practise self-restraint.
Sometimes Brahmacharya is viewed as ‘celibacy’ but it has a much wider meaning than this...
Read more...24 September, 2020
Yama (3): Asteya
The third of the Yamas is ASTEYA, non-stealing. ‘Thou shalt not steal’ is very familiar in our culture coming from the Christian tradition and being another very obvious part of the moral code shared by many traditions and cultures.
We...
Read more...23 September, 2020
Niyama (4): Swadhyaya
We may study a whole range of things in our lifetimes but ultimately the most important subject of study is our Self.
This is not psychoanalysis even though as we penetrate through the different layers or koshas of our existence, physical...
Read more...24 September, 2020
Niyama (5): Isvara Pranidhana
ISVARA PRANIDHANA may be translated as Surrender to the Divine
It is possibly the most difficult Niyama for many of us to understand and practise. My hope, therefore, is that this explanation may be of some help.
Whatever your concept of...
Read more...4 September, 2020
Yoga Sutras and exploration of Yama 1: Ahimsa
Let’s start at the very beginning...Patanjali was a wise dude who lived in India a long time ago and who knew a lot about yoga! He passed on his wisdom through his Yoga Sutras. A sutra is a useful device, a short burst of words which is...
Read more...10 September, 2020
Niyama (3): Tapas
What are you working towards right now? Do you have any plans or projects?
Creating a new garden? Finding a new job? Moving house? A dream holiday? Running a marathon? Improving your health? Helping others in practical ways? Helping...
Read more...10 September, 2020
Niyama (1): Saucha
If the Yamas were all about putting our foot on the brake pedal then the Niyamas are about putting our foot on the accelerator!
The first of the Niyamas is Saucha, meaning purity or cleanliness. This refers to both the body and the mind...
Read more...10 September, 2020
Niyama (2): Santosha
One of my favourite Niyamas...Contentment!
Life happens, storms rage, good times are followed by bad times, pandemics occur, we get ill, we have an accident, we see and hear things that anger us, we lose something or someone valuable,...
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