Svadhyaya – A practice of self-reflection

For many of us, the lockdown has been a period of self-reflection. Our yoga practice is all about creating a mindful connection with ourselves and one way to listen to our inner voice is through the practice of Svadhyaya.

Svadhyaya is a Sanksrit word that can be translated as self-study. Svadhyaya gets two mentions in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. It forms part of two methods Patanjali prescribes for reaching the goal of yoga, which is to still our thoughts. These are Kriya Yoga, and Ashtanga Yoga.  Because svadhyaya is mentioned twice it’s worthwhile looking at it a bit deeper.

Kriya Yoga

Svadhyaya forms one of the three elements of Kriya Yoga. The others being tapas from the word tap meaning to heat. Tapas has nothing to do with Spanish snacks but is often translated as overcoming adversity; and Ishvarapranidhana meaning devotion to a higher power. Patanjali doesn’t specify what or who the higher power leaving that part up to your individual interpretation.

Niyamas

Svadhyaya is also mentioned as one of the niyamas in the Ashtanga Yoga system. Niyamas are internal practices we undertake to create more harmony within ourselves. This harmony makes it easier to live peacefully, leading to fewer mental distractions.

It’s always easier to remember things in threes, so here are three ways to practice Svadhyaya:

Studying our reactions

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna defines yoga in many ways. One of my favourite definitions is “as equanimity of mind”(BG 2.48). 

Ideally, we could all move through life being untouched by irritability or stress but that’s easier said than done, especially given the current circumstances. Using Svadhyaya to study our reactions allows us to understand ourselves better and this understanding along with compassion can open the way for more contentment.

Studying our breath

An obvious place to study our breath is during practice. Breath is an essential element to the Ashtanga practice, forming one of the three pillars of the tristhana. Observing our breath allows us to cultivate present-moment awareness. It lets us know when we’re pushing too hard or when we’re anxious about doing a particular asana.

Breathing is also an essential tool for managing stress outside of our practice. 

Our breath regulates our nervous system.

The exhalation initiates a parasympathetic nervous system response. Our parasympathetic nervous system is part of the autonomic nervous system. It’s often described as providing our rest and digest response. So among other things, it makes us feel calm and relaxed. We can initiate a parasympathetic nervous system response ourselves by taking calm measured breaths and focusing on our exhalation. Next time you're feeling anxious notice your breathing and see if focusing on your exhale makes you feel calmer.

Finding our connection to the spiritual path

We all come to yoga for different reasons. I have an idea that we stick with it because it gives us something beyond flexibility and strength. Our practice offers us a chance to connect with something deeper that exists with ourselves. What that means is different for all of us. 

Finding that connection could be through reading yoga philosophy or chanting mantra. Maybe yoga helps to bring you closer to your existing religious beliefs or enhances a connection to nature. Svadhyaya is the process of discovering what we feel connected to and ishvarapranidhana is about cultivating that connection.

By making our practice an act of devotion we have the mental strength to sustain it when things get tough….and this mental strength is tapas.