Thoughts on Svadhyaya

Self-study. Self-reflection.
Feurerstein paraphrases a quote from the Shata-Patha-Brahmana that sums up svadhyaya very well. "The study and interpretation of the sacred lore are a source of joy. The serious student becomes mentally focused and independent of others...He controls his senses and delights in the One. His insight and inner glory grow, and he acquires the ability to promote the world."

Yoga texts (such as Yoga Sutra 3.44) instruct you to study sacred texts for true self realization. But you can study any books, particularly those that educate and offer ways to help you liberate your Self, as a means of self-study. These can be reference points and provide information that you did not have before. Knowledge has potential power. When you have knowledge in your pocket, you can bring it out and use it to liberate your mind as needed.

How do you weed out books that are worthy of study and those that are not? Read them, and reflect. Write about what you think of the books if you wish. I would not recommend Danielle Steele or Tom Clancy to better yourself. Try reading books by people who have dedicated their lives to a peaceful cause, such as The Dali Lama. Or read about a subject that interests you.

Yoga manuals also recommended that you chant mantras and OM. This was a practice used for past yogis to learn texts and lessons better, to repeat them over and over. Sri Pattabhi Jois recommends learning the Gayatri mantra as a basis for studying ancient verses, or the Mantra Rahasya. But if one is serious enough, they should study and ponder the meaning to be closer to God.

Chanting can provide a source of peace. I love the sound of it when I am in class. I also find it refreshing when I sit by the fire and memorize new chants--it helps still my mind. But chanting and OMing are not the only way I establish svadyhaya. When my son was born, I began memorizing lullabies. By singing these to him at night, I felt a greater connection with him. It was bliss.

Another way to practice svadhyaya is to reflect on your daily actions. You are literally studying you. What did you do when your car got a flat tire--did you freak out and curse in frustration or did you calmly go about solving the problem quickly and keep moving? How did you handle a chance meeting your estranged husband--did you treat him as an enemy, or as a friend?

Are you happy with how you handled the situations? If not, then you recognize things that you can work on to better yourself. Think about what would have been a better way to act so you are prepared for future situations. If you are unsure, refer to the yamas and niyamas and apply them for guidance on how you can act in the future.

Iyengar states, "The person practicing svadhyaya reads his own book of life, at the same time that he writes and revises it." In doing so, he starts realise that "...all creation is divine, that there is divinity within himself and that the energy which moves him is the same that moves the entire universe."