Yoga Philosophy
Every month, we focus on a different philosophical teaching in yoga.
This month, we are exploring one of the five niyamas, Saucha.
"Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well." - Mohandas Gandhi
Saucha means Cleanliness, purity, care for one’s physical being and surroundings.
Bring cleanliness and order into your environment. The more you treat your surroundings as a temple, the more you
welcome the Divine. At the yoga studio, we encourage you to clean your mats and props (rental or otherwise) and then put them away in an orderly fashion. This gives us all a sense of environment. The studio is yours, after all!
Bring cleanliness and order into your body. The old adage 'you are what you eat' is true! Our physical body is built from the fuel we give it. Mindful eating might bring you to a greater sense of cleanliness and order internally. We encourage you to come to the yoga studio with a clean body, free from heavy perfumes to help us keep the air in the studio clear.
In your asana practice, you can practice saucha by focusing on your breath. The breath is the key to the cleasing benefits of yoga. Deep spinal twists help as well. Bring cleanliness to your thoughts and deeds. Choose positive thoughts, as our brains can only hold one thought at a time. consider for yourself your intentions in your actions. Are you going trhough your day with a clear and pure intention? Is there some ulterior motive behind your behaviour? Setting an intention before your asana pactice also is a way to practice saucha. Of course, there are many other resources to learn about Saucha, and we encourage you find them and to consider how you might incorporate elements of this yama into your life.