Your Divine Nature
A person in a cave with light shining through a crack in the ceiling of the cave
Svadhyaya, or Self-Study, is more than knowing who you are as a person. In fact, knowing your human tendencies, likes, and dislikes is just the ego self. The deep inner knowing that Patanjali references in the Yoga Sutras is the remembering of your Divine Nature. Who you are when everything human is stripped away is the Self (capital “S”) we’re talking about here.
Getting to know the Self can be difficult. It requires us to look objectively and set the ego aside. If we are brave enough to face our discomfort with honesty, clarity will come. Asana and meditation can provide the space to look inward with honesty, which is why they’re so valuable when it comes to Svadhyaya.
When we practice asana or meditation, we may become temporarily free of the ego. We can both witness and separate from our thoughts, emotions, and discomfort. In that separation, we may understand ourselves on a deeper level. We begin to know the part of us that is beyond this physical presence, the part that is never-ending and never-changing, the part that is our own Divine Nature. If we never take time to quiet the mind and body, we may never truly understand who we are. And while asana and meditation are the tools we use most in yoga, there are many other ways to connect with God. It can happen while standing on a mountaintop, painting, or swimming with dolphins. Any activity that creates space to witness our Divinity opens the door to Svadhyaya.
The stories we tell ourselves about our lives and experiences are all part of Svadhyaya. We have to understand the layers of filters we place on this ever-changing life. We label things as good or bad. We put others in boxes. The ego wants to make sense of everything, so it categorizes and judges. The ego isn’t bad (it’s necessary for survival) but it must be kept in check. This is where self-study comes in. We use discernment to question whether our assessments are true or simply shaped by our beliefs and past experiences. Beliefs are only thoughts that have been reinforced over time. Change your thoughts, and you can change your beliefs. All of these play a part in the life-changing power of Svadhyaya.