Svādhyāya is usually translated as "self-study." In this episode, looks at it as a mirror, and asks whether we're willing to look into it honestly.

Snow White's Evil Queen asks the mirror who's the fairest of them all. It's a fair question. She just doesn't want the real answer. She wants flattery. But the mirror can only tell the truth, and that tension is where the teaching lives.

A little Sanskrit

Svādhyāya is made of two parts:

302. Svādhyāya: Who Do You Think You Are!?

How well do you really know yourself?
What if getting to know yourself is getting to know the Divine?

We've been exploring the niyamas in Patañjali's Yoga Sutras—five practices that encourage us to examine and cultivate our inner lives.

After our recent series on tapas, the discipline and inner fire of transformation, we arrive at the fourth niyama:

Svādhyāya — self-study.

In Yoga Sutra 2.44, Patañjali tells us:

svādhyāyād iṣṭa-devatā-saṃprayogaḥ

301. Tapas: Burning Down the House!

If a little heat transforms us, isn't more heat better?

In this final episode on tapas, we return to Yoga Sutra 2.43:

kāyendriya-siddhir aśuddhi-kṣayāt tapasaḥ

Through tapas, impurities are diminished or worn away, bringing accomplishment or mastery of the body and senses.

But how much heat is too much?

Fire can cook your dinner.

Fire can also burn your house right down to the ground.

The same can be true of discipline.

After decades...

300. Tapas: Who's Running the Show?

Your phone buzzes. Someone cuts you off in traffic. Something triggers you!?

... Who's running the show?

In this second episode on tapas, we return to Yoga Sutra 2.43 and focus on one important word:

indriya — the senses.

kāyendriya-siddhir aśuddhi-kṣayāt tapasaḥ

Through tapas, impurities are diminished, bringing greater mastery of the body and the senses.

The senses take something in.

The body responds.

A feeling arises.

And then we have a choice.

Tap...

299. Tapas: Burn Away What?

Heat. Fire. Purification. But what exactly are we trying to burn away?

In Yoga Sutra 2.43, Patañjali returns to tapas — one of the three practices we first encountered in Kriyā Yoga and now the third of the niyamas.

But this time, he takes us deeper.

kāyendriya-siddhir aśuddhi-kṣayāt tapasaḥ

Through tapas, impurities are diminished or worn away, bringing accomplishment or mastery of the body and senses.

But "impurity" can be a difficult word.

This isn't about believing there's something f...

298. STOP IT! Never Enough Sucks

What does it actually mean to practice contentment?

In this final episode of our three-part exploration of santoṣa, we move from philosophy to practice.

Three simple places to start:

Acceptance.
Stop arguing with reality as it is. Notice when the mind gets pulled into regret about the past or an imaginary future — and learn the difference between what you need and what you want.

Comparison.
Pay attention to what you're consuming. The yogic idea of mitāhāra traditionally refers to modera...

Episode 297:  Yeah, yeah!  Contentment. I Want More!
 ... Contentment? or Complacency?

If I'm content with my life, why the hell would I try to make it better?

That's the tension at the heart of santoṣa, the yogic practice of contentment.

In Yoga Sutra 2.42, Patanjali writes:

सन्तोषादनुत्तमसुखलाभः
santoṣād anuttama-sukha-lābhaḥ

From contentment comes the attainment of unsurpassed happiness.

But contentment doesn't mean complacency. It doesn't mean giving up our goals, settling for situations that aren't right for us, or pretending we don't want more.

In this episode of My Daily Thread, I explore a diffe...

296. Santosha: I'll Be Happy When…

"I'll be happy when…"

More money. A better relationship. The job. The body. The house. Recognition. The next experience. The travel.

Sound familiar?

In this episode of My Daily Thread, we begin a mini-series on santoṣa (santosha), the second niyama in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.

Santosha

Santoṣa (santosha) — contentment, satisfaction.

It's a simple concept. Maybe a little more difficult to actually live.

Santosha is being content with circumstances as we find them, not as we want them to be.

