Ideas for Self-enquiry, or Svādhyāya
YS I-33: maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṇāṁ sukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇyaviṣayāṇāṁbhāvanātaścitaprasādanam… In daily life, we see around us people who are happier than we are and people who are less happy. Some may be doing things worthy of praise and others may be causing problems. Whatever be our usual attitudes towards such people and their actions, if we can be happy for those who are happier than ourselves, compassionate towards those who are not as happy, pleased with those whose activities are praiseworthy and remain undisturbed by the error of others, our minds will be very tranquil.
The Ancients have proclaimed the Yoga Sutra above from The Yoga Sutra-s of Patanjali to be an essential sutra for human evolution and is an important source for self-inquiry. Surely if we can be “happy for those who are happier than ourselves, compassionate towards those who are not as happy, pleased with those whose activities are praiseworthy and remain undisturbed by the error of others”, surely then our mind will be a tranquil pool?
maitri = friendliness
karuna = compassion
mudito = joy, appreciation
upeksanam = tolerance
sukha = happiness
duhkham = suffering
punya = good deeds
apunya = bad deeds
visayanam = any object that can be sensed
bhavanata = attitude, visualization
citta = mind
prasadanam = tranquil
(YS 1.33, translation TKV Desikachar)
Many self-inquiry questions will come from the first two limbs of Yoga – the social and personal disciplines (yāma-s & niyāma-s). Reflecting on a chosen focus will bring body breath and mind into a deeper practice in preparation for meditation, to move towards that tranquil mind mentioned in YS 1-33.
As we do so, we may start by noticing when we are not in this state, and enquire as to why. The Taittiriya Upanisat gives us some (thirteen in fact!) ideas in the Siksavalli (Vs 17) in the Svadhyaya Prasanisa:
Idea 1: Rtam: How we understand reality – how we look upon the world, how do you view things generally and does that view change again and again?
Idea 2: Satyam: The way we communicate truth – how do you talk, how is your speech, your body language, the expression of your eyes?
Idea 3: Tapas: How we practice – what is your attitude towards practice? How do you relate to it? This communicates something about ourselves – we just observe.
Idea 4: Damah: How generous you are (same Sanskrit route as giving) – how giving are you towards others and towards yourself? Giving not objects, but giving of time, space, listening, attention…?
Idea 5: Sama (same Sanskrit route as santi): How you create peace within and around you – how is your relationship with peace? How are your tendencies & how are you day to day?
Idea 6: Agni: How we take care of fire – traditionally for survival we literally needed to keep fire going, now we take care of ‘place’ at the gross and subtle levels. How do you take care of your survival – of home, of bills?
Idea 7: Agnihotram: The Sanskrit title of a person who took care of rituals, who had the responsibility to keep the fire burning. How fire was used in ancient rituals, how we take care of maintaining rituals; our rituals in everyday life; how we eat meals, daily things, storytime, camping, xmas, etc. Are you this person? Can you recognise these qualities in someone close to you?
Doing things with intention
Make things important
Making rituals in community
Supporting community
Creating space for community
Allowing days to have a rhythm
Create safety
Questioning whether rituals are supportive
Helping us to honour / appreciate things
Ritual is sacred, done with quality and awareness
Light is a symbol of teachings and t
hose who are close to us are a good mirror of how we are
Idea 7: Agnihotram
Idea 8: Atithayah: How hospitable we are – how do you take care of our guests and how are you as a guest?
Idea 9: Manusam: How we relate to our friends, our neighbours, our society and community – how are you as a neighbour, a friend?
Idea 10: Praja: How we relate with children, ours and others – how were you as a child and how do you relate to your parents, or think about them if they have passed?
Idea 11: Prajanah: How we deal with our sexuality – how are your relationships?
Idea 12: Prajatih: How we are with our grandchildren, our grandparents – in ancient times this was very important. How is your attitude and your behaviour towards those in your family who have come before? How do you let your children stand on their own, and grow into new familial roles?
Idea 13: Tapa: Self-enquiry requires conscious effort – it’s easy to see something in others, but self-study requires us to see ourselves. Your behaviour is setting an example, so how do you act as an example?
These ideas are based around the Yama-s and Niyama-s, the social and personal disciplines that bring our minds to a tranquil place. Those who visit the studio wil recognise the ode to this tranquil place in this reflection of T.K.V. Desikachar: “However powerful or disturbing something may appear to be, it is our reaction to it that determines its effects.”
― Yoga Sutra II.23 (T.K.V. Desikachar’s interpretation)
All classes at the centre have increased the breath work content in their classes. We would be grateful for any feedback. Let me know via email or fill out the form below.
– Barb and the AYC team