The niyamas series - Svadhyaya

The fourth of the niyama is Svadhyaya, self-study. A key part of yoga is knowing yourself and understanding how you present yourself to the world. How well do you think you know yourself now?

How we see ourselves isn’t necessarily how others see us. As a rule we’re usually harder on ourselves than others are on us and we are on others. Why do we let ourselves do this? We’d do well to remember ahimsa and being kind with our self-study, it’s about understanding not beating ourselves up.

Let’s start with how you label yourself. How often have you described yourself by the job you do? Is that you? What labels do you give yourself? Are they fair?

If we are presenting ourselves under a label, is that putting up layers or barriers for people to see us? Are we holding back what’s our centre, our true self and what does that mean? What are we saying about our friendships and relationships if they’re layered? Are we letting people see our true self?

Do we let ourselves be? Think about people or situations that regularly push your buttons (and yes, we all have them) - why do you find these situations challenging? What thoughts, perceptions, or reactions serve us and which hinder us? Which are automatic and which maybe could be more considered? Could practising mindfulness help - pause and respond with awareness rather than reacting. 

This week I’ve been thinking about how I handle the unknown. After a long time waiting, I’ve now left my flat in London and am living with family until I can move into my own place. So who am I now that I'm here? Have I brought my worries and patterns with me? I could be here a few weeks or longer. By embracing the present, surely I can enjoy this time with the family as much as possible rather than worrying about when I’ll be moving out!

More information

Deborah Adele (2009), The Yamas and Niyamas, Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice

Rachel Bonkirk (2020), Flex your mind, 10 powerful Yoga principles for less stress in a busy world.