295. Saucha, Madonna and a Jewish New Year

What are you carrying forward that you don't need to carry anymore?

Old stories. Attachments. Expectations. Fear of not being enough. Things we still think we need to prove.

In this episode of My Daily Thread, we continue exploring śauca (saucha), the first niyama in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.

Saucha is often translated as purity or purification. But this isn't about a bad person needing to become good. It's about clearing away some of what clouds the mind so we can become clearer about our i...

Śauca — Sutra 2.40

Sanskrit (Transliteration)

śaucāt svāṅga-jugupsā parair asaṁsargaḥ

English Translation

From purity arises a natural distaste for excess attachment to one's own body and for contact with what clouds clarity.

Plain-language meaning

When purity develops:

Obsession with the body loosens

Craving, clutter, and unnecessary contact fall away

You stop feeding what agitates you

Key insight for listeners:
Śauca isn't about being "clean" — it's about becoming less hijacked by impulses.

Śauca in the Body

Eat foo...

शौचसन्तोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः

Niyamas

1:32. śauca-santoṣa-tapaḥ-svādhyāya-īśvara-praṇidhānāni niyamāḥ

In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Niyamas are the inner disciplines of yoga.
If the Yamas describe how we relate to the world around us, the Niyamas describe how we relate to ourselves.

They are practical, grounded practices—not moral rules or spiritual ideals to perfect. They're ways of organizing our inner life so that clarity, steadiness, and freedom become possible.

Patanjali offers five Niyamas. Each one is a practice of attention. Each one asks us to take responsibility—not for controlling life—but for shaping the quality of our inner experience.

Man in the Arena

In this episode, Jeff reads and reflects on one of the most enduring passages on courage and participation: Theodore Roosevelt's "Theodore Roosevelt'" from his 1910 speech Citizenship in a Republic.

This reflection isn't about winning, achievement, or public success. It's about something far more intimate and challenging — the willingness to step into the arena of our own lives, imperfectly and honestly, rather than standing safely on the sidelines as critics of ourselves or others.

Through the lens of the Yoga Sutras, this episode explores how Roosevelt's words echo anc...

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As we usher out 2025, we play the yearly word game.

A huge thank you to all the My Daily Thread Tribe!
We an extra shout out to Peter and Laura, both who admitted that My Daily Thread was their number 1 Podcast in 2025!

Now let's finish this season  ...

Choose the word that represents 2025, put it on paper, then send it back to the Universe with a big thank you!

Choose your word for 2026, put it on paper, then se...

Sutra 2.39

अपारिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथन्तासम्बोधः
Aparigrahasthairye janma-kathantā-sambodhah

Word-by-Word Breakdown

Aparigraha (अपारिग्रह)

a = not / without

pari = around, excessive, surrounding

graha = grasping, holding, seizing
→ Non-possessiveness, non-grasping, freedom from hoarding

Sthairye (स्थैर्ये)

From sthira = steady, firm, stable

In locative form: when established in steadiness
→ When one is firmly grounded in non-possessiveness

Janma (जन्म)

Birth, origin, beginning
→ Refers to the conditions of birth, why we are here, our karmic patterns

Kathantā (कथन्ता)

From katham = how, in what way

-tā = abstract noun suffix → "the how-ness," the method, the why and how
→ The reasons, the mechanics, the story behind our

Join Jeff and Eunice Peterson as they discuss Trauma, Gratitude and Yoga.

Jeff and Eunice will be conducting a workshop together at Yoga Passage in Calgary, Alberta on the weekend of November the 8th.

We continue our exploration of the yamas in Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras with the fourth principle: brahmacarya. This yama is often misunderstood, yet it carries profound wisdom for how we direct our energy in modern life.

The sūtra is Yoga Sūtra II.38:

brahmacarya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīrya-lābhaḥ "When one is firmly established in brahmacarya, vitality is gained."

brahmacarya — literally "moving in Brahman," the creative spiritual essence. Traditionally translated as celibacy, but more broadly pointing to moderation, self-mastery, and alignment with higher purpose.

pratiṣṭhāyām — when firmly establis...

