Yoga, a path to self realization
Doing Yoga - from Physical Postures to Inner Peace
In this blog post, I wanted to talk about yoga as a path to self-realization. As I mentioned in a previous post, I started out being really focused on the physical aspect of yoga—no esoteric woo-woo for me, thank you. And even though I still very much enjoy exploring the physical postures and am still amazed by what the human body can do, my perspective has shifted a lot over the recent months.
Now, I see the practice of yoga above all as a path to self-realization, a way of getting to know oneself. The physical asanas, in that sense, are just the practice we do to create space for self-exploration. And they truly do create space. While doing asanas, I can really hear myself. I suddenly realize how many thoughts pass through my head all the time. I need to listen to my body, to understand what it needs and wants in order not to injure it during a more challenging asana.
In this way, I’ve started practicing Patanjali’s yoga. The Indian sage describes a system made up of eight limbs. The first two, Yamas and Niyamas, form the foundation of yoga. Like the roots of a tree, they guide us on how to behave during practice and in life so that we can grow strong on our path. Next come the limbs of practice: Asana (physical practice), Pranayama (the practice of Prana, or life force), Pratyahara (the practice of withdrawing from the information we receive through our senses), and Dharana (the practice of focused concentration or mindfulness). With the firm base of Yamas and Niyamas, we walk the path of yoga. While the Asana practice is the perfect place to unite all the limbs I’ve just mentioned, consistent practice will naturally help us advance along this path.
Finally, we arrive at the last two limbs: Dhyana (meditation not from the mind, as in Dharana, but from a place of consciousness) and Samadhi (a meditative state not involving the mind or consciousness, but our soul, a place of connection with everything else).
These last two experiences seem very far away, and who knows—some Indian masters might say they are something we won’t reach in our lifetimes anyway. However, in my opinion, that doesn’t really matter. The magic here, as it does so often, lies in the journey.
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To advance on the path of yoga, we are continually confronted with one thing: ourselves. Yoga shows us the places where we are too hard on ourselves, where we are bitter or tense, and it teaches us to be kinder to ourselves and others. It teaches us patience and perseverance and helps us understand that nothing is forever.
To me, the greatest gift of yoga so far has been the gift of space—the space between stimulus and my response, the space that allows me to see things from a different perspective and act from a place of greater equanimity (at least most of the time 😉).
How has yoga impacted your life? Or have you experienced a similar effect through something else (meditation, sports, etc.)? I’d be curious to know.
