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Svadhyaya or yoga is not for everyone

by Viki Distin

Svadhyaya: A yogic philosophy that focuses on reflection or study of the self. By learning who we are, we are able to refine our actions to be in line with our true selves. Through svadhyaya we continue self discovery until, finally, there is complete surrender.

“Yoga is not for everyone,” I heard my teacher say. Now, this is a teacher I enjoy as a friend and respect as a teacher. How could she say that yoga is not for everyone? Classes are designed for every age, fitness level, and specialty group.

This idea of hers haunted me for days. Then it came to me: Yoga is not for everyone because, frankly, it’s hard! Many people begin their yoga practices looking for relaxation, vibrant health, or to heal an injury or illness. Although students may find what they are looking for, they also find things that they didn’t sign up for.

The yoga mat is often compared to a mirror that reflects the deeper aspects of the self that may not have been accessible before stepping onto the yoga mat. Svadhyaya is one of the Niyama’s (inner observances) and it’s part of Kriya yoga, which combines Svadhyaya (self study), tapas (effort or will), and Isvara Prandihara (surrender to a higher power). Kriya yoga can be thought of as the what, how, and why we do this stuff. What we are doing is self study, and we do it with a determination so that eventually we can let go or surrender.

When I first heard the word “self” used in yoga it made me feel uneasy. I was conditioned to believe that self was simply a root word for the word “selfish.” Studying ourselves is actually one of the most honorable and spiritually mature things we can do for others and for the world in which we live. If we are not conscious of our thoughts, actions, speech, or intentions how can we possibly contribute to a more peaceful environment for ourselves and for others?

To study the self is to uncover one’s blind spots, ignorance, attachments and aversions. Considering the depth of this study we soon realize that Svadhyaya has nothing to do with selfishness and everything to do with the depth of human spirituality. Examination of the interior – while scary, uncomfortable, and sometimes even painful – will serve to make us more authentic human beings.

One reason why self examination is so difficult is that we’re not trained in it. Most of us are taught how to focus on the external aspects of ourselves, and maybe even taught to cover up or mask what is happening on the inside. To function in the world and carry out our daily tasks this is probably necessary. This becomes a problem, however, when we over-identify with these outer elements of ourselves. My teacher will sometimes tell students during Savasana (rest pose) to relax the face behind the face.

The emotions of joy and deep harmony are ultimately what our yoga practice strives for. Yogis tell us, which is so consistent with faith traditions, that at our very core we are already happy, peaceful, free, and divine. Our job is to discover, through self examination, those obstacles that keep us from experiencing our divine nature. Somewhere along our spiritual journey we need to acknowledge our restrictive emotions – such as the blue flame of fear or gripping self doubt, just to name a few – before getting to the deeper body of bliss. According to another of my teachers, Tias Little, you can’t really get to the deeper states of joy without acknowledging the negative issues because, ultimately, those negative issues will hold you back.

While we can be committed to this practice and to the discovery of the self, life often gets in the way. Sometimes yoga must take a back seat to our lives. Cascade Yoga Studio was designed to offer grace surrounding the fact that sometimes we must come and go with the practice. This being said, it’s important to recognize that there will be many distractions from this internal work. One distraction will most likely be “the other person is the problem.” Here is something all of us should inscribe on the inside of our eyelids: The other person is not the problem! We can only change our perceptions and reactions to other people.

Another distraction is that there isn’t enough time to do this work. Busyness is usually a distraction so we don’t have to notice our thoughts or feelings because they are too negative. Our mind is tricky. We think that if we don’t notice these negative patterns, they don’t exist. This trickery may work in the short run, but in the long run it will affect our health and our spiritual growth.

Although there are many ways to Svadhyaya, such as studying enlightened beings, yoga has been an effective tool for self-examination for 5,000 years because it involves all aspects of the self. When yoga students are able to catch a glimpse of the inner body of bliss through a visceral experience, it’s easier to believe and know that it’s possible to connect with our divine nature. What is so interesting about practicing yoga is that it will both require, but also cultivate, certain qualities that it takes to do this work. A non-reactive mind, steadfast with patience, compassion, fortitude, presence, and courage are all necessary on this journey to becoming conscious beings.

At Cascade Yoga Studio, we are committed to this inner journey. We encourage students to “Journey the River Within.” We can travel around the world, climb the highest mountain, or run the longest race, but there is no journey that is more transformational, challenging, all encompassing, exotic, liberating, humbling, frightening, or enlightening than when we journey the river within.