Netflix and Chill? Nah, Dude, It’s Self-Study Time (Seriously)!

By Pratik Pandey

Let’s face it, yoga isn’t all about fancy poses that make your Instagram followers jealous (although, hey, if you got the moves, go for it). There’s this whole philosophy thing attached to it, and it can get a little deep sometimes. But fear not, my fellow bro trying to zen out 🧘‍♀️, because today we’re tackling Svadhyaya (say it with me: svaa-dhyaa-ya).

Think of Svadhyaya as your own personal yoga nerd corner. It basically means self-study, and in the Yoga world, it’s like a super important rule, kind of like the “don’t wear white after Labor Day” rule, but for your soul ✨. This whole concept comes from the Yoga Sutras, which is basically the ultimate yoga rulebook written by Maharshi Patanjali (think of him as the Yoda of Yoga).

Alright, so Svadhyaya isn’t the only trick in the yoga nerd bag. It’s actually part of a whole crew of practices called Kriya Yoga, along with Tapas (think mental push-ups) 💪 and Ishwara Pranidhan (basically surrendering to the universal consciousness, which is way easier than returning that library book on time).

So, how do you actually do Svadhyaya? Well, there are two main ways:

1. Remembering Mantra: This involves picking a cool-sounding word or phrase (called a Mantra) given by your Guru and basically remembering it over and over again in your mind. Think of it like a mental earworm, but a good one. The idea is to focus on the meaning of the mantra along with its sound so much that it becomes a part of you, and then BAM! You get a connection with the whole divine thing within. 🕉️

2.Studying Scripture: This is where you crack open some ancient textbooks, like the Upanishads or Yoga-Sutra (think Yoga Bibles). These bad boys are full of wisdom from super enlightened dudes who figured out the whole spiritual thing. Studying them is like getting insider knowledge from the Yoga masters themselves. 📚

Here’s the catch: Svadhyaya isn’t a one-and-done deal. It’s like working out – gotta be consistent. Swami Rama, a Yoga rockstar, says that 15-20 minutes a day is the sweet spot to begin with. Don’t go all out one day and then forget about it for a week – that’s like trying to get ripped with one trip to the gym (spoiler alert: it ain’t happening).

The good news? If you stick with Svadhyaya, the cool kids say (Maharshi Vyasa, to be precise) you might have some wild experiences – like meeting and getting grace of deities or getting advice from spiritual sages. Basically, think of it as leveling up your Yoga game by unlocking special powers (minus the glowing eyes and laser beams, hopefully).

So, ditch the Netflix binge; pick up a Yoga book or remember your Mantra. Your inner Zen master will thank you (and maybe even give you a high five 🙏… in your mind… because enlightenment and all that).
P.S.: This article ain’t some scholarly snoozefest – it’s the straight-up scoop on my presentation for the HYMC study circle on the same topic (which is a snoozefest, still check it out 😜).