by swanriver | Sep 29, 2026 | FOM
Ishvara Pranidhana, Surrender to the Divine Swan River Focus of the Month, October 2026 By: Kathleen Barry We’ve arrived at the last of the Niyamas: Ishvara Pranidhana. Ishvara Pranidhana can be described as surrender to something greater than the individual Self. But...
by Adrienne | Aug 28, 2026 | FOM
Know Thyself: Svadhyaya By Carrie Hood Svadhyaya, deriving from the Sanskrit words “Sva,” or self, and “Adhyaya,” learning or study, is the fourth of the five niyamas. In Barbara Stoler Miller’s translation of Master Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, she points out that the...
by Adrienne | Jul 27, 2026 | FOM
By Kate O’Neal Aitken The third Niyama, or ethical observance, in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is Tapas. The Sanskrit root “tap” translates loosely as “to heat,” “to burn” or “austerity,” although defining tapas as simply a state of severe strictness misses its real...
by swanriver | Jun 30, 2026 | FOM
By Adrienne Edson In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the niyamas are the personal observances that guide how we relate to ourselves. The second of the niyamas is santosha, often translated as contentment. The Sanskrit word comes from sam: completely, and tosha:...
by swanriver | Jun 1, 2026 | FOM
By Kathleen Berry The first of the Niyamas, or observances, is Saucha. Saucha relates to purity and cleanliness, inviting purification into our daily lives. I recall my first time reading Deborah Adele’s The Yamas & Niyamas (a staple on many yoga teacher training...
by swanriver | Apr 30, 2026 | FOM
By Dina Schaefer Non possessiveness Non greed Non attachment A- non Pari-all sides Grah- to seize or grab Aparigraha can be seen in so many spaces in our lives. In our concepts, our beliefs, our relationships, our possessions, our finances, and on and on. In my...
