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“When there is both inner and outer cleanliness, it approaches godliness.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi
The space we live in both physical and mental shapes the quality of our life. Our surroundings, thoughts, and experiences create the inner and outer worlds where our entire lifespan unfolds. What determines happiness in these spaces? It’s the purity of the space itself cleanliness.
In yoga philosophy, this idea of cleanliness is not limited to hygiene. It represents an inner discipline that purifies body, mind, and emotions. This concept is expressed in Saucha, one of the five Niyamas, the second limb of Patanjali’s Eightfold Path. Through Saucha, yoga builds a clean and steady foundation for self-development and spiritual growth.
What is saucha?
Saucha (often written as Shaucha) is the yogic practice of cleanliness and purification both internal and external. It refers to the purity of the body, mind, and spirit, achieved through daily habits, thoughts, and conscious living.
Before any yoga practice can truly work, the medium of yoga must be clean and clear. Physically, this includes your yoga room, mat, clothes, and the environment where you practise. Mentally, it refers to cultivating pure, positive, and calm thoughts. Saucha encourages the cleansing of these mediums so that the flow of energy remains unobstructed.
In yogic philosophy, Saucha holds a special place. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, it is described as part of the Niyamas, the second limb of Ashtanga Yoga a system that guides personal discipline and self-purification.
Saucha: the first niyama
The Niyamas are observances that condition the mind and body to align with the principles of yoga. They act as a behavioral extension of the moral codes outlined in the Yamas, the first limb of Ashtanga Yoga.
While the Yamas provide a moral compass, the Niyamas translate these principles into daily practice. Saucha, or cleanliness, addresses impurities — whether physical, emotional, or intellectual that can disturb the mind, body, or environment. By cultivating Saucha, a practitioner purifies themselves, supporting the Yama principle of non-harming in thought, word, and deed.
As the first Niyama, Saucha forms the foundation for all others. Its practice triggers a chain reaction, guiding a practitioner naturally through the remaining four Niyamas:
- Santosha – Contentment
- Tapas – Austerity or self-discipline
- Swadhyaya – Self-study and reflection
- Ishvara Pranidhana – Devotion to the Divine
Cleanliness of body and mind cultivates self-contentment (Santosha). A healthy and purified mind supports discipline (Tapas), which in turn enhances learning and self-awareness (Swadhyaya). This foundation ultimately leads to devotion and surrender (Ishvara Pranidhana), completing the path of Niyama.
Saucha in daily life
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As the first Niyama, Saucha extends beyond mere hygiene it encompasses lifestyle and yogic practices that cultivate spiritual, mental, and physical purity. To fully understand Saucha, it helps to explore its different dimensions in daily life:
To understand the true meaning of Saucha we will need to evaluate the different types of Saucha:
- Saucha of body
- Saucha of Mind
- Saucha of energy
- Saucha of speech
- Saucha in diet
- Saucha on Mat
- Saucha at Home
- Saucha of Environment
1. Saucha of body
Saucha of the body involves maintaining cleanliness both externally and internally. Traditional yogic texts, especially in Hatha Yoga, emphasise internal purification through Shatkarma practices.
While daily hygiene routines bathing, brushing teeth, washing hands, and personal grooming — support external cleanliness, Shatkarma techniques cleanse the internal organs, tracts, and systems. These kriyas purify the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, abdominal organs, and rectal pathways, supporting overall physical health.
By integrating both external and internal cleansing, Saucha of the body ensures a physically healthy foundation, preparing the practitioner for deeper yogic and spiritual practices.
2. Saucha of mind
Saucha of mind refers to intellectual purity. Intellectual impurities can cause two ways of harm. The individual who bears the toxic thoughts in mind suffers from mental regression, and biochemical deficiencies that affect the physiology of the body. Further, toxic thoughts can trigger behaviors harmful to others and the surroundings.
The best way for Saucha of mind is to meditate, take proper rest and engage in mental therapies if necessary. A disciplined lifestyle and a daily routine also help reduce mental toxicity.
3. Saucha of energy
Prana or the life force energy is believed to be vital to our existence. The life force often referred to as the vital air, is crucial to movement and motion at a cellular level.
Blocked energy gateways and impurities lead to diseases and disorders. Saucha of energy promotes a healthy energy flow that normalizes the functioning of body systems. Energy and chakra cleansing meditation techniques are effective ways to purity the energy.
4. Saucha of speech
Our words also have the potential to be polluted with impurities. Words that cause harm to others and to the surroundings are considered impurities in speech. Often the impurities of mind and energy manifest themselves in speech. The yogic practices of Saucha warn the practitioners to be mindful of their speech.
The Saucha of speech can be practiced through awareness and consciousness improving meditative processes. Awareness will give you conscious control over speech formation, which will help you filter out impurities from entering your speech stream.
5. Saucha in diet
The yogic philosophy categorizes our existence into five different sheaths, PanchaKoshas. The most external sheath, our physical body, is called the food sheath (Annamaya Kosha). This is because our physical body is quite literally made up of the food we eat. If impurities are included in our diet, they eventually become a part of our physical existence. Thus to stay healthy Saucha of food is important.
For this, the yogis follow a sattvic diet or yogic diet. A sattvic diet is nutritionally complete and easily digestible. It lays a heavy emphasis on fruits and fresh vegetables, whole grains, milk and ghee, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, sweet fruits, medicinal herbs, natural sweeteners like honey and cold-pressed oils.
6. Saucha on mat
Saucha can also be observed through the yoga asana. Clean your body thoroughly before starting your practice. Wear fresh clean clothes while practicing, and ensure that your yoga Mat is maintained and cleaned regularly. You should also clean and tidy the space where you practice yoga.
Practicing in an open space is usually supportive of the practice of Saucha. Observing cleanliness in your Asana practice will ensure perfection of the postures and potent benefits.
7. Saucha at home
Your home is where you reside. Keeping it clean is not only your moral obligation but also beneficial. It is often believed that the condition and arrangement of our surroundings have the ability to impact our internal energy. Even the ancient Chinese traditional practice, Feng Shui, is based on this idea.
Saucha of the abode we live in is critical for mental and physical well-being. Keeping the constructs and furniture clean of dirt, and sanitized of germs. Tidying up our belongings, regularly cleaning up our clothes and various interior fabrics, are a few basic Saucha at-home practices.
A clean surrounding has multiple effects on our existence. Primarily a clean and germ-free home prevents the development of an unhygienic ecosystem. That would otherwise play host to a wide range of diseases. And secondly, a clean surrounding is quickly felt by our senses, to generate a sensation of well-being.
8. Saucha of environment
Mahatma Gandhi, the man we know for India’s Independence, himself stated that “sanitation is more important than independence.” Our existence is not just influenced by our homes, but also the environment we live in. An environment full of toxic elements will pollute our lives, unleash a plethora of diseases, and suffocate...