Monday, August 6, 2012

Saucha.........a commitment to purity internally and externally.


Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are considering the second Niyama, Saucha.  Saucha is a commitment to purity internally and externally. 

As an archer aims the arrow, the wise aim their restless thoughts, hard to aim, hard to restrain.
                           - The Buddha

Thoughts are things, even though we cannot hold them in our hands or see them with our eyes. This is very different from our usual view. Usually we consider thoughts as immaterial, so we are not aware of how a fleeting thought can affect us. If I throw a beach ball at you, it won't hurt much; in five minutes you will have forgotten about it. But if I say something harsh to you, you will not be able to forget that thought; you will take it home in your mind, have nightmares about it, and wake up oppressed the next morning. We all know from personal experience how a harsh comment from a parent or a friend can rankle in our consciousness for years. This is the immense power of thoughts.

Words to Live By: Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran

The homework is to apply the second Niyama, Saucha or purity to your thought process.  Saucha is a commitment to purity internally and externally.  How do you practice Saucha?  Think about your own rituals for self-purification. What steps do you currently take to cleanse your physical being? Do you have a daily ritual to cleanse your mind and emotions? Consider how purification of your physical, mental, and emotional being can affect your Yoga practice and your daily life?

Blessings,

paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com

Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003

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