*Gestures Broadly At Everything*
Svadyaya / Self study
Probably my favourite niyama to say... Rolls off the tongue don't it?! We're examining Svadyaya today friends. Basically, we're studying studying.
Great! Now that that's confused us all, let’s jump in.
The word is made up of two parts, Sva meaning belonging to me or self, and Adhyaya which means lecture, enquiry or reading. In this context, we see that Svadyaya means studying ourselves as well as the scriptures.
There are so many ways we can study ourselves both on and off the mat, with objectivity. So many times I've taught a class where people are more interested in how their fellow yogis are practicing than how they're doing themselves - we all do it. We have a tendency to look elsewhere for guidance instead of trusting ourselves and getting curious about what it is that we're doing.
In Yin, I like to prompt each shape as an opportunity to get curious. We show up each day so differently. ur bodies are carried differently, our minds are different. What felt good yesterday may feel a bit niggly today. What is usually a struggle may today feel spacious. By studying our bodies we can both begin to form a relationship with ourselves and also appreciate the complexity of life.
I think oftentimes on a yoga mat we can expect things to be the same as they were the last time. And when things feel odd and weird; we have an opportunity here to study. Do we connect with the inner 5-year-old and try to understand what she's experiencing, encouraging a soft approach to her challenge. Or, do we get angry cos Bernadette on the mat next to us is in a full pigeon pose and we were there yesterday but not today stupid hamstrings, stupidly attached to our stupid flat hips full of stupid stupidness.
We keep rounding back to the other yamas and niyamas but I believe key pieces of self-study are both Ahimsa (kindness) and Satya (truthfulness). If self-study equals berating yourself for feeling a certain way or travelling down a path of neggy vibes then you've lost sight of ahimsa. If self-study has you singing your own praises from the rooftops cos you ARE the best girl and even your Mammy said it, then perhaps it's an opportunity to examine the Ego through Satya.
While self-study starts with us observing our ego, behaviour and physical body, it flows through to the relationships we have. What are our friendships like, are they harmonious or flooded with competition? Do we treat our partner like an equal or is there a power struggle? Do we see our parents and children doing the best they know or do we struggle with their viewpoints and choices? Do I listen to understand or do I listen to talk? Am I loving in my communication? Do I speak honestly and openly?
This same process can be applied to self too; am I coming from a place of love or hate? Craving or aversion? When we observe our reactions to a situation, we become aware of our thought patterns and belief systems. When we nurture our self-awareness, we no longer flow through this life and instead, we actively participate.
While I don't think everyone will go off and study the yogic principles (I mean, you *should* but I understand how you maybe won't 😉) I believe there is incredible power in studying philosophy. I recently began another course in philosophy, in part because I adore doing the thinkings but also because I miss classroom settings. The group was made of people from all walks of life, all age groups from all parts of Ireland. What I thought was most beautiful was their answers for why they are studying. Some said they'd always been interested; others said they wanted connection in this lonely isolated time. Many were nearing retirement age and had lived life as an accountant or engineer, very organised and process-driven. So they wanted to challenge themselves and open their eyes to deeper questions. Many had never even considered philosophy or knew anything about it but wanted to give it a shot.
MY HEART. Imagine that, at 70 years of age asking ''what even is life?''
On the course, we got pondering that very question and one quote shared left me shook. ''How can you live a fulfilled life if you don’t know what the purpose of life is?''
If you can't define what fulfilled living looks like to you, how do you know you're doing it right? Sure, society and our culture have told us we must have houses, degrees, spouses, children, pensions and 20 days of annual leave each year. But is this living to you? What if living to you is in the laughter in your loved one’s voices? What if you're fulfilled in nature and sitting in an office makes your toes curl? What if a child-free life is your idea of freedom? What if you were never meant to be tamed?
Once more, for those in the back. ''How can you live a fulfilled life if you don’t know what the purpose of life is?''
Until next time my chickens,
Stay love, stay humble, stay hydrated x