Self-study or svadhyaya is one of the niyamas that Patanjali directs us to do in the eight limbs. The beauty is that it’s available in every moment of every day, especially when we make mistakes.
It starts with you
When you look at the sum of your life, there’s only one constant across it all: you. Every experience, every relationship, the wins, losses, tragedies and triumphs, mistakes and miracles, they all have one thing in common … you. If you want to make sense of your life, if you genuinely desire more yoga and peace and if you want to grow into the best version of yourself, it has to start with you. Self-study is at the heart of transforming your life. Prescribed by Patanjali in the eight limbs of the Yoga Sutras, svadhyaya, one of the niyamas, or observances, is a fundamental practice to experience the state of yoga. It connects us to something greater than ourselves, which ultimately, according to Master Iyengar’s translation in Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, ultimately fulfils all the practitioner’s desires.
The hero’s journey
We see the process of svadhyaya at the heart of so many great stories and myths. Our hero embarks on a journey to reach some elusive goal. They overcome obstacles, become victorious, but most importantly, they learn something about themselves and return home changed. This change comes from the self-knowledge obtained thanks to the trials and tribulations of their journey, enabling them to discover who they really are and what they are made of. As yogis, like Arjuna in the Bhagavadgita, we are constantly on the hero’s journey, navigating the battlefield of life. It’s our job to stay awake and seek to understand who and what we are, through this process of svadhyaya.
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