“The light is within. It is already there. Take your time to see it.”
-Swami Satchidananda
Who am I really? And Who am I being? Are two queries and discoveries to be made while in the throes of Svadhyaya, Yoga’s fourth ethical practice and Sanskrit word for Self-Study. It means to call the mind as in a study of oneself and to contemplate. This profound discipline invites one to become intimate with an internal introspection to see the self.
As much as the ego may serve as a protector, it is a double edge sword, as it comes with narratives we may have enabled to influence our ways of being, thinking, and feeling, having effect on our interpretations and actions. Within the practice of Svadhyaya, we learn to become cognizant of our preconditioned existence.
When one chooses to make Yoga a way of life, along with everything that one learns, one also gets to experience growth spurts from seeds sown along the way. Though Svadhyaya is an intricate, yet intriguing discipline, we get to experience a tsunami of the soul as it rids and cleanses the mind, body, breath and spirit of toxic thoughts and actions.
So, what does it look like to do a study of the “self”? What does it feel like? Well, to me it feels like I’ve been given a gift from the Divine. The gift of opening the door to endless possibilities and opportunities by allowing me to recognize who I am not followed by a truthful awakening of who I really am…my true nature. I learned to disconnect and cut the cords of bad habits I practiced for a long time seeing how it did not serve me. Procrastination is not something that I delve to entertain again. Honoring the victim role is a sure way to avoid life and downplay your dreams, keeping one from living and making it easier to disconnect from self.
I also learned how the body reacts to our life experiences, especially when stress is involved. The breath is telling of one’s state. We get to listen and notice our breathing pattern and learn from it. For example, shallow breath is a clear indicator that there’s some level of stress felt in the body, as well as the elephant’s foot feeling on the chest that may have been triggered from holding the breath. In either situation, the sympathetic nervous system, fight or flight takes effect. Whether it is physical, mental or emotional, one runs away without hesitation.
The more we learn about ourselves the sooner we can heal and live in the present. We get to experience both the calming and healing effects of the Parasympathetic Nervous System by reconditioning our mind, discerning narratives from reality, and maintaining a daily practice that encompasses the mind, body, breath and spirit. In addition, Yoga’s foundational ethics is a great resource to help calm and ground yourself.
I get to continue fulfilling my dreams by swimming away from the high tides of fear. One of my quotes is, “Learn to live around fear and not in it.” When I feel anxiety or stress poking through, I ask myself, “What does love say?” “What action does love want me to take?”
In my learning I was able to feel the light bulb turn on and experience a clearer perspective of what my vision for my life is and for the world. As Swami Satchidananda once stated, “The light is within. It is already there. Take your time to see it.” So “Who am I really?” And “Who am I being?” I am an authentic, compassionate, inspirational teacher. My vision for the world is connection – to connect in a space of respect, love, compassion, and peace. It is my belief that we all have a purpose here on planet earth. I live my life’s purpose with unconditional love, enthusiasm and gratitude. I am being a loving and compassionate facilitator of peace through my service to others. With love and gratitude, I support, uplift and uphold those in my path, as we get to experience a harmonious community. Each stepping stone brings us closer to a life of balance, peace and joy.
Indubitably, our overall relationship with self is a valuable gift. We get to level up on our cognizance allowing it to inspire us to live with determination and intention, stepping into who we truly are. This compilation of knowledge and practice is an aid for us in breaking vicious cycles of unwanted habits. As we deepen our practice on the mat, learning to acclimate to a resourceful and bountiful foundation of yoga ethics, we get to cultivate a daily practice of the yogic mindset (raja yoga), asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breath practices), and meditation, while off the mat we continue to work through distractions and avoid reverting to old habits that do not serve the ”self” (binging on food, movies, social media platforms, etc.) or whatever that may look like for you. Instead, we get to stay connected to a transforming lifestyle and ascertain through this process how this discipline helps to ground us, like a Live Oak tree standing strong with its broad canopy and arching branches, resistant to breakage and withstanding the toughest storms.
When we are steadfast in learning a discipline like the Yoga ethics, we reap the benefits of our acquired yogic lifestyle in that it is always available to us and is an uplifting practice. This discipline is clearly a win-win since it proves to be life-changing when we take an up-close and personal look within. With Svadhyaya our mindset affords us to cultivate stronger roots…sustenance.
May I ask, “Who are you?” and “Who are you being?”
This amazing article is fo sure life changing. Thank you for showing me the path to the hopefully enlightening of my true self in such a positive way.