Svadhyaya ~ One's Own Reading, Self-Study

Boardwalk, New Brunswick, August 2015

Svadhyaya

Svadhyaya is one of five Niyamas (Observances) described by Patanjali as necessary for the unfolding of one's spiritual life. It can be translated as "one's own reading" or "self-study". It is the practice of contemplation, meditation, and reflection of one's self - often in connection with studying sacred texts, spiritual readings, and recitations. 

Verse 22.92 of Vishnu Smriti states that the "human body is cleansed by water, the mind is cleansed by truth, the soul by self-study and meditation, while understanding is cleansed by knowledge."

Every week in my calendar I write down certain sentences that jump out from my daily readings - and then revisit them several times during the week. I trust that theses particular sentences jump out for a reason, and then use them as a source of contemplation and reflection.

Following I share four reflections of the past month:

1. On Sadhana...

"Get up in the morning and clear your subconscious, the unconscious will overload you and that will block your prosperity." ~Yogi Bhajan

Yogi Bhajan taught that the cornerstone of our spiritual life is Sadhana - our daily spiritual practice. There is a beautiful morning Sadhana from the Kundalini Yoga tradition that is approximately two and a half hours in length, done in the Amrit Vela - the pre-dawn hours before sunrise. At this time, the sun is positioned in relation to the earth in such a way that enables us to be closely attuned to the subtle realm, making it easier to perceive and feel a direct connection with our Soul. This is an opportune time for meditation - which clears our subconscious - making a path for our soul to shine through - uninhibited and untainted - every single day.
On occasion my Sadhana shifts to the afternoon or evening, but invariably it always comes back to the morning - this is where the strongest pull is. I find my day to day life is much more effective, more manageable, and more satisfying when I can start my day with Sadhana. However, Sadhana is very personal, and only you can know what type of daily spiritual discipline serves your Soul the best. Your Sadhana will change over time. Stay in tune with the desire of your Soul and shift your Sadhana as needed.
There are no short cuts for the integrated, sustainable, and fully human spiritual life. Be consistent and stay steady on the path!!

Foggy day in Nova Scotia, August 2015

2. On Judgement...

"If we carry the prejudices, they will kill us,
they will take away the light of the soul." ~Yogi Bhajan

Or, "To judge another is the greatest setback we can experience" (Shannon Port). Imagine how much space there would be in our psyche and in our hearts without prejudices and judgements.


Judgement is not the same as discernment or preferences - though they can both easily be tainted with it. Discernment sharpens with Svadhyaya, and is a key attribute of Wisdom. Do not be afraid to use your choices of discernment - they can cut through and free you, and, many others.


Preferences are unique to our individual soul - embrace them, explore them, and let them flourish! Imagine stating our preferences with no ounce of judgement (sense of better than or less than), but rather with complete neutrality (yet still infused with freedom, peace, and joy). Imagine enjoying our preferences and allowing others to enjoy their preferences with no judgement. And similarly, imagine giving yourself the complete freedom to rest in your choices of discernment, with no judgement.

Sandy beaches of Prince Edward Island, August 2015

3. On Inner Guidance...

"Spontaneous, unobstructed movement has a different
flavour than momentum." ~Nita Rubio

A lot of our attention is outer directed, and we are very used to responding and reacting to what is happening outside of us, to the extent that there may be very little that is coming directly from our true nature - from our unobstructed and pure self.
 
Often we are automatically propelled into action by momentum, but this momentum is, in fact, coming from a place that is outdated, based on memory, automatic reaction, habitual response, fear, and the like. This is where we are slipping into the unconscious and moving along life in momentum, but half awake. We have lost connection with the "spontaneous, unobstructed movement" which comes purely, freshly and wildly from within. Spontaneous, unobstructed movement is fresh, clear, pure, direct, and vibrant - this is the true source of our Inner Guidance, it is our Sat Nam, and this is the place (Swadhisthana - our sweet abode, our sacral chakra) where we want our movement to be coming from. This is the origin of the creative spark of our unadulterated actions.

Pranayama is one of the most effective techniques to cut through the habitual patterns of the mind that keep us stuck in ineffective loops of thoughts and actions. Breath in for a count of five, hold the breath for a count of ten, and breath out for a count of five (all through the nose). Continue for 3-11 minutes while meditating on the inflow and outflow of breath. Eventually shift the inhales and exhales to 10 counts, and the breath retention to 15 counts. This balances the sun and moon centres of the body, and allows the mind to remove itself of doubt. This also clears your magnetic field, giving you radiance and beauty. (from Dr. Gururattan's "Spirituality and Sexuality" manual on Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan, 1989)

4. On Problems...

Problem never stays with you, problem comes to go,
you stay with the problem." ~ Yogi Bhajan

This one made me laugh. Isn't it true? 



And finally I leave you with a very short Kriya (below) to help your troubles (problems) go on their way and to keep your vibration (beauty) effervescent. Enjoy!   Love and Blessings, Dawn 

* Kriya from Dr. Gururattan Kaur Khalsa's "Sexuality and Spirituality" manual, 1989.

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