Patanjali Yoga Sutra : II - 40

Cleanliness reveals God
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Shauchath Svangajugupsaparaih Asamsargaha|
Satvashuddhir Saumanasya Ekagrya Indriyajaya Atmadarshan Yogyatvani Cha|

Shaucha is cleanliness. Why is it next to Godliness? Cleanliness leaves no distortion. Truth shines through without getting lost in unnecessary distractions. Truth is like the light in a bulb. A glass bulb that is sparkling clean and does not have dust covering it, offers its light totally. If there is dust anywhere, it not just hides the light, but also distorts its path of flow.
Cleanliness is not about cleaning things up - your home, office draw or the mind. Do it if you must, though! Shaucha is about identifying yourself with that permanently clean part of your being called consciousness - when you realise that you are that consciousness which is unchanging, your identification with the constantly changing and modifying stuff of your body, mind and intellect ceases. You even begin to dissociate with this body of yours and other bodies around you.
Moreover, material and spiritual cleanliness that happens through the practice of the 10 yamas and niyamas result in the purification of the mind, making it calm. It makes the mind one-pointed in its pursuit of truth. It aids in the mastery of the senses. Once you identify yourself with the awareness that witnesses the play of the sense organs, you are no longer carried away by the game of the senses. You are a settled witness. That shaucha helps you to have a glimpse of yourself. With no impurity or mental modification to distort your vision, you see yourself as the essentially pure truth. The practice of shaucha makes your body, mind and intellect a fit instrument for allowing the expression of truth. (Bare mountains near Kailash in Tibet. A clean place is not just a feast for the breath, but of the soul too. Pic. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra II: 39

Relax your hold....

Aparigrahasthairye Janma Kathamtha Sambodhaha|

When one stands firmly rooted in the Yama of Aparigraha or not holding on to anything material or non-material - this includes objects, people, emotions, thoughts and ideas - then the process of life is revealed. This process is the knowledge of how we came into the world in the first place and how many times we have been coming and going. This leads to the effort in the direction of putting an end to this coming and going by simply being in the presence of the one awareness. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (The art of letting go...perfected by babies! : In Pic. Baby Akshara by Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 38

Rooted in Brahman

Brahmacharya Prathishtayam Veeryalabhaha|

For the one who is rooted in Brahmacharya - he/she gains a lot of vital energy force. The common understanding of Brahmacharya is sexual abstinence. The word, when split gives the clear meaning Brahma - the divine self and charya - to walk the path. Clearly it means, through the roads of the five sense organs, one has to train the mind on the path of god.
When actions are done in this frame of mind - i.e. while seeing it is the divine you see, while hearing, smelling, touching, tasting and thinking you are aware of the divine essence that runs through everything and thought in the world, then you are rooted in Brahmacharya.
For such people who see the one divine in everything, there is an immense gain in prana shakti which is not dissipated in a wrong and illusory understanding of duality. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic: Trekker walking up to the Kali Para near the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Neyyar Dam, Kerala. - Swasham.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 37

The source of all wealth

Asteya Pratishtayam Sarva Rathnopasthanam|

For the one who practices non-stealing of what does not belong to one - all the jewels and riches of the world will come a seeking. The logic is simple. Wealth and riches are Maya Shakti. The more you chase her, the more she slips out of hand. But for the one who cares not about riches and wealth, it comes seeking them. The answer is in simply being with one's own self. Everything one needs to live in the world comes and falls in place. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II: 36

When they say it should rain, it rains!

Satya Pratishtayam Kriyaphala Aashrayathwam|

Speaking the truth means, the speech happens with integrity of body, mind, intellect, words and being totally in the present moment. When one practices speaking with such integrity, then the person gets deeply rooted in Satya or consciousness, the essence of being. Whatever that person says will happen. The results of actions are in accordance with the will of such people who are rooted in the truth of being.
This is a Siddhi or an accomplishment of practising the Yama of Satya or integrity of communication. Sri Rama was a Satya Vakya or one who always spoke the truth. It is for this reason that all the kings of the Raghuvamsha never spoke much, because they practised this vrata or austerity of speaking only the truth. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 35

Where tigers and deer play together

Ahimsa Pratishthyavam Tatsannidhau Vairathyagaha|

In the presence of one firmly rooted in the quality of Ahimsa, all enemities cease. You might have heard stories of how animals with naturally inimical qualities like a tiger and deer, peacock and snake sport and co-exist harmoniously in the ashram of a rishi. In a being where Ahimsa is expressed, the vibrations of the Anahata Chakra or the heart centre is very subtle and it enters and influences the hearts of all around. All enmity and anger is dissolved in the presence of such a person. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Caption: Words of The Buddha inscribed on a plaque at Sarnath where he gave his first sermon after enlightenment. Pic. by Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II: 34

Beware of the consequences!

