A Little Svadhyaya, Anyone?

This guy REALLY loves Svadhyaya :) Via scottpageazyoga.com.

Well, it's really here--there's no more denying it. We're 1 day in to 2012, and it's no longer a crazy celebration--it's happened! If you're anything like me, the new year really snuck up on you--even if you knew it was coming and even prepared for it (!?). So what's next? If you haven't already done it, I say it's time for a little svadhyaya. Before the year gets going in full swing and the normal period of yearly reflection and introspection is over, I highly-recommend a little time spent mulling over the 4th of the yogic Niyamas (observances)--Svadhyaya or "self-reflection." One, because it's an amazing word (SO fun to say--one of my favorites!) and two, because it's really important. Especially for all of you lucky people out there who have today off of work and have no excuse not to take some time to reflect. Why not devote just an hour (or even 30 minutes, if you're pressed for time!), to looking back, and then looking forward? I think you will be very happy that you did so...

For those in my NYE workshop this past weekend, forgive me for repeating myself, but I really do think that it's SO important to pause at this time of year (if you haven't already, and if you have--good for you!) and take some time to process what happened in 2011, what's happening in the present moment, and what you would like to manifest or bring into your life in 2012. There are many ways to do this, but I think that journaling, creating a collage or vision board, making a list that you can post in a visible place, and/or taking the time to meditate on these subjects is a great place to start.

One of my favorite exercises or lists of prompts centered around the end of the year is this list from Sarah Susanka's "Year-End Ritual" in her book, The Not So Big Life. If these types of prompts don't work for you, maybe just make a top 5 list for each year--top 5 things that defined you/your life in 2011, top 5 things that you would like to focus on in 2012, or something of the sort. This can be much simpler for those who aren't journalers, but will still get you thinking about and mulling over what happened in 2011, how you can learn from it, and how you would like to grow in 2012. It's actually quite fun once you get started ;)

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Image via blog.timesunion.com

On a similar note, I also wanted to share a passage about January that I fell in love with this New Year, from a Huff Post Culture article by Michael Meade entitled “The Growing Chaos and the New Year." It's an amazing article about where many of our modern New Year's rituals come from, and I think it's really interesting to learn about. He writes:

January takes its name from Janus, the old Roman god of gates, doorways, and thresholds. Depictions of Janus show two faces looking in opposite directions; past and future, old and new, outer darkness and inner light. As ruler of all endings and beginnings, Janus was invoked at the onset of any change in the course of life. Janus was especially present at the end of the calendar, in the long, dark nights that give birth to each New Year.

January begins in the threshold of time formed by the old year dying and the new one being born, in the timeless moment through which time itself becomes renewed. People instinctively kiss each other in that moment; friends hold each other close and even strangers hug one another as if to embrace the mystery of renewal and the return of light and life when darkness seems about to overwhelm the world.

Beautiful, right? So it's not just New Year's Eve or New Year's Day that represents renewal and rebirth, but the entire month of January--this gate or "threshold of time formed by the old year dying and the new one being born." So take a little bit of time today--now that the celebration and the hustle-and-bustle of the holidays is over, to shed last year's skin, to let go of anything that you're holding onto from 2011, and to open yourself up for 2012 and all the magic, mystery, and excitement that it holds :)

For those who have already done this (or who came to my workshop and spent some time doing this on Saturday), kudos to you and bravo! I hope you found it helpful and enlightening.

Namaste and happy svadhyaya-ing!
Mary Catherine

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