#SwampLife

We're on the move friends.

By now, we're well on our way to enlightened living. We've nailed the first 5 Yamas. Each and every day we are practicing non-harm (Ahimsa). Our vow of truthfulness (Satya) means not one white lie has passed our lips. We've not taken a blade of grass that wasn't ours to begin with (Asteya). We've decluttered our entire lives (Brahmacharya) and don't feel a smidge of craving for sensations (Aparigraha). We are basically done. Nothing more to consider. Life's mission accomplished. And, on Easter Sunday of all days - what are the chances.

I. Wish.

The lifestyle of yoga continues, the focus shifting to how we interact with ourselves.

You may have noted the first 5 precepts are focused on how we show up in the world. The Yamas focus on the outward, how we conduct life in relation to others. The Niyamas focus on ourselves, reminding us that company is fun but the path to enlightenment must be walked solo. Oofftttttt!

Let’s go.

First up, Saucha. This Niyama can be translated to mean cleanliness or purification.

I teach Saucha in most of my classes when we incorporate breathwork. A naturally occurring action of detoxification, pranayama, or breath techniques, demonstrates ways that we can work with our breath to enhance our practice and either create tranquility or energy. Our inhale brings fresh oxygen into our bloodstream, our exhale gets rid of carbon dioxide, a waste product.

The same can be said for asana, the physical yoga postures. By moving our bodies, we are generating heat and energy. We create flexibility and ease stiffness, and work to clear the energy channels within the body.

Many yoga schools and studios request the student’s shower before practicing, putting this Niyama (literally!) into practice. Some practice shatkarma which are acts to detoxify the body including colonic irrigation and swallowing thread to pull it back out (that’s probably a wholly incorrect description as I haven’t done this practice myself).

What I do know of Saucha though, is that it’s where things get a bit more interesting in the path toward Samadhi (awakening).

As Thich Nhat Hanh said, ''no mud... no lotus''. To love ourselves, we must get familiar with *all* of ourselves (hello colons!). How can you love, embrace and accept what you don't know?

Years ago in Medellin Colombia, the day after St Patrick’s Day, I got a finger tattoo. Still full of drink and confidence I had the artist sketch a broken heart, a unalome, a full heart, and a lotus on my finger. (also, have you seen the size of my finger? I clearly expected him to be Michaelangelo!) Even though it was incredibly painful as he inked my cuticle (yock), even though it wept solid Jamesons for days, even though it's stretched and the ink has turned blotchy it remains one of my favourite tattoos.

Despite broken hearts, in the midst of chaos, directionless and spiraling, twists and turns at every point, through broken skin and weeping lines, pain, and a lot of sh!t - a lotus will still grow.

Cleansing means many different things to many different people.

Yes, clean your house. Yes, clean your body by eating nutritious, whole foods. Yes, cleanse your life of toxicity. Yes, drink more water. Yes, clean your negative mindset. Yes, declutter your space. Yes, cleanse your environment.

But really, how I incorporate Saucha is by cleaning my OWN pathway. Life throws obstacles in your way, every day. Some days they hit me on the chin, others I'm quick enough to duck. Sometimes they scar, but if I tend to the wound and nurture it back to health you would *usually* never be able to tell the collision happened.

You are not your story.

But, you can start rewriting your tale anytime you want.

I think we in the business of ''wellness'' have become swaddled in echo chambers. Many, myself included at times, have a holier than thou persona. We think we've it sussed, we know it all and we can bottle it up and sell it to wealthy white women in lycra. In truth though, none of us have a clue what we're doing. Not one human on this planet knows any better than anyone else. We are all the same.

What we do have, especially in this field, as spiritual seekers, is an immense responsibility to those we communicate with to ensure this message is relayed as much as the ''this works, apply twice daily in between rounds of Suryanamascar A'' message is.

Saucha shows up the dirt on the white t-shirt. It reminds us that we are all made of the same materials, and many of those are pretty gross. Saucha is as much about our thought process as it is the cleaning of our kitchens.

None of us are pure, no matter what we claim. We've all gone through the mud and some of us have come out the other side. Some are still lost amid the murky water and are looking for help finding their way out.

We all have murky, dirty, stank swamp water. We can't deny it or ignore it. We can embrace it though and use it as a way to connect with others, who may feel their water is the murkiest, dirtiest, stankiest, and show them that their water is only as dirty to them as our water is to us.

The lotus will only grow through the stank. It doesn't stay buried in the water. It keeps going and soon it emerges. Bright as a button and strong as an ox. With any luck, it may also have a unalome finger tattoo and one hell of a story behind it.

In love, light + brilliant (drunken) decisions,

Leonie Xx