Good Morning Yogis! We are continuing on with weaving practice of each of the Niyamas into our day. Last time we practiced the fourth of the Niyamas – Svadhyaya / self-study by beginning a journal if we had not kept one. Today we will focus on the other Svadhyaya practice of studying sacred texts.
I am selecting one quote today from one of Yoga’s Sacred Texts – the Bhagavad Gita or God’s Song. The Gita is a section from the Indian Sacred Epic the Mahabharata. It is the most widely known of these Sacred Texts, and is widely read among modern day thinkers. Oppenheimer quoted the Gita after creating the nuclear bomb, and it is highly regarded by Henry David Thoreau, Carl Jung, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and other great minds. Perhaps some bonus Svadhyaya / self-study by reading more of the Gita! Or, if you practice a religion, perhaps read a meaningful section of your traditional sacred texts.
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to reflect on the quotes from the Gita. Or, feel free to reflect on readings or quotes from your own religion’s sacred texts.
Today’s Quote from the Gita
It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else’s life with perfection. – The Bhagavad Gita
Journal DaY
Also, this is a good time to make another journal entry if you have not kept up with this new practice! I have been prioritizing Svadhyaya this year with a daily 5-year guided journal (see below in my recommendations), but I am pleased to be reminded to keep up with longer writing on Svadhyaya days. If you are not sure what to write about, perhaps journal about your thoughts on any quotes from any sacred texts, or your Yogi journey so far.
Need a Journal? Check out my recommended blank and guided journals!
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
Please comment and share your thoughts on the above quotes, or your own readings if you would like. Have you kept up with your journal, or are you making another entry with me for Svadhyaya Day? Always remember, be kind!
We are in the middle of a bonus Daily Meditation Challenge for October. For Svadhyaya Day today, my meditation for the day is a Self-Reflective Guided Meditation. You will want to take notes from this guided meditation in your journal!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try this self-reflective guided meditation for Svadhyaya Day This is one of the most interesting guided meditations I have tried, so today’s practice is this self-reflective guided meditation that utilizes the very challenges we face with meditation.
Journal DaY
Also, this is a good time to make a full journal entry if you have not kept up with this new practice! I do not typically make a personal reflective journal entry every day, but I am pleased to be reminded to keep up with this on Svadhyaya days. If you are not sure what to write about, the Self-Reflective Guided Meditation may give some prompts from yourself to explore. Or, you can journal on your reflections on today’s quote from The Bhagavad Gita (available in our free Daily Yogi App). The Bhagavad Gita or God’s Song is a section from the Indian Sacred Epic the Mahabharata. It is the most widely known of these Sacred Texts, and is widely read among modern-day thinkers.
Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self – Bhagavad Gita
Want more Ideas for journal day? Check our Journal prompts board on Pinterest!
Please comment and share your thoughts on today’s guided meditation or quote if you would like. Have you kept up with your journal, or are you making another entry with me for Svadhyaya day? Always remember, be kind!
I usually practice with the Yoga Studio App rather than streaming services, so I can download my favorite classes and use in areas without Wifi or phone signal. Today I am doing Intermediate Flexibility (30 Minute)!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to participate in National Read a Book Day. If you have not read a book in a long time, perhaps grab one off the shelf you have been meaning to read, or try something new and inspiring! I read mostly fantasy novels or self-improvement books, so my suggestions are the addicting Game of Thrones Series (books have much more than the show!!!) or Tony Robbins’s Awaken the Giant Within. PS I most enjoy fantasy novels on an e-reader so I can immediately link dictionary to words like medieval weaponry I may not be familiar with.
If you already read regularly, perhaps try something different today! Get some bonus Svadhyaya / self-study by reading one of Yoga’s Sacred Texts – the Bhagavad Gita or God’s Song. The Gita is a section from the Indian Sacred Epic the Mahabharata. It is the most widely known of these Sacred Texts, and is widely read among modern day thinkers. Oppenheimer quoted the Gita after creating the nuclear bomb, and it is highly regarded by Henry David Thoreau, Carl Jung, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and other great minds.
Also, this is a good time to make another journal entry if you have not kept up with this new practice! I do not typically make a personal reflective journal entry every day, but I am pleased to be reminded to keep up with this on all Svadhyaya days. If you are not sure what to write about, perhaps journal about your thoughts on today’s reading.
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Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
Please comment and share your thoughts on the Gita if would like. Have you kept up with your journal, or are you making another entry with me for bonus Svadhyaya day? Always remember, be kind!
We will start at the beginning. So.. what is Yoga? Is it exercise? Is it a philosophy?
Linguistically, Yoga is Sanskrit for “to yoke” or “to join” and is often translated to English as “union”.
Technically, Yoga is a set of practices, that for many results in a calmer and happier life. Yoga practice involves exercise (Asanas) and much more. Traditional Yogi Texts include the Vedas, The Bhagavad Gita, and the Yoga Sutras. The 8 Limbs of Yoga where Daily Yogi draws inspiration are from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Religion according to Merriam Webster is “the belief in a god or in a group of gods; an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.” Therefore, by this definition, Yoga is not a religion. Yoga allows for practitioners of any, all, and no religious background. Also, Yoga philosophy parallels the beliefs of at least five distinct Eastern religions. The various Yogic Texts also allude to main themes (ie the golden rule, charity, etc) in western monotheistic religions. However, some of the practices some individuals incorporate into their Yoga routine, such as chanting, can have a “religious” feel to others. So, if any practices do not appeal to you, remember you are free to take what works and leave what does not.
There are 8 Limbs of Yoga according to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Ashtanga (ahsh-TAHN-guh) is a Sanskrit word meaning “eight-limbed.”
The first four limbs are varied personal practices, exercises, and habits. The last four limbs are mostly meditation-based and build upon each other. So, I created the tree graphic above to share how I envision the Limbs of Yoga. The first four limbs are roots of the tree, that feed and support the sequential growth of the upper four limbs. We will focus primarily on the lower four limbs with our daily practices. However, we will also touch on some meditation techniques of the upper four limbs.
Sanskrit and Linguistics
A quick note about Sanskrit: as I mentioned before, I am a huge nerd, and particularly love languages. In addition to my native English, I have studied Spanish, French, Latin, Classical Greek, and Japanese. Classical Sanskrit is the language of ancient India, the Vedas, and Yoga. It is one of the original/foundational languages. So, I have been fascinated by Sanskrit roots that trickle down into literally all of the languages I have studied. Also, for those of you who are interested, Classical Sanskrit is supposed to be the true name or vibration for each word. So, I will use both English and Sanskrit / Yoga terms. Also I will also do my best to provide simplified (if not 100% accurate) pronunciations for those of you new to Sanskrit / Yoga.
Ashtanga Vinyasa
There is a specific type of Asana that many refer to as “Ashtanga.” I usually call this style of Yoga “Ashtanga Vinyasa.” Ashtanga Vinyasa is a series of specific, challenging, and dynamic sets of Asana sequences and other Yoga practices. We will discuss this more later.
Daily Yogi App
I also created an app as a Tapas tool, with daily gentle reminders and easy access to our daily positive Yogi practices. The Daily Yogi App is AVAILABLE NOW on both Apple and Android devices. Our app enables pop-up notifications and quick access to our daily positive practices. Additionally, the app also allows for easy research on each of the 8 Limbs of Yoga.
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Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
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