swadhyaya & true colors quiz

Two of the eight limbs of yoga include the Yamas and the Niyamas. Because I believe in the importance of practicing yoga on and off the mat, I definitely think using the yamas and niyamas as guides for deeper living are very important. Lately, I've found myself gravitating toward the Niyamas. Essentially, the niyamas are how we interact with ourselves, our internal word. They are about helping us maintain and cultivate a positive environment in which to grow.

One of the niyamas, swadhyaya, or self-education and study is one that I find incredibly important. Essentially it's observing the self in relation to all life. It is so important to know ourselves in order to bring our best to the world. One of the ways I think we can learn more about ourselves is through personality tests. I find that I, personally, really enjoy these types of quizzes. They help me get insight into myself and how I interact with others. I recently took the true colors quiz, and here were my results:

"BLUE--To Love and Be Loved

Your heart-felt communication style creates peace and harmony in the workplace. You know how to bring out the best in others. As a Blue personality you are gifted with tremendous people skilss. You're a heart felt communicator who has a strong need to make a difference in the lives of other people. This strength is immediately noticeable in the way you make connections and bring out the best in those you encounter. People usually feel relaxed and comfortable in your presence. You love to build self-esteem and make others feel good about who they are. You can easily motivate and inspire people to make changes in their lives and reach their potential. This natural talent makes you excel as a counselor, teacher, social worker and journalist, but the list is far greater in the book."

I am a very strong blue, with green following. Interestingly, I had my sweet husband take the quiz and he was green with blue coming in second. If you'd like to see what color you are, click here to take the quiz! I'd love to hear your color.

Namaste'
Leslie

yummy yamas and niyamas

say that five times fast... :)

I recently decided to add a "Yama of the Month" to my blog. Don't worry if you're not a yogi or yogini; as I've mentioned before, yoga is much more than just a physical practice: it is a way of life. And, the practice of the yamas and niyamas are a very good way to focus your intentions and live in a fully compassionate, ethical, loving way. For those wondering exactly what a yama or niyama is, I will attempt to break it down in a user-friendly sort of way:

There are eight limbs in the astanga yoga path. These eight limbs help us live our lives to the fullest and move towards a blissfully divine existance. The first two limbs of the eight are the yamas and the niyamas. The yamas and niyamas are universal guidelines for all: They extend beyond age, race, class, religion, time, or circumstances.

There are five yamas, or restraints, and each of them help us focus on being compassionate and living a life of dignity and respect for self, the world, and each other. Here are the five yamas:

1. Ahimsa (nonviolence)
2. Satya (truth)
3. Asteya (nonstealing)
4. Brahmacharya (moderation)
5. Aparigraha (greedlessness)

There are also five niyamas and these guidelines focus more on our own internal regulation. They outline how we interact with ourselves and the focus is on our internal world. Here are the five niyamas:

1. Saucha (purity)
2. Santosha (contentment)
3. Tapas (austerity)
4. Swadhyaya (self education and study)
5. ishvara pranidhana (surrender to the divine)

The yamas and niyamas are not about right or wrong. They are about living authentically by learning to manage our energy, balancing our lives, making conscious decisions, and connecting our inner growth with outer restraint and compassion. No matter who we are, most of us could use a little more yama and niyama focus in our lives!

Here is your yogathought for the day:

"I change myself, I change the world." --Gloria Anzoldua

Namaste'
Yogadiva

new addition--Yama of the Month

I've decided I will be adding a "Yama of the Month" and then "Niyama of the Month" section to my blog. If you look to your right, you will see February's Yama of the Month: Ahimsa--Nonviolence. My hope is that all those interested will join me in my intention to focus energy on one particular yama or niyama each month during the year of 2009.

If you're not familiar with Yamas and Niyamas, I will be posting more about them in the next week or two.

Hope you enjoy!

Namaste'
Yogadiva