Yoga Philosophy: The Foundation of Becoming

This month's practices are rooted in ancient yoga wisdom that honors the journey of self-discovery.

Building on December's Reflection

If you were with us in December, you spent the month practicing Svadhyaya (self-study) through our Reflection theme. You looked back at 2024, witnessed your patterns, observed what worked and what didn't. That practice wasn't just about ending the year, it was preparing you for exactly where we are now.

December's reflection was the soil preparation. January's becoming is the planting of seeds.

Everything you learned about yourself in December—the insights, the realizations, the honest observations—becomes the foundation for who you're becoming in 2026. You can't consciously become someone new without first knowing who you are right now. That's the gift December gave you.

Svadhyaya (Self-Study) & Remembering Your True Self

"Svadhyaya" means self-study, and it's one of the five Niyamas (personal observances) in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. In December, we used svadhyaya to reflect and witness. In January, we continue that practice but shift our focus: instead of looking back, we're looking inward and forward. Instead of asking "what was," we're asking "what is" and "what's emerging."

But this isn't self-criticism or self-judgment, it's curious, compassionate observation of who you are right now and who you're becoming.

Here's the beautiful paradox: yoga philosophy teaches that "becoming" is actually about remembering. We're not creating a new self from scratch, we're uncovering the self that's always been there beneath the layers of conditioning, expectations, and life experiences (what yoga calls samskaras, or impressions).

Think about it: Who were you before the world told you who you should be? Before the roles, the responsibilities, the "shoulds"? That essential self, your truest nature, is still there. Your December reflections may have already shown you glimpses of this: moments when you felt most yourself, times when you were aligned with your truth. The practice of becoming is the practice of peeling away what's not truly you to reveal what's always been true.

The shift from December to January:

• December: "What did I learn about myself this year?"

• January: "Who am I becoming based on what I now know?"

Svadhyaya continues, but the questions evolve. We're still witnessing ourselves without trying to change what we see, but now we're also noticing what wants to emerge, what's calling to be cultivated, and what's ready to bloom.

In your practice this month: Notice when you're being kind to yourself vs. critical. Observe your patterns on the mat without judgment. Ask yourself: "Is this belief/reaction/pattern truly mine, or did I learn it from someone else?" Look for what December's reflection revealed that's ready to guide your becoming. Simply witness what is, and what wants to be remembered.

Sankalpa (Heartfelt Intention)

"Sankalpa" is often translated as "intention" or "resolve," but it's much deeper than a New Year's resolution. A sankalpa is a statement that comes from deep within you, from a place of truth, not from what you think you should want.

If you set a sankalpa in December, notice if it still resonates or if something new is calling. Sometimes the act of reflection reveals what we truly need to cultivate.

A sankalpa for becoming might sound like:

• "I am becoming more compassionate with myself"

• "I am becoming someone who trusts the process"

• "I am becoming comfortable with change"

• "I am becoming grounded in my own wisdom"

Notice these are stated in present tense, as if they're already true. Because in some way, they already are.

In your practice this month: Listen deeply to what wants to emerge in you this year. What quality is calling to be cultivated? What did December's reflection show you about what you need? Let your sankalpa arise naturally rather than forcing it.

Parinama (Transformation)

"Parinama" refers to the natural, continuous transformation that is always occurring. In Yoga Sutra 3.15, Patanjali explains that everything in the universe is constantly changing, we are always in flux, always becoming.

This teaching reminds us that transformation isn't something we create, it's something we allow. It's already happening. December ended, January began—you transformed simply by moving through time. Your December reflections themselves were transformation happening: you changed through the very act of witnessing yourself.

In your practice this month: Notice the small transformations happening all the time: your breath changing, your body warming, your mind settling. Notice how you're different today than you were in December. You are always becoming.