Swadhyay: Introspection & Reflection

I find prioritizing health every day and in the moment, surprisingly challenging.

My yoga practice emphasizes Swadhyay: self-study, introspection and reflection. One suggested practice is to pause at the end of each month, look back honestly, and use what you learn to be more intentional about the month ahead. I've resisted doing it. But I'm going to give it a shot.

August: I stayed consistent with daily meditation (~5–6 hours for the month), yoga (~25 hours for the month), and weekly weight training (~2 hours for the month). I'm happy with the consistency, calories burned, muscle built etc. I’m also happy with the 7 hrs of sleep most nights on a predictable schedule between 9:30 pm and 5 am.

Nutrition was a different story. Between a trip to India and enjoying the last few weeks of summer with family and friends, I ate and drank, a whole lot more than in a typical month. And that's part of life too.

September: No significant change to my exercise schedule. I am however considering adding 3 hours of walking each week.

With nutrition, my focus is rhythm rather than restriction. Finding a sustainable balance between fasting, eating healthy, eating with family and friends, and eating out. I have put a few simple measures around that so I can hold myself accountable. I even built a small app using Claude to help keep me on track. More about that later.

The goal isn't perfection. It's awareness, reflection, small adjustments and consistency.

I'm going to share these reflections each month. If you have constructive thoughts, practices, or suggestions that have worked for you, I'd love to hear them.

To better health and self-awareness.