This week we delve into the fourth niyama, Svadhyaya or Self-study. The word comes comes from the Sanskrit “sva” or self and “adhyaya” or study. Anything that you do to learn more about yourself is considered Svadhyaya. Some yoga practitioners incorporate the study of ancient texts, perhaps you might read the Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Torah, or the Holy Bible – so many to choose from. Self-study and reflection helps us to recognize our passions, aversions, habits and foibles. Without doing the study, and then committing to address our challenges, we will continue, on repeat, to act on our samskaras. Samskaras are behaviors which are below the level of normal consciousness, the root of impulses, character traits and innate dispositions. We can think of them as hardened patterns or grooves in the brain, they are the imprints left by past experiences that fuel the formation of behavioral patterns. Without recognition, we fall back into patterns or habits based on experiences or memories that have long formed in those memory grooves. Once we recognize them, through self-study, we can act to channel the positive ones and soften the less healthful ones.
TKV Desikachar defines svadhyaya as “Self-inquiry; any study that helps you understand yourself; the study of sacred texts.”
Taking some time for self-study will help us discover who we are at our core; honest reflection is hard but also so important as we try to move forward, defining our next best day.
I have an incredible amount of samskara - behaviors or reactions triggered by thoughts and interactions with people, family and friends that I have known the longest. Things that happen to us early in life tend to be embedded deeply; I am working to break my Pavlovian unhealthy responses to triggered emotions and feelings from those experiences. There are also triggers that release joy and happiness. The work of self study is admittedly challenging. I find deep breathing and pausing before speaking helpful. Remember Buddha's advice: Before speaking, consider what you're about to say, is it truthful, helpful, kind, spoken gently, and timely. Since this is a work in process (like so much of my life), I also subscribe to the “fake it till you make it” approach. I am finding that I am starting to ever so slowly change the direction of the behemoth ship that are my samskaras.
Dedicating some time to this self-reflection helps us to remember and rediscover things about ourselves that are buried under our routines. While we will certainly find some habits or behaviors that we strive to change, we may discover lost parts of ourselves to cultivate, things that could bring us joy and growth as we move toward our next best day. The study, and then the work of staying true to the self we have discovered is practicing this niyama off the mat!
Our Practice - Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
When we come to our mat there is nowhere to go, distractions of daily life are turned off and we truly have to pay attention. Self-study during our yoga practice may reveal much to us about ourselves, our challenges. Practicing Svadhyaya on the mat should include mindful observation, intention setting for your practice non-judgmental awareness. Are we breathing and focused inwardly or is our gaze wandering? Is our ego or negative thoughts encroaching on our mat?
We can practice Svadhyaya on our mats by turning awareness inward to arising sensations in the body/mind, breathing, and jus being one with the practice.
Sukhasana is derived from the Sanskrit word “sukha” or ease and “asana” or posture. As we practice Svadhyaya we may find ourselves trying to meditate more (or to start a meditation practice). Starting with a short 3–5-minute meditation is perfect. This pose is one of the most common for seated meditation. It is also a common starting pose for many classes.
While accessible to many, if you are seated at a desk all day or have tight hips, sukhasana can be anything but “easy”:
Start seated on the mat and cross your legs. Placing a folded blanket under your buttocks to tip you pelvis ever so slightly forward/neutral may be helpful. If coming to sukhasana for meditation, perhaps sit on a meditation cushion or a stack of blankets. You will adjust these props so that your pelvis is neutral. If your hips are especially tight, placing blocks under each knee can provide support and comfort. You could also practice against a wall providing additional spinal support. If you do practice in one position for a long time you may want to switch the legs partway through your practice.
When we start in sukhasana activate the core and focus on keeping the spine long and crown to the sky. If using the posture for meditation, either soften the gaze or gently close the eyes and begin rhythmic breathing.
As we settle into the pose, we can become aware of our posture and make subtle adjustments to find the “suhka” or ease in the pose. As we relax and breathe, we can find calming energy for our mind and body.
Meditating on Svadhyaya
Let’s remind ourselves what Patanjali tells us is the purpose of yoga in Sutra 1.2. “Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah” is “The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga”. As we work and learn to control our mind (through meditation, breath, asanas, contemplation) we will achieve our yoga goal. Self-study is an integral part of our yoga journey.
"Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment." - Lao Tzu
"Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self." – The Bhagavad Gita
Nurturing with Food – My Sourdough Experience!
No new recipe this week, I have been sidetracked with experimenting with my new hobby of making sourdough bread. Full disclosure, I was so filled with trepidation about the process that I had the starter in the refrigerator for almost two months before I attempted to bake it. What I can tell you thus far is that there are a lot of fancy words for relatively simple things. There is also a lot of equipment that you think you must have that you do not. Bottom line is that the process is more forgiving than my reading led me to believe and the only real must haves for equipment are a small kitchen scale and a Dutch oven. If anyone is interested in this bread making, I would be happy to share the two simple recipes that I have been using and the articles that I found the least daunting in my journey. I also am happy to share starter.
See you on the mat,
Namaste
Julia Anne
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