Cleanliness of body and mind, known as saucha, is one of five principles in yoga philosophy that guide us down the yogic lifestyle and into alignment with universal consciousness. The first of the five niyamas, this concept sets the foundation for engaging with the other niyamas.

As moms, we can apply this yogic concept to our everyday mothering as we make decisions about managing our personal hygiene, our home, and our mental load.

Sutras quoted in this article come from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Translations and quotes describing the sutras are from Tantra of the Yoga Sutras: Essential Wisdom for Living with Awareness and Grace by Alan Finger with Wendy Newton.

Saucha in Yoga Philosophy

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes the niyamas, one of the eight limbs of yoga, as the practices to engage with to align with universal consciousness. When we engage with this "reprogramming of oneself for living in homeostasis," we lay the groundwork for not only aligning with universal intelligence, but also carrying on along the yogic path through movement, breathwork, and meditation.

Saucha is defined in Sutra 2.32 as, "orderliness and cleanliness of body, mind, and relationships." According to Finger and Newton, when we maintain this cleanliness, "Then our relationships with our lives and surroundings stays pure and easeful."

In a modern context, saucha means maintaining personal hygiene, keeping a clean and tidy space around you, and cleansing your mind of negative thoughts and energy. The practice allows us to live more simply, preparing the both the internal and external environment needed to engage more deeply with a personal yoga practice.

Patanjali goes on to explain the benefits or gifts of practicing saucha in Sutras 2.40 and 2.41.

2.40 Saucat svanga jugupsa parair asamsargah

2.41 Sattvasuddhi saumanasyaikagreyendriyajayatmadarsana yogyatvani ca

These sutras explain that when we maintain a saucha practice, we release our attachment to our physical body, purify the senses, and improve our ability to focus.

Applying Saucha in Everyday Motherhood

There are so many ways to bring the practice of saucha into your life as a mom. To start, focus on yourself and your own basic self-care routines. Personal hygiene, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and keeping your room tidy can all fall into the cleanliness and orderliness practice.

But don't forget that saucha also applies to the mind. Embrace a daily mindfulness practice to help keep your thoughts clear and focused on what matters. A simple meditation practice, quiet time in nature, or short breathwork session can support your mental clarity day to day.

Next, think about the home environment. Maintaining a clean and organized environment at home can reduce physical clutter, thus contributing to less mental clutter for everyone in the family.

With kids, this application of saucha requires constant monitoring. Installing simple systems for keeping the home clean and tidy; decluttering toys, clothes, and miscellaneous household goods on a regular basis; and ensuring everything in the home has a place and purpose are simple starting points.

Don't let this aspect of saucha prevent you from engaging with the practice altogether. As moms, we know things stack up and sometimes the kids get out every toy or book from their shelf right before they go to bed. Work toward establishing a baseline for your home, focus on reducing the clutter you bring in, and involve your children in keeping their environment clean.

Finally, consider the saucha practice in relation to your children. You help them with their own practice when you model and teach their own personal hygiene and support them in maintaining a consistent routine, especially around wake-up and bedtime. And as mentioned, they can support the cleanliness of the home environment by learning simple cleaning and tidying habits, helping with chores, and helping decide which of their own items can be decluttered.

Another important aspect of saucha for children is showing how they can keep their mental space pure. Whether you use affirmations, invite them into your meditation space, or simply speak to your children with respect (and respectfully about others in front of them), you can begin to expand saucha from the physical to the mental plane for your kids.

Integrating cleanliness and orderliness into your life may seem simple, but it's a fantastic starting point for walking down a more yogic lifestyle that leads to alignment with your highest self. And, saucha is a great practice for moms to demonstrate for and pass down to their children.

More Yoga for Busy Moms

• The online yoga studio for busy, working moms seeking a slower way of life offers monthly pre-recorded yoga and meditation you can use to sink into a slower pace, plus a slow down framework where you can restructure your most overwhelming challenges into peaceful, rhythmic routines that support you and your family.

• Two-minute Reset Meditations for Routine Calm Days includes ten completely free two-minute meditations for you to capture a moment of calm right now, without spending an hour at the yoga studio or taking paid leave.

• The Mama Naturalist on my website and Substack is a space where I share both conceptual and practical guidance on slowing down, connecting to nature, and living seasonally.

• Mindful Moms Digest offers exclusive yoga and meditation classes, nature stories from a wildlife biologist (me!), and free, supportive resources including links back to every blog post for busy, working moms journeying toward a slower, more seasonal way of life.

• Cultivate Calm Mornings is a structured series of three yoga workshops that supports you in transforming your morning routine from chaotic to calm.