Yoga sutra 2.32
śauca-saṁtoṣa-tapaḥ-svādhyāya-íśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥ
The personal observances are: cleanliness, contentment, purification, self-study, and surrender to a Higher Principle
In this sūtra Patanjali offers a five-fold guide to looking after yourself:
Cleanliness (śauca) is two-fold: personal hygiene and keeping good/clean company.
Contentment (saṁtoṣa) is an invitation to culture positive thinking.
Purification (tapaḥ) asceticism – dropping anything that does not serve you.
Self-study (svādhyāya) learning what you are doing before it is done; ‘discovering yourself’, sometimes with the aid of sacred texts.
Surrender to a Higher Principle (íśvara-praṇidhānā) to help overcome your ego.
Together, the yama-s and niyama-s represent a code of conduct for yogis and yoginis.
Damian Cadman-Jones is an authorised teacher of Prana Vashya Yoga™