Swadhyaya is a wonderful method of purifying the mind and righteous molding of the thoughts and attitude. Our attitude and thoughts are expressions of what we have accumulated in the mind. The activities around us, the nature and conduct of the near and dear ones, the ambience we are exposed to or what we have been experiencing, learning or grasping, knowingly or unknowingly via the automatic process of nature, continuously create subtle impressions on our mind. This accumulation, together with the consequences of what we have been desiring, feeling, thinking and doing remain inscribed in the unconscious mind life after life. What we have inherited from the earlier lives and what has been assimilated so far in the present life accounts for our sanskaras (intrinsic impressions and tendencies). Unless we make an extra effort, our outlook and thoughts and hence our persona is shaped up by our sanskaras and our present ambience and training. Swadhyaya is an attempt to choose an enlightened aura of influence, superior ambience for our mind. How?
 
The Real Meaning of Self-introspection:

Swadhayaya literally means self-study. It deals with the study of one’s own self (one’s aspirations, thoughts, attitude and conduct) in the light of elevated thoughts of enlightened personalities. How will you study yourself unless you have a guiding measure for comparison? Why will you study yourself unless there is a motivation and an aim to do that? What is your aim? Self-ascent. What will inspire you for this? The company of those who have achieved it. It is human nature to compete with, to copy, or to follow others – especially the more influential ones around. This is why parents are advised to maintain good conduct in front of the children. This is why you are advised to choose your friends carefully. If you are in the inspiring company of great personalities, you are bound to be motivated to improve and illumine yourself, to rise and experience the fulfilling and glorifying horizons of life.
 
Get rid of all kinds of negativity:

The present times and environment of life are such that more often than not they encourage and aggravate our negative tendencies, sensual passions and vices. Even our relatives and friends often divert us from the path of self-ascent. They do so because of their ignorance. For them, likewise for most people around, following the popular trends, viz., earning money, comforts, higher worldly status and power are the major goals in one way or the other. They would even criticize, hinder and oppose one’s efforts for self-restraint, simply because they are not familiar with such things, or, because these do not fit into the common framework of life-styles they have adopted or desire for, or they don’t see any immediate gain in attempts of self-control. Our own tendencies are also not much different from them so we also get attracted by the suggestions of people around us. Then what do we do? Should we let ourselves be entangled in the vicious cycle of downward trends? Certainly not! As you all know it is the nature of water to flow downwards. Water naturally flows, by the law of pressure-gradient, from higher to lower level. Additional force (e.g. by the motor of the pump) of higher magnitude is required to draw it upwards.