8/20/26 Live Session Recording (Module 8)

I am really appreciating all the content around the niyamas so far between the Zoom discussions and modules, even though I do find them more personally challenging and at times uncomfortable. Probably because they really require you to sit with yourself and your internal environment. I really liked the reframe of Saucha as “clarity”, and I particularly resonated with the idea that it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish if something feels like a “gut instinct” or just a hyperanalysis of a trauma response. As a chronic overthinker and someone with anxiety, I think I find myself really searching for “answers” or “clarity” around certain things. This makes me quick to label or categorize thoughts and feelings as a way of intellectualizing and understanding them, rather than feeling/experiencing them. I think this can sometimes be problematic when I spend too much time and effort in the chase of trying to understand something or label it just so I can have a sense of control over it.

I greatly appreciated Alejandro adding that there is wisdom in the recognition of noticing what’s going on internally. This felt very validating, like I don’t always need to search for the proper labeling or categorization of experiences, and simply noticing myself and my thoughts can be enough at times. I think there is a lot of freedom in being able to notice something without immediately feeling like I need to determine what it means or what I should do about it. I can acknowledge that something feels uncomfortable, confusing, or worth paying attention to without immediately deciding that it is either my intuition warning me about something being wrong or simply my anxiety taking over. Sometimes I think I put so much pressure on myself to figure out which one it is that I miss the experience itself and sometimes other important external information about said experience.

This is something I am continuing to work on (literally daily) - learning to trust that I can notice something, sit with it, and allow more information to come in before I need to make an immediate decision/categorization about it. I am learning I don’t always have to achieve certainty in order to feel safe. 

This feels connected to the practice of Saucha because it creates an opportunity to clear away some of the mental clutter that comes from constantly analyzing, categorizing, and trying to control my experiences. It allows me to have space to actually experience my life rather than constantly getting sucked into the thought portal overanalyzing what everything means.

And I think it’s worth noting that this is incredibly difficult and something I must continuously remind myself of because my brain and nervous system has been wired in this particular way. The unlearning of patterns and finding safety within your own brain is not for weak. *sweat emoji*

Listening/watching this recording had me feeling so bummed that I wasn't there in the live session to join in on the conversation. So many great discussion topics came up.

I really liked how Saucha was reframed as clarity rather than purity. Coming from a Catholic upbringing, the word “purity” carries a lot of different connotations for me and can sometimes feel connected to judgment or the idea of being “good” versus “bad.” Thinking about Saucha as clarity feels much more accessible and compassionate. It shifts the focus away from being perfectly “pure” and instead encourages us to notice what is clouding our mind, body, or energy and what we can do to create more clarity and trust in ourselves and in our lives.

I also found Iona’s story really upsetting. Her story was a good reminder of how difficult it can be to set and maintain boundaries, especially when we are people who naturally care for others and don’t want anyone to feel left out, rejected, or isolated. Sometimes setting a boundary can feel like we are failing someone or being unkind, when in reality, boundaries can create safety and clarity for everyone involved. It made me think about how important it is to care for others while also recognizing when we need to protect our own boundaries and well-being.

Bingeing the last several weeks' sessions has been insane, but I feel like everything connects and flows together so well! I hadn't known much about saucha prior to this session, so gaining understanding of this niyama has been interesting. I was able to connect greatly with the idea of clearing away the mental and emotional clutter that affects how we see ourselves, others, and the situations we are in. At work (I feel like a broken record saying this lol), I think this can be super important because it's so easy for labels, past experiences, or expectations to influence how we view someone before really seeing the person in front of us. As a facilitator, I hope that practicing saucha can help me bring ,more awareness of those assumptions and that I will be able to create enough clarify within myself to meet each participate exactly where they are. At the same time though, I hope that as a facilitator, I can create a space where my students can also meet me where I am, if that makes sense; I hope they accept and see me as I am, too. During the connection and Focus phase, I noticed how facilitators can invite attention without defining what engagement has to look like. Someone may connect through movement, stillness, observation, or simply being present, and none of those experiences are wrong or need to look a certain way on the outside in order to be meaningful. It felt like an important reminder that my role is to create the space and an open invitation, rather than determine how someone else should experience it or what a "successful class" looks like. 

How does thinking about Saucha as clarity influence or expand your understanding of this Niyama?

Thinking of saucha as clarity expands my understanding of this niyama in that I really appreciate the conversation about how there are things that can cause blockages to our emotional and energetic bodies and minds that create confusion and disconnection from ourselves-- that "saucha" is not just about a preconceived definition of what makes something "pure"--which I understand and have experience with the word "purity" in our society having other confusing implications. Using the word "clarity" feels more truthful and inclusive of all experiences, allowing space for us to connect to our individual understandings of what feels supportive in allowing for our connection to self.

What did you notice about the ways a facilitator can invite connection and focus without deciding what attention or engagement should look like for a participant?

I noticed that as a facilitator, we can invite connection and focus by using the tools we've been practicing of inquiry-based language during guiding by encouraging participants to notice their inner monologues and how they are speaking to themselves, and also inviting different options in the physical practice to explore attention by offering variations in pacing and physical modifications for challenging focus-- all of these ways of invitational guidance allows the autonomy of participants in noticing their unique needs in exploring attention and engagement how it's suitable for them.

Suacha, Purity, clarity, organic. All of these words make myself feeling detoxed. 

our organs and each body part are all connected to our mind and nervous system especially the stomach. I knew of this fact but maybe I was not very pay attention to it before. Emotions and stress can direclty affect our gut. That is why we sometimes totally lose our appetite, not even feel it when we are in traumatic situation. This is so interesting to me and it reminds me of Dr. Joe Dispenza, neuroscientist and chiropractor who is recovered his severe spinal injury without surgery but with meditation and mind- body connection practice.  Terminal illness patient gets 3 months life sentence from the doctor and he passes away exactly after 3 months but found out that was false diagnosis and he didn't have any illness. Yes, not often but we hear this kind of story from time to time and it is actually happening. I really enjoy finding out those stories. It is like hearing magic story for me. I get super excited to hear and learn this subject. There must be something out there working invisibly. We just don't see it through our naked eyes just like the oxygen. We don't see it but it exists.

Connecting to our 'gut instinct' in speech and conversation.

(Before You speak)

1. Is it true?

2. Is it necessary?

3. Is it kind?

I probably don't consider these 3 things before I talk but I will try to keep that in my mind from now on. Pause, think and talk.

In our class, 'Pause' is often emphasized and I love it. It is slowly becoming my habit. Amazing tool for check in myself so that I don't go autopilot. 

I try to instill my learning from this yoga class to my teenager daughter in daily life and I am thinking this yoga philosophy should be in our school subject for children. If I knew even a little bit of this beautiful insight when I was a kid, I would have been much more happier girl who can be contented to myself. But I am gratful that I am opening my eyes now and at least I can explain a little bit better to my girl.