b y Ram Woman with Book by Pablo Picasso Svadhyaya is one of the five niyamas described in the Yoga Sutras and translates as:  Sva=Self  Adhyaya= reading, chapter, self-study, education, knowledge and wisdom  I interpret svadhyaya as education of the self, introspection and self-realization (see The Power of Svadhyaya (Self-Study), Part 1). One of the ways by which you educate your “self” is through self-study or reading. According to the Yoga Sutras, reading brings about clarity in the mind and paves the way for deeper mind-body awareness. Reading creates curiosity leading to introspection and contemplation of one’s own life and motives. By turning a witness to our own self, we begin to recognize our own sensations, thoughts, emotions and feelings. Thus, through the process of self-study and reading, we empower ourselves. Reading also enables focus (dharana) and attention (dhyana), which in turn stimulate neural signals so as to interpret the words and language.  R...