Continuing the theme...

Yoga Sūtra II.37, which speaks to the practice of asteya, or non-stealing.

The sūtra reads:

asteya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarva-ratnopasthānam
"When one is firmly established in non-stealing, all jewels present themselves." — Edwin Bryant

Let's pause on this idea of pratiṣṭhām — being firmly established. When asteya becomes the foundation of how we live, "all the jewels" (sarva-ratna) naturally manifest. Things flow toward us — and isn't that what we want? Who wouldn't love a few more jewels?

But here's the key: these jewels don't arr...

287-Asteya – don't steal my primary series poster

In this episode of My Daily Thread, we continue our exploration of the Yoga Sūtras, searching for practical wisdom we can apply every day.

We've already covered ahiṃsā (non-harming) and satya (truthfulness). Now, we turn to the third yama: asteya — non-stealing, "not taking that which is not freely given."

Yoga Sūtra II.37 says:

asteya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarva-ratnopasthānam
Translation: "When one is firmly established in non-stealing, all jewels present themselves." — Edwin Bryant: "All jewels manifest."

Sanskrit breakdown:

It's been a minute — I took some time to get out to the mountains, visit friends, and reset. Now we're back, continuing our journey through the Yoga Sūtras.

If you want your own "sunset and reset," check out the NOW is the time to check out the San Pancho retreats with Ziggy and me in Feb 2026.

For the past couple of weeks, we've been exploring satya-pratiṣṭhām — being firmly established in truthfulness. I connected this with Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements and his call to "be impeccable with your word," a modern echo of wh...

In this special episode we are happy to have Dr. Paul Bramadat back to chat about his book Yogalands.

Paul Bramadat received his BA in religious studies from the University of Winnipeg (1990), his MA in religion and culture from McGill University (1993) and his PhD in religious studies from McMaster University (1998).

He taught in the Religious Studies Department at the University of Winnipeg from 1998 until 2008. In addition to directing the CSRS since 2008, Paul holds teaching appointments in the Department of History and the Religious Studies Program at the University of Victoria.

Enjoy.

Today we're taking another pass at satya, the second yama from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The sutra we're focusing on is YS 2.36: satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṁ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam—when one is firmly established in truth, their actions bear fruit.

This is a powerful idea. It suggests that when we are rooted in truth, what we say comes to life. Something here touches on the modern idea of manifestation but is grounded in yogic ethics—truth as a force, not just a concept.

But Satya isn't just "don't lie." That's only the surface level. The deeper understanding is about alignme...

YS 2.36 says: satya-pratiṣṭhāyām kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam — "When one is firmly established in truthfulness, then their words become so powerful that the result of action rests upon them."

We're back in the section of the Yoga Sutras that deals with pratiṣṭhā, being deeply and firmly established in a state of being. This time, the quality is satya, truthfulness. Patanjali says that when truth becomes our natural state—when we're rooted in it, consistent with it—then even our words start to carry the power of truth. It's not that we control outcomes like magic. But our speech and a...

Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ
When one is firmly established in non-violence, all hostility ceases in their presence.

Today, we return to ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being established in non-violence—as taught in Yoga Sūtra 2.35. We've already explored how the yamas and niyamas are not just rules, but deeply personal practices—moral and ethical disciplines that offer a framework for living. Simple? Yes. But easy? Not always.

They are practices for managing our lives skillfully, for creating relationships rooted in integrity, peace, and love. They are the ground upon which we w...

Yoga Sūtra 2.35 – ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhāyām tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ
When one is firmly established in non-violence, then all hostility ceases in their presence.

Today, we reflect again on ahiṁsā pratiṣṭhām—being firmly established in non-harming. Patanjali teaches that this is not a casual virtue but a transformative power: when someone has deeply integrated non-violence into their being, conflict and aggression fall away in their presence.

We see examples of this principle embodied in historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Fred Rogers, and Thich Nhat Hanh. Their gentle y...

