Monday, June 3, 2013

Svadhyaya

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

Described in the second chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Niyamas establish the rules of conduct that apply to individual discipline.  Practicing and adhering to these principles creates self purification in the practitioner. 

This week in class we will be exploring Svadhyaya, the fourth Niyama. 

Svadhyaya is found in verse II.44 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Svadhyaya means - literally and entomologically – “to move towards oneself,” “to comeback to who we are” by some means.  If we can understand Tapas as purifying or refining our systems, then Svadhyaya is self-reflection, coming deeper into a self-understanding and a self-awareness.

Tapas makes us fit for Svadhyaya.  Tapas cleans the vessel; Svadhyaya looks at the vessel.  There is a mutual relationship between the two.

This suggests that we find a means to discover who, in essence, we are.  It means to reflect deeply on our actions not only to achieve something external, but as a mirror to see ourselves more deeply in terms of what we are doing and how we are motivated.  It means piercing through the veil of our self-image.  It means inquiring into the nature of our being through deep inner reflection.  This implies looking honestly at our behavior, our motivations, and all of the strategies we use to maintain our self-image.

In a more general sense, Svadhyaya suggests that the study of sacred or inspirational texts can result in insight into the human condition.  Such classical texts include the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, the Talmud, various writings of the saints, or any spiritual or inspiring text - again, not abstractly or academically, but as a means of understanding ourselves more deeply.  These activities are seen as mirrors that reflect back to us our true nature.  Spiritually inspiring teachings are tools to help us understand ourselves and, through that understanding, to change our attitudes and behavior.  When we are practicing with this self-reflective quality, we will deepen our self-understanding.

This teaching is not meant only for those dedicated to the spiritual life.  It has great practical meaning for all of us who recognize that there is room for improvement in our lives.  In this context, Svadhyaya represents a process through which, at any given moment, we can assess where we are in relation to things.

Svadhyaya is also the ability to look in the mirror of how people are responding to us and let that be an opportunity to understand something about the way we are operating.  Svadhyaya suggests that we can use all of our activities as mirrors to see something about ourselves - a way of coming deeper into self-understanding - for we can use the feedback from all of our interpersonal interactions and reactions.  Svadhyaya is also suggestive of a mirror to remind us of our higher potential.

As we go deeper and deeper into this process of self-investigation and self-discovery, as we go deeper into ourselves we will slowly discover or uncover the divine. 

HomeworkWhat would it mean to you to “reflect deeply on your actions” and to “look honestly at your behavior?”  Take the time to do this and consider how this “reflection” and “honesty” will guide you in your practice of Svadhyaya?

References:
Quoted and paraphrased from Iyengar the Yoga Master, edited by Kofi Busia, Kriya Yoga: Transformation Through Practice – A Western Perspective, by Gary Kraftsow.

Blessings,

paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com

Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003


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