The fourth niyama, or ethical imperative of yoga, is svadhyaya, which means the study of the self and sacred texts.
Members of 12-step groups will immediately see a correlation with yoga philosophy. The Big Book is the sacred text. And the fourth step might be the first time somebody has ever looked at themselves so closely—or at least the first time in a while.
Have you ever run across people who are stuck on the fourth step? Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Argh! It’s dark and hideous and twisted in there!
Our insides aren’t usually very pretty. Especially if we’ve spent a year, ten years, or five decades filling our bodies with booze and other drugs, then letting these substances (and the terrible yearning for more) dictate our behaviors. Why do we want to look at all that?!
Because we want to change, of course. Self-study lets you identify negative patterns, work through them psychologically, and replace them with something more positive. It’s a process of refinement. First, you’ll notice the really fucked up stuff. Maybe you murdered somebody. Maybe you caused a deadly car crash. If you’re in recovery, chances are you probably beat somebody up or got beaten up, raped somebody or was raped, had sex with a friend’s partner, hit your kid, stole stuff from family or strangers, cheated, lied, and/or a bunch of other very ugly and regrettable behaviors. These are the raw, dark things that you’ll start dealing with in early sobriety, lest the weight of it drives you to relapse.
Later, we’ll get to the more ordinary, day-to-day stuff. This is tenth step territory. Continue to take personal inventory, and when you are wrong, admit to it. Did we act fairly today? Were we unkind? Did we enjoy being unkind? Are we letting ourselves be triggered by predictable stimuli and then blaming someone else? When our partners act heinously, what’s our part in the mess?
In addition to self-study, svadhyaya involves studying sacred texts. Since yoga comes from Hinduism, yogis have traditionally studied sacred texts such as the Vedas. This large body of ancient scriptures is written in Sanskrit and dates back to 1500 B.C. Some modern Western yogis enjoy reading the Vedas in translation or, for a few intrepid scholars, in the original language. The Bhagavad Gita is relatively accessible, especially the editions with explanatory notes.
But it’s not necessary to become a pseudo-Hindu to do yoga. I’ve seen many yoga students and teachers get rapturous about anything Hindu, whether they understand the words or not. While it’s great to appreciate other people’s religion, some of these rapturous folks cut Hinduism all kinds of slack yet turn a critical or even contemptuous eye toward the religion of their youth.
The Dalai Lama –a Buddhist, not a Hindu – encourages seekers not to be swept away by foreignness and exoticism but to give their native religion a close look. He says, “I always tell my Western friends that it is best to keep your tradition. Changing religion is not easy and sometimes causes confusion. You must value your tradition and honor your own religion.”
In this spirit, perhaps svadhyaya means checking out the texts of our Jewish, Wiccan, Christian, Muslim, or whatever roots. And if we don’t dig religion, we could read some inspirational poetry or choose from the bazillion self-help books available.
I recently visited AA co-founder Dr. Bob’s Home, a National Historic Landmark in Akron, Ohio. Both Bob and his wife Anne were big into reading and discussing the sacred texts of the world. Their original book collection was sold off long ago, but volunteers at Dr. Bob’s Home have been recreating the Smiths’ impressive library.
Mark D., the digital archivist, gave me a tour. He described a pamphlet Dr. Bob wrote containing heavy-duty spiritual required readings for new members. “I didn’t read that book until I was five years sober,” Mark D. said of one book on the list. “I wouldn’t have been able to comprehend it. So they were coming in with definitely a higher level understanding.” I doubt I’ve read any of Dr. Bob’s required readings yet. Proving yet again that there’s no end to the opportunities for growth and learning in sobriety.
SOBRIETY IN FLOW: Yoga is more than poses. Discover a deeper aspect of yoga beyond the poses with Teresa Bergen. Explore yoga’s philosophy, ethics, and spiritual principles intertwined with sobriety. Dive into the transformative power of the yamas, enhancing character and relationships. Join Teresa monthly for insights on how yoga and meditation can guide our paths to recovery and clarity.
