The Art of Self-study & Witnessing the Self
Svadhyaya is a term that I first heard of many years ago. Svadhyaya is a Sanskrit term that means 'one's own reading' or 'self-study' and it is the fourth Niyama from Patanjali's 8 limb path of yoga in the Yoga Sutras.
While all of the 8 limbs of yoga resonate and all of the Niyamas are quite important, I find that Svadhyaya is a very central. From my personal practice, I embody clarity (saucha), contentment (santosha), discipline/fire/heat (tapas) and service to a higher power than myself (ishvara pranidhana) when I am able to study my being. Perhaps they are interchangeable, but this is my observation. It all comes through me and my vessel.
If you are feeling ungrounded, studying the self can feel a bit maddening...always aware of and alert about everything. You can go down the spiral of coulda, shoulda, woulda's within a minute. Well, perhaps that isn't self-study but self-deprecation. Svadhyaya serves its highest purpose when you are grounded and centered.
The of the keys to self-study is ebb & flow. Self-study is another one of those non-linear aspects of life. We are constantly changing and therefore we should consistently be a student of and to ourselves. The more you are able to release how you "should" be, the more room you make for who you actually could be and the greatest possible outcome of who you are (which is aligned with your Highest Self).
The second key is intention. Be clear about on how you want to move to align with your highest self, putting in the effort to evolve and then reviewing the action and effects of that action. It's constant feedback. It is a never ending journey.
Th third key is consistency. The more consistent you are with self-study the better you get at it and the more you learn about the essence of YOU. It's like studying something in school. The more you study and learn, the more you know! Introspection [the examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes] and checking in with the body reveal the most information when they are frequently exercised.
The fourth key is to untie emotions from the observation. There is a difference between being negatively critical of yourself and noticing what is.
Last SUPER MAJOR key = self-study also includes shadow work. Svadhyaya is not just about studying the cute, pleasurable, "acceptable" parts of yourself. It is about studying EVERY part of yourself without deeming it "good" or "bad".
One of my favorite ways to study myself is mirror work either with an actual mirror or a camera (via picture or video). I look at myself in my eyes, at my body, at my hair. I look at the little details of my physical being. I notice the new beauty mark on my face or where hair is growing back. This is easiest when I come out of the shower. Pictures, for me, capture the moment of my energy and emotion. I can see a picture of myself and see exactly where my mind was that day (I am not sure if this also happens to other people). I observe how I look different in the present moment than I did in the picture, without any judgement for the changes. Next time you come across a mirror take a look at yourself or take a picture of yourself.
Lastly, another favorite means of self-study is journaling. I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but for me, it allows me to look into my mind and study my patterns be it physical or thought. Writing, in my journey, is a great way to document me and my feelings in a moment.
In the moments of witnessing, you will find that there is little room for comparison. Self-study is a way to meet yourself with more curiosity than judgement or hostility because YOU become your mirror.
Xo,
Jaz