8 Limbs Yoga & Oils: Swadhyaya
"To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom." This famous quote is often attributed to Socrates. But what exactly do you know when you “know yourself?” Is when you think you know everything in your late teens/early twenties? Or when you turn 30 and start to not give a fuck? Or perhaps when you become a parent and notice you "sound just like my mom!"?
To truly know oneself is an intensive undertaking. Some of us spend years in therapy trying to figure it out. Others follow a band, travel, reinvent themselves over and over again. Some of us look to spiritual guides, others disregard any spirituality at all. But most of us, dare I say all of us, have a deep desire or need to know who we are and why we are here on this Earth. Unfortunately, it often feels like a secret. Or we make it one by hiding our true selves from those around us for fear of failure, not fitting in, or whatever else feels fearful to you. This Niyama makes me think of my dad. After my mom passed away from breast cancer, my dad took a lot of time to think about why he did the things he did, made the choices he made. He questioned whether he still needed to do things the same way or whether it was time to change. He still does this, sometimes to my annoyance as it can take FOREVER for him to actually make a decision, but it was a good lesson for me in self-observance.
To truly know oneself is an intensive undertaking. Some of us spend years in therapy trying to figure it out. Others follow a band, travel, reinvent themselves over and over again. Some of us look to spiritual guides, others disregard any spirituality at all. But most of us, dare I say all of us, have a deep desire or need to know who we are and why we are here on this Earth. Unfortunately, it often feels like a secret. Or we make it one by hiding our true selves from those around us for fear of failure, not fitting in, or whatever else feels fearful to you. This Niyama makes me think of my dad. After my mom passed away from breast cancer, my dad took a lot of time to think about why he did the things he did, made the choices he made. He questioned whether he still needed to do things the same way or whether it was time to change. He still does this, sometimes to my annoyance as it can take FOREVER for him to actually make a decision, but it was a good lesson for me in self-observance.
image courtesy of www.picturequotes.com
Swadhyaya, the second to last Niyama, encourages us to know our selves through self study and Self study. What's the difference? Generally, the self refers to what we consider to be our unique personality traits, this living, breathing, individual entity walking through the world. The Self, on the other hand, is more of a universal consciousness, the union of all consciousness, of which we are both a part of and yet apart from most of the time. We tend to dwell in our "self", which means we often ignore the Self. It might help to think about Self as your soul or intuition. It's like knowing without knowing why or where the knowing comes from. I'm not necessarily talking about faith because many people have "faith" in things or ideas that aren't exactly legal, moral, or healthy for everyone involved, nor do they increase love, compassion or well-being of all.
Reflection on who we are, taking time to observe ourselves as though we were someone else, our behaviors, beliefs and choices, and determine whether they are life affirming, is part of the path of knowing ourselves. This requires Satya (honesty) and Tapas (discipline), and sometimes Ahimsa (nonviolence) to help us stay the course without judgement. The yoga Sutras also encourage studying sacred texts. Now, some of those can be difficult to digest. I think reading anything that deepens your understanding of yoga, of yourself, of the world can be helpful in this journey through the self to the Self (The Bhagavad Gita). And that's exactly what yoga is, journey we can only take through our selves towards our Self.
On the mat we can practice Swadhyaya when we:
Off the mat we can:
Reflection on who we are, taking time to observe ourselves as though we were someone else, our behaviors, beliefs and choices, and determine whether they are life affirming, is part of the path of knowing ourselves. This requires Satya (honesty) and Tapas (discipline), and sometimes Ahimsa (nonviolence) to help us stay the course without judgement. The yoga Sutras also encourage studying sacred texts. Now, some of those can be difficult to digest. I think reading anything that deepens your understanding of yoga, of yourself, of the world can be helpful in this journey through the self to the Self (The Bhagavad Gita). And that's exactly what yoga is, journey we can only take through our selves towards our Self.
