“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle
Weekly Focus: Svadhyaya (self-study)
Svadhyaya is the fourth niyama or personal observance. This is the practice of self-study, self-reflection, and self-inquiry. A close relationship with the Self builds a strong foundation for our inner home. The more we know ourselve, the more comfortable we can be with ourselves.
We cannot begin to align and to accept who we are, until we begin to ask the questions first.
Who am I? What is important to me? What are my tendencies? What are my challenges? What are my passions?
Questions like these and so many more lay the foundation for the journey to finding comfort within ourself and to seeking our happiness from within. The questioning isn’t always easy though, and so we may skip or avoid the self inquiry on the way to self acceptance and growth.
Skipping the self inquiry and reflection though is like using glass to build the foundation for your home. Unable to bear the load, it will eventually crack and break under the weight. Without a strong practice of getting comfortable being vulnerable and checking in, you will struggle to build trust and confidence in being honest with yourself, leaving no room for acceptance or growth.
Self inquiry and reflection is not about judgement, rather, it is a place to see opportunity and appreciation.
Are you comfortable truly being vulnerable with yourself? Are you willing to look for and accept your light, your shadow, and everything in between? When was the last time you allowed yourself to self-reflect without passing judgement?
Passive Pose of the Week: Pashimottanasana (seated forward fold)
In forward folds, we naturally look back towards ourselves. As a forward fold, paschimottanasana is a beautiful metaphor for turning inward, looking to ourself, and leaving quiet space for reflection.
- Begin sitting on the floor with the legs straight out in front of you.
- Take the feet to a comfortable distance apart. You may prefer the feet touching, hips-width distance, or slightly wider.
- Reach the hands forward and grab hold of the legs, ankles or feet. You may also loop a strap or scarf around the feet to hold onto.
- Fold forward to any degree.
- Hold for 5 – 7 breaths and come out.
Forward folds can be a great stretch for the hamstrings or for the back, depending on how you set up and what you prefer in the moment. To feel more stretch in the hamstrings, try to lengthen and extend your low back as you forward fold. You can assist this position by either sitting up on a blanket OR propping up the knees with a rolled blanket. To feel more stretch in the back, allow your spine to flex and round more, perhaps even stacking a bolster or several blankets on the thighs to lean onto. If that doesn’t quite work, bring a chair in front of your to rest the arms and forehead on. As you come to know your body better, you will better understand which version is appropriate on any given day.
Active Pose of the Week: Vrkshasana (tree pose)
Balancing postures lend themselves to a bit of vulnerability, a needed skill in self inquiry. Tree pose reminds us to root and feel safe in who we are, so that we can flow with the soft shifts and waves that might put us at some dis – ease.
- Begin in a standing Mountain pose (tadasana).
- Focus your gaze to a non-moving point in front of you. Pro-tip: the lower your gaze the more it will help with the balance. Try to keep your gaze fixed throughout the balance.
- Begin to lift the left foot off the ground, balancing on your right leg.
- With the knee bent, open the left leg out to the side. Begin to place the left foot anywhere on the right leg that is comfortable. This can be at the ankle, keeping your toes on the ground, the calf, the knee, or the thigh. Use the hands as you knee.
- If balance feels tricky, keep yout hands at your hips, or even lightly touch a chair or wall next to you.
- If balace feels good, you might reach your arms up overhead.
- Hold for 3 – 5 breaths and switch sides.
Sometimes, we conflate balance and stability with standing perfectly still. However, truly stable object is able to adjust and adapt with fluctuation, and always return to it’s center point. As you stand in tree pose, can you notice the small (or big) fluctuations of the pose? This is the body stabilizing and adjusting, exactly what you need to balance. So remember, the next time you feel wobbly in a balance pose, everyone is moving a bit, however slightly. Our stillness is only a false perception, in reality, we are all adjusting adapting, and shifting with each balance.
Join us in class this week to practice your svadhyaya. See the full schedule HERE.
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