Today, we return to our study of aṣṭāṅga yoga, the eight-limbed path outlined by Patañjali. As a reminder, the eight limbs are:

Yama – ethical restraints

Niyama – personal observances

Āsana – posture

Prāṇāyāma – breath regulation

Pratyāhāra – withdrawal of the senses

Dhāraṇā – concentration

Dhyāna – meditation

Samādhi – absorption or union

The first four limbs are external practices—disciplines that we can actively cultivate through behavior and intention. The final four, the internal limbs, arise naturally from the consistent and sincere application o...

Today we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace those that are harmful or negative. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path.

We begin by revisiting YS 2.33:
"vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam"
Negative thoughts such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in others, or even silently approved of, arise from greed (lobha), anger (krodha), and delusion (moha). The...

Today, we continue our deep dive into Yoga Sūtra 2.34, staying with the powerful teaching of pratipakṣa bhāvanam—the deliberate cultivation of opposite, positive thoughts to replace harmful or negative ones. This is no abstract philosophy; it's a daily practice for those on the yogic path.

We begin by revisiting YS 2.33:
"vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam"
Negative thoughts, such as violence, whether done by oneself, instigated in others, or even silently approved of, arise from greed (lobha), anger (krodha), and delusion (moha). These may be mild, mo...

We continue our journey with Yoga Sūtra 2.33, and now deepen into the next verse — 2.34. If 2.33 gave us the prescription — pratipakṣa-bhāvanam — then 2.34 shows us the diagnosis, the depth of the problem.

Let's start by recalling the previous sutra:

vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥

"When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate their opposites."

Vitarka refers to thoughts that are harmful, unwholesome, or negative — especially those rooted in violence, attachment, or delusion. The antidote Patanjali gives is pratipakṣa-bhāvanam, the deliberate cultivation of opposing, positive thoughts.

Now, we chant and reflect on the next verse:

vitarkāḥ hiṃsādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ...

We continue our exploration through the Sādhana Pāda, arriving again at Yoga Sūtra 2.33 — a powerful and practical teaching that has everything to do with the life we're living today.

vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam
वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥२.३३॥

"When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate the opposite."

It's deceptively simple yet deeply profound. This teaching lives not in theory but in everyday experience. It's all too easy to be swept up in negative thoughts or drawn into negative conversations—especially in a world that thrives on fear, urgency, and comparison.

Today's episode is about pragmatics. It's about how we actually apply this teaching in th...

Let's review Yoga Sūtra 2.32, which lists the five niyamas, or personal observances — and in reviewing this sūtra, what strikes me most is the elegant simplicity of the path it offers. These teachings, though ancient, are profoundly relevant today — perhaps even more so in our overstimulated, fast-paced world.

Let's revisit the niyamas through a simple lens of choice:

Śauca (शौच) – Choose simplicity over excess.

Santoṣa (सन्तोष) – Choose gratitude over striving.

Tapaḥ (तपः) – Choose effort over escape.

Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय) – Choose inner truth over noise.

Īśvara-praṇidhāna (ईश्वरप्रणिधान) – Choose surrender over control.

This rendering offers not only a practical summary of the sūtr...

The yamas and niyamas are more than philosophical principles — they are ethical and moral disciplines, and for me, they're the practices I return to again and again in my journey to become a better human being.

Now, let me slip in a little reminder — the San Pancho full court press is on. Our upcoming retreat in beautiful San Pancho is designed to lift your spirit, deepen your practice, and reconnect you to yourself in profound ways. If you feel called, visit www.jefflichty.com/events to learn more.

Back to the yamas and niyamas. These aren...

Yesterday, we began exploring the niyamāḥ, the observances of aṣṭāṅga yoga as laid out by Patañjali in Yoga Sūtra 2.32. We looked closely at śauca, purity or clarity, and how it stands as the foundational niyama, much like ahiṁsā is the cornerstone of the yamas.

Today, we turn our attention to the second niyama: santoṣa — contentment.

Santoṣa means to be content with what is — to rest in the simplicity and sufficiency of the present moment. This teaching can be especially challenging for those of us with perfectionistic tendencies. It asks us to step out of the lo...

