Svadhyaya, self-study and knowledge

Happy to hear this again!! Thank you!

Happy to see this gem posted again. Thank you, David!

David, aweome talk! Thank you.

And this is why Yoga is so wonderful!! Thanks David for such a clear explanation of such a beautiful concept Love Esther

So young, yet so wise! Thank you David.

One more year of practicing and I now take away something else from this class than last year, who'd have thought! :-) Cause rather than effect, yup, that's what we're going for, intentionally, now :-)

So simply and beautifully put, David! This is all anybody actually need to know. When we know ourselves, as in why do I feel and act the way I do, knowing everybody else becomes much easier because at the core we are all the same. Merging the mind and the body, as we can do in yoga, gives a synergy effect to the self exploration as well as the asana practice. One plus one becomes more than two. .....and then we can take it out into the world :-)

Just perfect in all ways- thank you David!

Wow David, thank you so much. Nice that you repeat the quotes several times so they can really sink in.... Thank you for your clear and compact sharing!

Hi David, Thank you for reminding us of these principles, which, when I get busy or frustrated with situations, I totally forget in the haste of the moment. Your talk and classes, though some I can't do :-), are so wonderful. Martha

Thank you David. It felt very good to hear this this morning. Very well put and wonderful reminder. Namaste.

Yes, David, very well explained, thank you. We are not doing yoga (and learning about ourselves) just one hour per day on the mat alone, we are doing yoga (and learning abou ourselves) whole day especially during the interactions with other people. It is a constant evolution as you said. And during this evolutin we can (should) not compare ourselves to others, we can compare just to ourselves. NAMASTE. :)

Excellent ! Thank you ! I am very glad to learn with you , Mimi

Inspiring as always. Thanks so much, David. I will be listening to this one again!

David, what a beautiful inspirational talk. I wrote some of your words down, and will read this to remind myself what the true essence of yoga is. Thank you. Namaste.

Thank you for such a wonderful talk, David. You have given me food for thought that I will be working to put into practice. Namaste :)

Beautiful words you used to quickly describe why you approached yoga and what has happened little by little as you progressed. I am finding that right now (and has been for a while now...) I have trouble understanding that 'at every moment in my life I can help to point my life in a specific direction'. I don't feel I have the capacity. I feel it's my duty and responsibility to point it in a specific direction but I feel stuck and fearful. I still consider myself a yoga beginner, I do love yoga, but at the same time I feel ever since I started being interested in it and trying it, my sensitivity is all over the place and often I feel things come up in a very heightened way and sometimes it's not... pleasant. To feel so much you know? I have realized yoga is so much more than physical, and sometimes what it moves inside leaves me afraid. Sometimes I am so tempted to not do yoga... I guess I have to get through this and it's all part of my self-knowledge evolution. And that I should practice more and more to embrace fear as a friend. I will try to do as you suggest, 'make room for my heart to be really free'. And may I add, I like the idea of 'being cause of my life'. Something to work towards, Thank you for your words.

Hi David, Anne and Myrthe Beautiful talk David, very interested in the whole of it and particularly that we are ultimately not in control the divine is and how knowing ourselves we can "be with" the divine...surrender to it and to joy not achievement...discipline can be a chore if approached without studying and knowing the self and our relationship to the divine universe which we are part of..thanks Katrina

Wonderful talk David, thank you. It's still echoing in my head and heart. Surrender is a very difficult part of our daily out-of-the-mat practice. We are so much held responsible for so many things in life and society that it's hard to accept that many of the things going on are out of our control. Accepting what is, outside us, is the big step I have a hard time to make. My yoga practice has brought me so much, through discipline I've learnt so much about my own body, I've learnt to respect it and make it a friend. I've learnt so much about myself too, but am still trying to tame the lion...

You're welcome! I appreciate all the positive comments and hope that the 10 minutes of talking carry over the other 23 hours 50 minutes of LIVING YOGA :)

Thank you very much !

This is a great talk David. Thank you for making this so clear and inspirational to continue to do this.

Thanks David - so nice to have a reminder of this :-) You explain so nicely. Namaste from Vibeke F.

David, this is a beautiful talk! I have learnt a lot from you in less than 10 minutes. I now feel the strong bond between my religious beliefs in Buddhism and yoga even more and I especially like the comment 'yoga is the process of constant evolution towards yourself'! Thank you!

Thanks David, Great reminder to keep observing. :) M

As a 'newby' to your site I feel blessed to be a part of these talks. I wil be sharing this with my 19 yo who has recently been suffering from panic attacks - He has been sucked into overwhelming effect without discerning what might be the cause. Thank you :)

This talk is well linked with Andrew's class. It's can be easy to lose focus and the slowing down helped me reflect on the talk and try to study myself.

That was beautiful, David -- and very timely for me. Thank you so much. Namaste, Mandy

Thank you for your suggested link; I watched the video! really, really strong wording, especially when you suggested to start confronting our life, in relation to all other people, as a continuous attempt to harmonize frequenses. Owao, when we are called to answer the questions you propose; especially starting from that asking "who am I and which is my path?" it maybe take us a whole life or more, researching or deepening within ourselves; I have the perception that it is the most crucial and simultaneously shocking question in front of "our internal mirror".

Thank you David; your wording was direct and motivating; passionate and convincing. It is the most important thing for someone; the main scope of life: as Socrates, one of the greatest philosophers in Ancient Greece said: "know thyself"

Thank you. Beautifully and simply put.

Hi David, going through a difficult period of my life your words about Svadhyaya are just what I need to understand what is going on in my mind and how to accept it, work on it and learn. Thank you, Lucie.

So beautifully and clearly explained, thank you

Wonderful. Many thanks for this David. Very inspiring and encouraging. Thank you. Nameste Rob

Reminds me of Buddhist principles, but I have to thank you for the eloquent delivery of the message! So with deep respect...thank you David.

Thanks David for this great inspiring talk!

Thank for a beautiful explanation of the self and life. Love all your classes.