On the mat we can practice Swadhyaya when we:
- notice our habits. These might be habits of holding our bodies, habits of thought, breath, or even laying our mat in the same spot in the room. Ask why these might be habits, whether you need them or they can change.
- pause for introspection. Find moments in your class or practice to simply pause, breathe, and check in. Resist the urge the flow from pose to pose, rather find stillness to reflect on your self in that moment, as well as Self.
Off the mat we can:
- be both direct and actor. Observe yourself as you move through your day. You can be both behind and in front of the lens. What do you notice about thoughts, words and actions? What does it tell you about you?
- take time to read. Pick up a book on yoga, mediation, or a topic that helps you move closer to your understanding of the Self.
Today's yoga & oils challenge invites you to observe and reflect on your self/Self with:
Oil: Copaiba
Mudra: Dhyana Mudra
Pose: Half Lotus
Sequence: this is a 20 minute hip opening series to prepare for half lotus
Intention: I turn inward and observe
Oil: Copaiba
Mudra: Dhyana Mudra
Pose: Half Lotus
Sequence: this is a 20 minute hip opening series to prepare for half lotus
Intention: I turn inward and observe
Copaiba is the oil of Unveiling. It invites us to connect with our past, become thoughtfully aware of the hidden aspects our ourselves and discover who we really are. Copaiba works to reveal unresolved pain in the heart, mind and physical body. It aids us in process unraveling negative emotions, encouraging us not to shy away from them, but instead to acknowledge our past choices and habits, which in turn enables us to grow and change in more conscious ways. Copaiba also invites us to come to the Divine (however you may define that) for clarity, reminding us that the Divine is the source and a connecting force of everything. It encourages us accept the magnificence of what and who we really are, unveiling that we are part and parcel of something much bigger than ourselves.
Dhyana mudra is a great one for meditation. This mudra aids concentration and quiets the mind, balancing right and left sides of body. The right hand symbolizes wisdom and awareness and the left one symbolizes the illusion of existence.
- place palms in the lap, right on top left, palms up
- bring the thumbs to touch
- relax the shoulders, face and jaw as you draw attention inward
Half Lotus (Arda Padmasana) is a seated pose that is rather a mid-way point. It is a step up from an easy seated pose you often see at the beginning of class, and not quite the full lotus that requires a lot of hip flexibility. It's great for building flexibility in the hips as you work toward a full lotus. Half Lotus strengthens the back as it stretches the hips, knees, ankles, and thighs. It also calms the mind, reducing stress, anxiety, and mild depression. Additionally, this pose improves circulation and blood flow in the pelvis, which can ease menstrual discomfort for women. It can put pressure on the knees and hips, so if you find any pain moving into this pose, pay attention. You can do some hips openers prior to trying this pose or try to modify it as you build flexibility in the hips and knees.
- from a seated pose (criss cross apple sauce) hug the right knee to the chest, then bring the right foot to the crease of the left hip, sole of the right foot facing upwards
- keep your spine straight and bring your hands to Dhyana mudra
- breathe
Swadhyaya Sequence: this is a full 20 minute flow to help you open up all the muscles around your hips before moving into half lotus. Some of the poses may not be accessible to you right now, and that's ok! You're working toward increasing flexibility and no one starts out a bendy pretzel. Listen to your body and pause at the depth you need for today. My kitty joined me for this one, so you'll hear her say hello. I intentionally did not include music or words so that you can tune in to you during this sequence. You keep it quiet or put on any music that helps you do just that. You can take this sequence as it is, moving for 3-4 breaths through each posture, or as you get more comfortable with it, extend it into a flow by repeating each section moving one breath to one movement. Enjoy!
Did you try Copaiba today, half lotus or the full sequence? Comment below and let me know! You can also share in IG tagging me @alifethatglows.
Did you try Copaiba today, half lotus or the full sequence? Comment below and let me know! You can also share in IG tagging me @alifethatglows.