I wasn’t sure what I wanted to focus on as a topic this week. So, I read through my previous posts to see if I could find some inspiration. What I noticed, is that most of my topics ask you to engage in self-study. Self study is one of the five Niyamas in the eight limbs of yoga. If you look back at HeartFelt Calm, I have the eight limbs listed there. Niyama is the second limb and focuses in on personal observations.
The five Niyamas are as follows
1. Saucha- Purity
2. Santosha- Contentment
3. Tapas- Purifying
4. Svadhyaya- Self-study
5. Ishvara - Pranidhara- Surrender to God
Obviously, our focus today will be on the fourth one- Svadhyaya. I just love the word Svadhyaya- it’s really fun to say!
Just as I have done in previous posts, I look to the beautiful translation provided by Nischala Joy Devi, in her book The Secret Power of Yoga. “Sacred study of the Divine through scripture, nature, and introspection (Svadhyaya) guides us to the Supreme Self” She goes on to say that this study is fine tuning our mental and intuitive aspects and through this we harmonize with the inspirations that they have to offer.
As I have suggested in other posts, part of this study is paying attention to our way of being from moment to moment. Svadhyaya takes it one step further, asking us to adapt this study into our spiritual practice. Look at the books you are reading, the movies you are watching, look at the conversations you engage in, look at what you do in spare time. Are they stimulating your consciousness? Are they inspiring you to do great things? When you are in nature, do you take time to observe the natural beauty God has created for us?
There have been times in my years of practice, when Svadhyaya was my yoga practice. Sometimes, I find the physical practice distracting- when I am trying to step deeper into the spiritual side of yoga. When focused on the asana practice, we can get lost in the surface stuff- such as a perceived shortcoming with in our physical body. We can lose sight of the fact, that we are a Divine Being and we are perfect just as we are. Personally, I found after these breaks, to work on the integration of the spiritual side, I felt it easier the deepen my attention during movement, when I brought the asana back in.
I find this work or study to be extremely rewarding. This study is my purpose in life!
Until next time,
Sandra