Shaucha — Cleanliness

Saucaat svaanga-jugupsaa parair asamsargah — YS II.40

‘When one maintains a clean body, one loses attachment to their own body as well as to the bodies of others’ — Jivamukti Chant Book

It’s been pretty sweaty at yoga here in Boston so it’s a good time to think about shaucha, the first of the niyamas. We’ve considered all of the yamas, or ethical restraints, and you can find those posts under that category.

On the most basic level, you should practice cleanliness in your annamayakosha or physical body. There are some guidelines for cleanliness with your practice. It is important to shower before yoga if you are sweaty or dirty. This is a sign of respect not just for yourself but for your teacher & fellow students. After practice rub the sweat into your body & take savasana until it dries. Clean your yoga clothes after every practice. If you use a mat towel, clean it as often as possible (I do every 2 uses) & lay it out to dry & air out, preferably in the sun. Also lay your mat out & spray it down regularly. I spray mine with tea tree oil diluted with water & then wipe with a damp cloth. Use an all-natural deodorant, soapwalla makes the best one I’ve found. In terms of bodily cleanliness outside of yoga,  this seems to be something easy for most yoga students. Shower enough & wash your clothes. Use all-natural & organic cleaning products that won’t pollute our Mother Earth. Eat organic, vegan, whole foods.

Your care for your own physical body extends to your space. Keep a clean house so that you aren’t constantly distracting your mind with messiness. Go to efforts to keep public spaces nice. When you aim something at a garbage can and it doesn’t go in, think ‘Would the Buddha leave his apple core on the sidewalk?’, then put it in the bin. Take pride in your body, your temple, care for its surroundings. If you want the environment you live in to stay nice, take care of it for others: don’t take more than you need, clean up after yourself and others, recycle religiously and eat a vegan diet that has minimal impact on Mother Earth and your fellow creatures.

Cleanliness also affects manomayakosha, the sheath of the mind. Choose to fill your mind consciously. Don’t let garbage be your only mental ‘food’. I’m not saying you can’t watch a trashy tv show occasionally or devour a ‘beach read’ (I LOVE Sophie Kinsella books) but be aware that your thoughts become your actions. When you view any kind of media, it pervades your thinking. Indeed, it can even feel like your brain shuts off and the TV thinks for you. So if you input media that is negative, violent, degrading, unkind etc etc, your mental output will obviously be impacted. Fill your mind with what supports the kind of life you want to live. Notice if you think unkind thoughts and try to do what Patanjali advises in YSII.33: ‘vitarka badhane pratipaksha bhavanam’ — ‘When disturbed by disturbing thoughts, think of the opposite’. Think of all the good things about that being, practice compassion for them and, if you find being happy for them very difficult, just practice equanimity.

Try to speak mindfully, saying what you mean and meaning what you say. Aim to eliminate hostility and negativity from your speech as this is a powerful way to purify vishuddha or throat chakra and convey your intentions into the world.

We also wish to have cleanliness in our pranamayakosha, the energy body. Breathe deeply and practice lots of asana so that energy can move freely in the body. Be aware of the ‘vibe’ that you give off and try to make it a nice one. And surround yourself with beings whose energy is conducive to your growth and well-being.

Patanjali tells us that we will feel less attachment to our bodies as we practice shaucha; this is a process of realizing that we are more than the body and the mind. Through caring deeply for and cleansing the body, we start to realize its impermanence; it is merely our tool, our vehicle in this lifetime.

As with all of the yamas and niyamas, my own understanding of their complexity and richness continues to grow as I practice. I’m sure you’ll experience the same.