Yesterday, we explored YS 2.31, and today we continue by honoring a beautiful insight from scholar Edwin Bryant. He draws particular attention to the importance of this sutra, emphasizing the universality of the mahāvratam—the great vows. When we hear the terms mahāvratam (great vow) and sārvabhauma (universal or applicable to all people, places, and times), we begin to grasp just how expansive and vital this teaching is to anyone walking the yogic path. It reminds us that these vows are not negotiable—they're not only for monks, ascetics, or spiritual aspirants in India. They are for everyon...

We continue our journey through the Sādhana Pāda of the Yoga Sūtras, exploring the practices that Patanjali offers to help us move toward viveka-khyāti—discriminative wisdom. In YS 2.29, we were introduced to the eight limbs of yoga, aṣṭāṅga yoga, and now in YS 2.30, Patanjali begins with the first of those limbs: the yamas.

YS 2.30: अहिंसासत्यास्तेय ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहाः यमाः ahiṁsā-satya-asteya-brahmacarya-aparigrahāḥ yamāḥ Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy/moderation, and non-possessiveness are the restraints.

These are the first ethical foundations of yoga. The yamas are not rigid commandments, but rather energetic truths—vibrational realities. When we align with them, inner peace arises; when we violate them, we disturb our own clarity and calm. They're...

Continuing our journey into the Yoga Sūtras and the teachings of the great meditation masters, we return to the Sādhana Pāda of Patañjali, the chapter of practice. This is where Patañjali lists the steps—the actual methods—we can apply to move toward viveka-khyāti, the unwavering discriminative wisdom that brings freedom from suffering.

Previously, in Yoga Sūtra 2.29, we were introduced to the classic eight limbs of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga. Now, in Yoga Sūtra 2.30, Patañjali begins to unpack the first of these limbs: the yamas. The sūtra reads:

"Ahiṃsā-satya...

we're continuing our journey through the Sādhana Pāda, the second chapter of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras.

Let's remember where we've just been: in Sūtra 2.28, Patañjali says that through the consistent practice of yoga, particularly the eight limbs, the impurities dwindle and then—then!—"the light of discriminative wisdom arises."

YS 2.28
"Yogāṅgānuṣṭhānād aśuddhi-kṣaye jñāna-dīptiḥ āviveka-khyāteḥ"
By the practice of the limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed and the light of wisdom arises, leading to discriminative discernment (viveka-khyāti).

Then in Sūtra 2.29, Patañ...

Jumping right in, friends—today we're working with Yoga Sūtra 2.29, where Patañjali gives us what is often considered the classic blueprint of yoga: the eight limbs of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga.

Yama-niyamāsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayo'ṣṭāvaṅgāni

"Yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi are the eight limbs of yoga."

These eight limbs aren't just philosophical fluff—they're the framework, the structure, the entire arc of yoga as a path of inner transformation.

Now, in North America and much of the modern yoga worl...

Dear followers of this thread, now begins the light of jñāna dīptiḥ, the illumination of wisdom.

Jeff first went to India seeking the fiery discipline of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga as taught by Śrī K. Pattabhi Jois. He was drawn by the strength, the sweat, and the challenge. But what he ultimately discovered was a different kind of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga—the classical eight-limbed path described by Patañjali. And that deeper path, the one we're now exploring, is why many of us are truly here, as Aṣṭāṅgīs, in the whole meaning of the word.

So today, we arrive...

This is the sutra that kept Jeff returning to India, year after year, to dive deeper into Aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It was Patañjali's words here that affirmed the path and ignited the faith to continue. There was something more than just movement—it was a promise that transformation comes through practice.

yogāṅgānuṣṭhānād aśuddhi-kṣaye jñāna-dīptiḥ āviveka-khyāteḥ

Through the sustained practice of the limbs of yoga, the impurities are destroyed, and the light of knowledge shines, leading to discriminative discernment.

This sutra, YS 2.28, is incredibly special because it of...