Self study and development - svadhyaya

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

[I]self study and development[/I] or [B]svadhyaya [/B] is a foundational [I]observance[/I] / niyama of Patanjali Yoga sutras. This treatise is a concise terse document which is usually studied by the potential yogin in combination to some degree or another with practice - for the goal of reaching the position of raja.

This is an ongoing process of learning about oneself, the universe, seen, and unseen, and what it all means and what you can do.

I would like to quote Alain Danielous’ [I]Yog[/I]a under the heading of [I]Svadhyaya.[/I] for definition.

“[I]Self - Development[/I] consists in the study of the revealed scriptures, which are the source of human progress and happiness. To witness the [I]paramat[/I]man is the aim of self development. It is reached by study, teaching, listening, pondering and meditating.”

That title up there is - f a i l

#2

“self study and development or svadhyaya is a foundational observance or one of the niyama of Patanjali Yoga sutras.”

Though I agree with this, that is not the way the word has been used in most traditions. It has been used ordinarily to refer to the study of the scriptures as a means towards assisting oneself towards ones awakening. Amongst the expounders of the Vedas, it was a means for preserving orally the teaching of the Vedas, or the recitation of passages of the scriptures for the sake of their correct pronounciation - which is believed to have a magical effect. Very rarely, as most traditions have been emphasizing the scriptures as authority for centuries, has it been that svadhyaya has meant a study of the self.

#3

[QUOTE=AmirMourad;57514]“self study and development or svadhyaya is a foundational observance or one of the niyama of Patanjali Yoga sutras.”

Though I agree with this, that is not the way the word has been used in most traditions. It has been used ordinarily to refer to the study of the scriptures as a means towards assisting oneself towards ones awakening. Amongst the expounders of the Vedas, it was a means for preserving orally the teaching of the Vedas, or the recitation of passages of the scriptures for the sake of their correct pronounciation - which is believed to have a magical effect. Very rarely, as most traditions have been emphasizing the scriptures as authority for centuries, has it been that svadhyaya has meant a study of the self.[/QUOTE]

your contention is with danielous definiton?

#4

[QUOTE=The Scales;57516]your contention is with danielous definiton?[/QUOTE]

why thank you for the tidbit.

heres one too.

.

#5

My guru interpreted this differently and you will like it. The reading of the scriptures would certainly help a self-learning and ready-to-change sadhak. But, a majority would lean on the scriptures by taking them at the face value rather than learning. This is a safe passage for dogmas and blind faith.

We should rather define spiritual reading as “ability to read (/ perceive) everything spiritually”, being able to see beyond the obvious, uncover the veiled, grasp the subtle. Then, the scriptures reincarnate as coded knowledge telling more between the lines. Once the code is accessible, the scriptural knowledge can be adapted to the present day context and make yama-niyama relevant.

#6

Ok now this is reminding of something I read years ago when becoming interested in yoga but my terminology is limited. It has to do with yogis who completely isolate themselves from gurus, society etc. and returning fully enlightened? This is what is being spoken of here?

#7

[QUOTE=ray_killeen;57582]Ok now this is reminding of something I read years ago when becoming interested in yoga but my terminology is limited. It has to do with yogis who completely isolate themselves from gurus, society etc. and returning fully enlightened? This is what is being spoken of here?[/QUOTE]

Renunciates?

#8

Repost:

Svadhyaya means self-study or study of spiritual scriptures. We must alway study our own selves not just through meditation, but introspection. We must review ourselves from moment to moment in life. Remain aware of our words, thoughts and actions and always make sure we are in dharma. In addition we need to expose ourselves to spiritual knowledge to inspire us and put us in touch with our soul and in contemplation of reality to keep the intellect alive. Read the Upanishads, Gita, Yoga Sutras, Yoga Vasistha, Samkhyakarika, Vaiseshika sutras, Nyaya sutras, Chanakya Niti, Vidhura Niti, Mahabharata, Ramayana. The works of Adisankara, Vivekananda, Yogananda, Chinmayananda, Aurobindo, Gandhi. Always keep yourself connected to the sages. If you live as per svadhyaya you will never let flaws and errors stay too long in your personality, you will develop a pure sagely personality, your intellect will sharpen and you will become more connected to the soul.

#9

I think you have to question a guy who says that revealed scriptures are the source of human progress. Georg Feuerstein has an interesting interpretation of svadhyaya, based on Sutra II.44, which says that through svadyaya, the yogin establishes contact with the chosen deity. What does self-study have to do with deities?

According to Feuerstein, svadhyaya is a tantric practice involving the reading or intoning of certain scriptures (read mantras) that are connected with various deities. 'Through self-study or the intellectual penetration into the deeper levels of significance of a certain scripture and its presiding deity, the yogin makes contact with that god or goddess. This occurs in the form of a meditational experience".

I’ve had some contact with buddhists who were way into this.

#10

We shouldn’t stop at the deities either. Deities themselves are symbolic and given a human form only to go easy on the sadhakas. When one can decode these symbols, the intellectual penetration becomes spiritual one. In the process, one can perceive without senses or active indulgence of mind. This puts the mind modifications at complete rest to enable the state of samadhi.

Scriptural reading is ‘reading the scriptures’ as words for the beginners, progresses to ‘reciting the scriptures as mantras’ as sound, and finally becomes ‘spiritual reading’ ability that decyphers all objects as effects and reveals the world of causes. Then, the root cause of all causes is accessible.

This completely changes one’s perception as “sva” (self) vs not-self and brings about intuitive understanding of everything consisting of purusha, the root cause and prakriti, a hierarchy of effects. When even the self is realized as purusha-prakriti interplay, sva (self) - the ego dissolves. This is the whole sva-adhyaya syllabus.

#11

Thank you for the great post! This is supposed to be my next topic for the class:)

#12

[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;57525]My guru interpreted this differently and you will like it. The reading of the scriptures would certainly help a self-learning and ready-to-change sadhak. But, a majority would lean on the scriptures by taking them at the face value rather than learning. This is a safe passage for dogmas and blind faith.

We should rather define spiritual reading as “ability to read (/ perceive) everything spiritually”, being able to see beyond the obvious, uncover the veiled, grasp the subtle. Then, the scriptures reincarnate as coded knowledge telling more between the lines. Once the code is accessible, the scriptural knowledge can be adapted to the present day context and make yama-niyama relevant.[/QUOTE]

(a)Sravana
(b) Manana &
© Nidhyasana

the essentials of Jnana Yoga can also be said to be the three steps in Svadhyaya - ie listening (can also be substituted by reading), reflection /thinking & internalising.