Yoga taught with a traditional background can have profound and transformative effects on those willing to embrace sacred practices. Yoga is not merely about stretching and touching one's toes; it unfolds through various pathways, guiding the entire being towards God consciousness. Unfortunately, in the West, the true traditions of yoga often get lost due to its marketing as a trendy fitness practice. However, yoga is much deeper than that—it can dissolve suffering and aid in healing an entire lifetime.
The true essence of yoga is deep compassion. To genuinely understand the teachings, one must explore the four main paths of yoga: Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge), Karma Yoga (the path of action), Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion), and Raja Yoga (the path of meditation). It is disheartening to see yoga being taught in ways that dishonor its purpose. This is also true for Ayurveda, where the spiritual context is often neglected. Without their lineage and sacred traditions, both yoga and Ayurveda lose their true power and meaning.
The path was set before us in sacred texts for a reason. Many people attempt to become spiritual without first addressing the state of their physical bodies and desires. This often involves rectifying old wounds and traumas. Seeking the advice of others to heal "ego" wounds is crucial for true progress towards enlightenment. This is not something achieved by practicing asanas once or twice a week.
The main pathways of yoga require commitment to knowledge, devotion, action, and meditation. The eight limbs of yoga, as outlined by Patanjali, also speak of layers of development. One must start by abstaining from things that harm the body physically, emotionally, and mentally (Yamas): Ahimsa (non-violence), Asteya (non-stealing), Satya (truthfulness), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and Brahmacharya (celibacy or fidelity). Then, personal observations and fine-tuning of the physical and mental body (Niyamas) are necessary: Saucha (cleanliness), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (self-discipline), Svadhyaya (self-reflection), and Ishvarapranidhana (surrender to a higher power). Once these layers are mastered, one can move on to Asana (yoga postures), Pranayama (breathwork), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), Dharana (one-pointed focus/concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and finally Samadhi (absorption/enlightenment/complete liberation).
Most people attempt to go straight to meditation and enlightenment (thinking that, that is where they start, and that it is plausible) without thoroughly examining themselves and addressing their karmic debts. This path has many steps and much work prior to even thinking of meditation or becoming enlightened. Start with the physical first, fine tune your machine.
The path requires dedication and is not simply about attending one yoga class a week and calling oneself a yogi but forgetting about spirituality for the rest of the week. This is akin to someone who goes to church on Sundays but has no other commitment to God outside of that. True devotion is a constant, all-encompassing practice, carried in the heart and mind every moment.
The traditions of yoga and Ayurveda are rooted in the Hindu faith, and this connection should not be overlooked. These traditions matter to the process and application of the practices. A lot of work goes into these practices, but if one is willing to truly walk this path, miraculous and phenomenal transformations can occur. Understanding the main paths of yoga and the eight limbs is a good starting point, but the journey is much deeper. In the West, the dilution of these practices has diminished their true power.
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