Svadhyaya - Self-Study

“Honor the wisdom of those who have come before you.
Learn to listen to the wisdom inside your own being.”

Colleen & Rodney Yee
SUTRA TALK with Jocelyn Gordon
SVADHYAYA - SELF-STUDY
The Yoga Sutra Of Patanjali is a collection of 196 sutras
Yamas & Niyamas are ethical guidelines included in the eight-fold path leading to liberation.
Yamas are things not to do > restraints/self-regulating; Niyamas are are things to do > observances as habits for
healthy living, spiritual enlightenment and liberated state of existence (wikipedia)
What are the Yamas

1. Ahimsa > nonviolence
2. Satya > truthfulness
3. Asteya > non-stealing
4. Brahmacharya > non-excess
5. Aparigraha > non-possessivenes/non-greediness
What are the Niyamas

1. Saucha > purity
2. Santosha > contentment
3. Tapas > self-discipline and effort
4. Svadhyaya > self-study
5. Ishvara Pranidhana > surrender (to the Divine/God)
The fourth Niyama - SVADHYAYA
Svadhyaya ::: Self-Study
Additional translations:
Svadhyaya means the study of ancient texts, as well as the study of oneself
Svādhyāya is a compound Sanskrit word composed of svā ( वा) + adhyāya (अ याय). Adhyāya means "a lesson,
lecture, chapter; reading". Svā means "own, one's own, self, the human soul".[8] Therefore, Svādhyāya literally means
"one's own reading, lesson". M onier-Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany
Compiled by Jocelyn Gordon, Creator of HoopYogini

www.HoopYogini.com | www.JocelynGordon.com
Cultural Connections on Svadhyaya:
Self-Reflection | Sankofa (West Africa) “learning from the past”

“Sankofa” teaches us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. That is, we should reach back and
gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward.
Whatever we have lost, forgotten, forgone, or been stripped of can be reclaimed, revived, preserved, and
perpetuated. https://www.uis.edu/africanamericanstudies/students/sankofa/
Kaizen (Constant improvement)

Kaizen - Japanese concept for organizational improvement
“small actions reap large rewaDon't accept the obvious issue; instead, ask "why" five times to get to the root cause.
What Is The Sutra?
SUTRA
2.44 From self-study and reflection on sacred words (svadhyaya), one attains contact, communion, or concert with
that underlying natural reality or force.
(svadhyayat ishta devata samprayogah)
www.swamij.com
II.44, recommends Svadhyaya as follows

वा याया द टदे वतासं योगः॥
Study thy self, discover the divine.
— Patanjali’s Yogasutra, II.44
Questions for the journey:
1. How do I start my day? With social media and outer engagement? How can I create an effective
morning ritual of stillness, prayer and gratitude?
2. How do I complete my day? What are my nightly rituals? How can I create time for reflection,
gratitude, forgiveness and refinement (“Day In Review”/.)? How can I encourage my children to
reflect and refine (thorns & roses)?
3. How often do I seek outside validation? What are my inner sensations of alignment and
“rightness?
4. What spiritual texts call me? When was the last time I opened a wisdom text, found a chapter or
verse and meditated on the illumination?
5. Who are my chosen dieties and spiritual guides - Jesus, Krishna, Allah - what of their words can be
guideposts for my daily life?
6. Who are the truth tellers in my life? Do I need a coach, therapist, healer for deeper support as I
purify and return to my divine essence?
7. What lessons have been repeatedly reflected to me in my life time? What have I repeatedly needed
to learn? How can I make my life easier and more effective?
8. How is my life flowing? What is the quality of my relationships? How can I improve my
circumstances? How can I develop my character?

Integrate SVADHYAYA in your Hatha Yoga and HoopYogini practice:
● observe your breath

● practice ahimsa via deep listening to and observation of your body; note sensation and become aware of
your day to day, every shifting edge - the point where you feel engaged and challenged. If you stay away
from your edge or move over your edge, you may notice that you daydream, you may disassociate and
loose sense of place and body
● Infuse your practice with mantra, healing music / sounds, prayer, poetry (Rumi) and scripture
● infuse some of the questions above into your practice and classes
● keep a journal to note your experiences in asana, pranayama, and meditation
● give yourself and your students options and modifications
● for yoga teachers and trainees, I suggest bringing a journal to yoga classes, noting your experience and
reactions to certain asanas and how they are presented; it is also helpful to write what you enjoyed about
the teacher’s way of being, what you would like to adopt from that style and how you would improve on the
facilitation
● for those wanting to improve their health, keep a food journal for at least three days. Document everything
you eat and how you feel after.
● do your practice and move through the koshas so you remove the veils to the anandamaya kosha and inner
spirit… so you can reveal your divine nature
Go Deeper! Transform Lives! Have Fun!

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“Honor the wisdom of those who have come before you.

Learn to listen to the wisdom inside your own being.”

SUTRA TALK with Jocelyn Gordon

The Yoga Sutra Of Patanjali is a collection of 196 sutras

What are the Yamas

What are the Niyamas

The fourth Niyama - SVADHYAYA

Svadhyaya ::: Self-Study

Compiled by Jocelyn Gordon, Creator of HoopYogini

Self-Reflection | Sankofa (West Africa) “learning from the past”

Kaizen (Constant improvement)

What Is The Sutra?

II.44, recommends ​Svadhyaya​ as follows

Questions for the journey:

Compiled by Jocelyn Gordon, Creator of HoopYogini

● observe your breath

Go Deeper! Transform Lives! Have Fun!

Compiled by Jocelyn Gordon, Creator of HoopYogini

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II.44, recommends Svadhyaya as follows