Swadhyaya is one of 5 Niyamas in the yoga philosophy and can be translated to “self study” or even “study of self”. Both these things have been a large part of my yoga journey especially this past year:
I have studied anatomy, teaching methodology, philosophy and so much more. Once I started I couldn’t stop, as it felt like I still didn’t know enough. I could already fill a small library on all these topics and my wishlist with my favourite bookshop still contains over 20 books 😂
But in the end even more importantly I have studied myself and my motives specifically on this yoga journey. Building flow with tanii I have spent a lot of time asking myself what I want, why I’m doing this, where I want to go and what I’d like to give back and offer while on this path.
The following 5 things have helped me practice svadhyaya a lot, so I’d like to share:
01 Meditation
In meditation we become still and look inward. We let go of thoughts, of distractions and the external world. This state of calm is the ultimate self-awareness.
02 Reading anything that deepens your practice
It doesn't matter if it's old writings, a forum on teaching yoga, books about building a business or different styles. Anything that moves you closer toward your Self on and off the mat is Svadhyaya.
03 Spending time with yourself
And I'm not talking about sitting on the couch watching Netflix. Spend time with yourself consciously. Spend it in nature on a walk or hike, let the sun touch your face and enjoy the calmness that will engulf you and help you find the peace to listen to yourself.
04 Journaling
Journaling can be a great way to release or structure thoughts and reflect on what we're learning and experiencing. It can also show us how we're growing and evolving. And it's a great way to find out what we resonate with and what we want to integrate into our life.
05 Practicing yoga
The physical practice of yoga is a great way to become present. According to yoga philosophy our asana practice is actually supposed to help prepare us for meditation. Doing this mindfully will also show us how we approach challenges (difficult poses) or how readily we deal with stillness (savasana or longer poses).
Practicing Svadhyaya has helped me see my yogic path more clearly and I can really feel it come together. I can only recommend this to everybody else too. Our relationship with ourself is the most important one. The least we can do is listen to ourselves as much as we do to everybody and everything else.
Niyamas
The Niyamas are the second path of the eight limbs of yoga, as described by Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Following the Yamas, the Niyamas are about our relationship with ourselves and mindfully examining our inner world:
Saucha - Purity
Santosha - Contentment / Acceptance
Tapas - Discipline
Svadhyaya - Self Study
Ishvara Pranidhana - Devotion
Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self. (The Bhagavad Gita)
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