04 Dec
Observances - Rules of Conduct
Observances: Rules of Conduct ~ Niyama
- Purity (Saucha)
- Contentment (Santosha)
- Singing, chants & praises ~ (Kirtan)
- Austerities (Tapas)
- Study (Svadhyaya)
- Surrender to God (Ishvarapranidhana)
- Truth* (Satya) added here by Lord Shiva
According to the book ‘Laya Yoga‘ - Observance contains the following ten practices:
- Ascesis ~ Tapas, the practice of severe self-discipline
- Contentment ~ Santosha
- Faith ~ Astikya
- Charity ~ Dana
- Worship of God ~ Ishwara-pujana
- Spiritual Study ~ Siddhanta-shrawana
- Modesty ~ Hri
- Reflection ~ Mati
- Mantra Practice ~ Japa
- Vow ~ Wrata
Together the ten-fold abstentions and ten-fold observances were dedicated to the great yogi Dattatreya to his disciple Sangkriti (Darshan-opanishad, 1,.6 and 2.1)
