So we have made it to the third of the five Niyamas from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, here we practice Svadhyaya, the study of the self.

As I write here today, I notice a subtle pressure on my neck, some sort of tension, strain that is calling to me. Of course I ignore it because there is a job to be done, a cup of coffee to drink, not to mention the laundry, dishes and we will NOT even think about the yard work that lays ahead.

In the study of the Yoga Sutras and the process of Tapas, Patanjali invites the practitioner to continue cleansing (remember Sauca?) through the process of heat to help release impurities of the body and balance the senses. There is of course the "burning" of toxins through fasting, by moving the body to generate internal fire (think Sun Salutations) and we practice self-discipline to help facilitate practice of all the Yamas and Niyamas.

As we continue to look within through the Niyamas, our practice brings us to Santosha, the second of the 5 inward practices. Sutra 2.42 is a clear statement that happiness and job starts from within, it is a choice that one makes through the process of being content.