Nyama, Sanskrit, refers to “discipline”, “observance” being an equally authoritative translation of the concept. In Yoga Tradition and Literature, nyama-s consist of a set of rules of internal conduct, of disciplines regarding oneself. Coupled with yama-s, “ethical principles”, in Yogasūtra-s Patañjali lists and defines five observances that work as an integrated whole and in close relationship with ethical conduct: śauca or “hygiene”, saṃtoṣa or “contentment”; tapas or “austerity”; svādhyāya or “study”; and īśvarapraṇidhāna or “devotion to the Supreme”.
Śauca is concerned with physical and mental hygiene, therefore, it encompasses procedures aimed at this purpose. Physical health starts with food. According to Yoga, we are literally what we eat, in fact, the physical body is usually called annamayakośa which means “made of food”. So, food should respect healthy and sentient criteria, given the subject's basic structure. By instance, time of year and specific circumstances should be taken in account. Although the vegetarian diet is widely recommended, it should not be an imposition. The ideal is achive vegetarianism logically and naturally, instead of imposing it to the body, for the sake of an ego driven ideal. The internal cleansings of the body, especially the gastro-intestinal tract, are part of the śauca precept, like the kriyā-s or “purifying actions”, as well as deworming. Basically, we are talking about precepts that made part of the agenda of the ancients and were lost. Mentally, it is necessary to take into consideration our relationship with the potential habit of nourishing negative thoughts, which inoculates toxicity to the mind and the physical, being sanitized when we oppose them with positive ideas.
Saṃtoṣa translates the satisfaction that we must constantly nurture by the simple fact of living, it is like the humble joy of the Franciscans, for example. Something that we often don't do, so we tend to see more of what we don't have than what we have. Without contentment, there is no platform for spiritual evolution. The desire to possess brings anxiety, contentment brings peace.
Tapas usually receives a series of definitions, not always confluent. The classic texts speak of tapas as being austerity and asceticism. Adapting to today, we would say that “ardor” will be a feasible translation, in the sense that we refer to tapas as a kind of fire or spiritual passion, a fuel that drives us. In fact, for a person to reap spiritual fruits, there must be a kind of unattached “passion”. That is, an internal fire that motivates you in that direction, overcoming obstacles. Contemplation is not easy, it takes effort, it takes tapas.
Svādhyāya corresponds to the study of the Scriptures: precepts, theory and contemplative techniques. It can also be taken as an interior study, based on the previous assumption. How can we move forward spiritually if we are not aware of our shadow, ignoring our unhealthy patterns of behavior and perception? Svādhyāya then entails a certain psychologization: studying our personality structure, in order to unearth the unconscious motivations that structure our repetitive conduct to, ultimately, deconstruct the self-concept, ceasing identification with it.
Finally, īśvarapraṇidhāna corresponds to uninterrupted devotion to God, Universe or the Unified Field, as we may want to call it. When the person dedicates each act, each particle of “individual” existence to the greater good or to something that goes beyond his personal limits, that is to act in īśvarapraṇidhāna. Going to Ekchart Tolle's terminology, it involves perceiving with unattached gratitude, continually cultivating the state of Presence.
Joel Machado
https://linktr.ee/joelmachado
https://linktr.ee/jehoel
jehoel@gmail.com
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