Niyamas

the second limb of yoga are the niyamas and they flow seamlessly from the yamas, the first limb that deal mainly with our social interactions. What we arrive to now is more personal in its nature, an inner observance of our own conduct and what many consider to be the core practice of our yoga. This is really about our inner relationship with our essential self, while the yamas focused in how we related to the world — and at a certain point we find how this all blends together, the intimacy of self and world. That’s the true and pure spirit and practice of yoga, the realization of this union.

again, like the yamas, there are five niyamas to our practice, and just as before these are guidelines, suggestions and to be undertaken with a certain grace and understanding. We are not meant to approach any of our practice with a rigid sense of adherence, that everything must be perfected in the shortest time possible, holding ourselves to an impossible standard. These are suggestions that meant only to lead us to a greater peace of mind, a true and lasting happiness and realization of joy, and to approach them with anything less than a gentle and easy enthusiasm simply leads us astray from our original intention.

it’s all meant to be approached with joy.

practiced with a sense of love.