How can we use Saucha, a Niyama from the Yoga Sutras, to improve our mindset?

Saucha at home

Saucha literally refers to cleanliness. We can start with the state of our homes. When our house is cluttered or messy, our minds feel cluttered and messy. Staying clear of extra stuff in the house creates a calmer mind. It creates the sense of having space to breathe. So, yes, make your bed every morning. Put the dishes away. Put toys, blankets, and other stuff that tend to stack up back in their places. Much better!

Saucha in our diet

I am not a purist when it comes to diet. Fresh fish and chicken are my staples, but I’ll eat a bit of meat about once a week. Vegetables make my heart sing! (as long as they are not canned). It’s just about having awareness of what we’re consuming, and making conscious choices to enable us to live healthier and happier.

Saucha in the mind

You may well be familiar with the term ‘where attention goes, energy flows’,

‘Pure’ thoughts doesn’t have to mean ‘pure’ in the sense of strictly thinking of ‘holy’, or what we might consider ‘pure’ thoughts – it just means not thinking badly! We each have a choice in how we act, and by directing our thoughts towards positivity, we can add positivity to our own lives and to the world around us. Sometimes, our impure thoughts are driven by the media, by the news, by movies and other shows on t.v. When you are left feeling down or disgusted by what you see on t.v., try switching to listening to some happy music instead.

Sauca in the heart

What does living with purity mean to you? I don’t think it means we have to live like a Puritan, but we can certainly strive to reduce negative inputs and replace them with peaceful inputs. A pure mind, pure words, pure actions – you may feel excited to read those words, or may find yourself wondering where the fun comes in. Surely being pure all the time makes for a pretty boring life? What happens if we change the word boring to peaceful, does sauca sound more enticing now?

What in your life makes you feel more peaceful? What do you need more of and less of to feel Saucha in your life?

Happy Saucha this week!