It’s never a waste of time or money when devoted to yourself, in your self.
In the second to last of the Niyamas we have Svadhyaya, which is self study - which refers to self knowing. This is the first step to self improvement and self refinement or self help.
Now, I take issue with the stigma around self help. Let’s be clear - no one came with a manual for life, relationships, finances, mental toughness or intelligence. We are all the same and we all need help. Just because someone has the where with all to go to the book store and purchase a book on how to communicate better from the “Self Help” aisle, doesn’t mean anything is “wrong.” This is actually a form of Svadhyaya and honestly, this person is demonstrating mental advancements that are ahead of others who are unaware of their shortcomings. Knowing yourself and your growing edges is so underrated, that is literally the manual that we could all use! Just imagine if someone was honest upon first meeting and they said “I was taught to keep emotions in and I don’t communicate well. k, thanks bye!” We would all think “Note to self: explain when and why we need to have certain conversations and give manual!”
Svadhyaya can be seen in the self as reading ancient and sacred scriptures and learning from the Sages and Gods. This strengthens our shortcomings and helps reinforce the positives that we have. When we ignite the Tapas of positive change, this directly pushes Svadhyaya of adjusting ourself to that new growing edge of Self.
Off of the mat, writing in a journal can be a practice of Svadhyaya. It’s introspective and contemplative of you as a person, there will be traditions and trends that will arise and you can choose to keep them or change them with that fire from within (Tapas). Journaling daily really just teaches us who we are and brings on it’s own awareness, even if change isn’t necessary.
On the mat, this is you knowing your physical and emotional edge; we need to know our edge so we don’t move past it out of greed to cause injury, reflecting in Ahimsa, Satya and Asteya. We need to know that maybe our breathing rapidly is a sign of fatigue or anxiety so to be mindful of pranayama practices in our yoga classes. Simply knowing that you are usually late and leaving the house a few minutes early has Svadyaya and Asteya obviously embedded within it.
Svadyaya usually comes up when we have breakthroughs - typically before the breakthrough is a breakdown and this is where the exploration, understanding and letting go typically mature into a self evolution. Staying in touch with those thoughts and that process is Svadyaya.
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