Vitarka Himsadayah Kritakritanumodita Lobha Krodha Moha murvaka Mridumadhyadhimatra duhkhagnanantaphala iti pratipaksha bhavanam||

At times thoughts like, "I hate that person and I wish he were....," etc or other thoughts such as speaking untruth, stealing, not seeing the divine in all, a desire to possess undue material wealth, uncleanliness, discontentment, laziness to know the true self and god can occur. These thoughts may be preceded by greed, anger and delusion. One might even mildly, moderately or very intensely think about acting on those thoughts, instigate others to act or silently support others in such actions.
Here the whistle-blower Patanjali Mharishi warns us. Even if slightly, moderately or intensely, such thoughts happen in the mind, think deeply for a moment that the result of such thoughts are endless sorrow and ignorance. When one is aware of this, then they automatically refrain from thinking such thoughts. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II : 33

Try doing the opposite thing

Vitarka Badhane Pratipaksha Bhavanam

When you are facing trouble in the path of practising the 10 yamas and niyamas, due to the strength of latent tendencies, try taking the opposite stance. When confronted by the thought of hurting - himsa, wilfully practise non-hurting - Ahimsa. When you catch yourself in unclean surroundings at home, city or country - ashaucha, instead of complaining about the state of affairs and energising the situation consciously, take the opposite stand and focus on how the place would be if it were clean and beautiful. Do your bit to make that vision happen.
There is a Hawaaiin meditation technique called Hooponoopono. It says that all the disharmony you see is actually within you. Hence to fix any problem, the technique says, keep your hands in front of your heart, open in blessing posture and visualise the person or situation where there is disharmony and repeat - "Im sorry, I love you, I thank you." This is a magic healing method especially for getting free of bad relationships. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra II - 32

Five attitudes to Yoga
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Shaucha Santosha Tapas Swadhyaya Ishwara Pranidhanani Niyamaha||

Yama and Niyamas are the foundation of Yoga. Even after taking strides in the other steps of Pranayama, Asana, Dharana or Dhyana, it is important to continue the observation of Yamas or the five personal disciplines and the Niyamas or five attitudes of the mind.
The five Niyamas are Shaucha - Cleanliness of the mind and body, Santosha - Contentment, Tapas - Austerity, Swadhyaya - studying about the self which can specifically refer to the scriptures and the Upanishads. It also means to study directly about the self within - the nature of the thoughts and the essence behind the thoughts. The last Niyama is Ishwara Pranidhana or surrendering to the supreme consciousness that is the essential stuff of this expanding universe. Practice of any or all of these Niyamas constitutes Yoga by itself. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Picture: Pilgrims climbing the rocky Chaturagiri near Vaithirappu off Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Undertaking such arduous treks is a form of austerity or Tapasya of the body and mind.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 32

Universal Vows

Jati Desha Kala Samaya Anavacchinna Saarva Bhauma Mahavratam||
The five Yamas of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigrahaha - enumerated in the earlier Sutra is a universal penance. It is non-negotiable and has to be followed without any compromise whatsoever, irrespective of the community, country, period, circumstance and situation we find ourselves in. How do these affect the Yamas? Well, if you are born into or are living with a family of hunters, then practice of non-injury becomes difficult. Yet, that is not an excuse.
If the whole society refuses to speak the truth, there is no excuse for the yogi who must practice Satya. If everyone is stealing audios and video CDs, then that does not exonerate the yogi from doing it.
These practices are difficult and are hence called Mahavratam or a great austerity. This is the beginning step of Yoga and these practices purify the mind. At any point of spiritual growth, there is no excuse from swerving from the Yamas.
It is a common happening in society to see someone rise to fame as a master in spirituality, wielding tremendous power in the minds of people. But, however high up on the pedestal they may be, one small action of theirs, walking away from the path of the Yamas is enough to send them hurtling down to the abyss of ignominy and ill repute. - Swahilya Shambhavi