Yoga at OHM Newsletter Vicyasa™ 10/13 - 10/19/2025: How do you study yourself?

“Whether we’re eating or working or meditating or listening or talking, the reason that we’re here in this world at all is to study ourselves. In fact, it has been said that studying ourselves provides all the books we need.” ― Pema Chödrön

Svadhyaya translates to “self study,” and it’s the fourth niyama listed in the Eight Limbs of Yoga.

To fully understand the application of this practice of awareness and self examination into your daily life, it’s important to recognize that  svadhyaya meant studying the ancient philosophical yoga texts -- reading the texts, reciting them, committing them to memory — embodying those philosophies.

So how can you incorporate the practice of svadhyaya while practicing asana [poses]?

Listening to your yoga teacher during class is part of the practice, but what happens when a teacher instructs you to move into a pose that feels really uncomfortable or asks you to stay in an asana longer than you can stand? Chances are your internal dialogue kicks into high gear: begging, sometimes demanding, that you provide your body with some relief.

If that’s the case for you, then that inner dialogue is what you should be paying attention to if you want to practice svadhyaya.

Svadhyaya on the yoga mat means studying the “what”, “how” and “why” to  your thoughts and feelings while flowing from pose to pose and then comparing that to your daily life. Consider asking yourself some of these questions:

• Why are some poses (life situations) easier for me to do (deal with) than others?
• What could I be doing, perhaps unconsciously, while in these poses (life situations) that could be contributing to the uncomfortable tension (stress)?
• How do I help ease my tension (stress) while I’m in certain poses (situations)?
• Is the pose I'm practicing serving my body's need; am I anatomically straining to get into the pose, why am I trying to force myself into the shape?
• Am I avoiding certain poses (situations)? Why?

There's loads of questions and answers you can constantly explore in your practice; notice if it really is an exploration or a judgemental take.

Not only can doing this form of self observation improve your asana practice during a yoga class, but gaining this self knowledge can change the way your mind deals with self judgment and expand your capacity for introspection both on and off the mat.

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