Yoga (samadhi) is a state of being. This state can be cultivated through the practice of yoga (the 8 limbs of yoga). The answer to "what is yoga?" depends on if you refer to the state or the practice.
The state of yoga (samadhi): The "aim" of yoga practice.
Yoga (samadhi) is not a state reserved only for mystics or advanced practitioners. You have almost certainly experienced a state of yoga, albeit in fleeting moments. Those who have a practice aimed at a state of yoga, may experience the state with more frequency and with some qualitative difference, but the experience of samadhi is one available to everyone.
Yoga (samadhi) is defined by Pantanjali, writer of the Yoga Sutras (a kind of "yoga bible") , as “ the settling of the mind". The wording is important, he does not say the “settled mind”, but rather “the settling of the mind”. According to the Yoga Sutras samadhi is experienced in ever deepening stages. The mind settles in stages. The mind begins quieting, and reality is seen with greater and greater levels of purity, rather than through the preimposed filters of our mind.
Some of us have naturally "louder" minds and it might take more effort to obtain stillness, but any degree of samadhi we can obtain is well worth it. I don’t practice and teach yoga because I am naturally calm, practicing and teaching makes me calmer. I still often feel afraid, upset, overwhelmed etc, but those emotions would be far less manageable if I didn't begin and continue to practice.
Pantanjali gives a simple definition, but it is a great feat to achieve. A settled mind ceases to project ideas of the past onto the present and future. Even trained yoga practitioners struggle to perceive experience so unfiltered. Over time and with practice, the mind can be quieted and less disruptive. Even still this does not mean the work is done. Yoga is not a destination but a state, and one must continue to cultivate such a state, continuing to practice. It becomes easier, however, to return to this place and to maintain this state for longer periods of time. The reason is purely physiological.
When we practice yoga we are training the nervous system. When we practice regularly we are reorganizing how neural networks fire in the brain, hence changing our very experience of life. "The techniques of yoga are methods of purifying the nervous system, so that it can reflect a greater degree of consciousness and our lives can become an increasingly positive force in the world" Alistair Shearer explains, in his introduction to his translation of the Yoga Sutras. Old patterns of reacting are rewired in the brain to healthier ways of responding.
Pantanjali gives a simple definition, but it is a great feat to achieve. A settled mind ceases to project ideas of the past onto the present and future. Even trained yoga practitioners struggle to perceive experience so unfiltered. Over time and with practice, the mind can be quieted and less disruptive. Even still this does not mean the work is done. Yoga is not a destination but a state, and one must continue to cultivate such a state, continuing to practice. It becomes easier, however, to return to this place and to maintain this state for longer periods of time. The reason is purely physiological.
When we practice yoga we are training the nervous system. When we practice regularly we are reorganizing how neural networks fire in the brain, hence changing our very experience of life. "The techniques of yoga are methods of purifying the nervous system, so that it can reflect a greater degree of consciousness and our lives can become an increasingly positive force in the world" Alistair Shearer explains, in his introduction to his translation of the Yoga Sutras. Old patterns of reacting are rewired in the brain to healthier ways of responding.
This change is what gives you the "superpower" ability to let go of what you think, hope or worry might happen. You become able to stay calm when "shit hits the fan" as the expression goes. Or simply to enjoy a moment instead of being overwhelmed by your own fears. You can just be with what arises.
I recall how nervous I was the first time I taught a yoga class. I had to work to focus on teaching one movement at a time, one breath at a time. I could have easily become overwhelmed with fearful thoughts and concerns, filtering the experience with my mind, but I decided to just be with what arose in the class. Before I knew it I had taught my first class and enjoyed it very much.
Everytime we still the mind back into the present moment , we choose to live freely, instead of through the projections of the mind. This freedom is samadhi, this is the state of yoga.
Yoga as a practice - cultivating the state of yoga
The practice of yoga can be broken down into 8 components. These 8 components of yoga practice can be thought of as the tools used to cultivate a state of yoga. The aspects you use in a yoga class are normally limited to the practice of postures, often meditation, and sometimes breath practice.
Another tool or component of yoga involves living according to the yamas and niyamas. The yamas and niyamas include principles such as: not harming (yourself or others), being honest (with yourself and others), not overindulging (appreciating rather than taking in excess), being content and having gratitude, practicing detachment (not clinging to things or people, letting go) . When we live by these principles life becomes simpler, we reduce the chatter of our mind. It is an important component to begin to quiet and still the mind. It also becomes easier to live by these principles as we practice the other limbs of yoga.
The 8 limbs of yoga are ideally practiced in unison, as each limb serves to add depth to the others. Meditation is a key component of the journey to achieving a still mind, it is the gateway through which we reach samadhi. Many people struggle to jump right into a meditation practice. Practicing the yamas and niyamas, along with practicing yoga postures and breath work, can serve to cultivate a mind better prepared to sit in meditation. The physical effect of yoga postures on the nervous system, and the improved flexibility prepares the mind & body to sit with greater calmness and with ease for longer.
Meditation need not only be lived on the mat. All aspects of yoga practice can and should be integrated into your daily life. As you walk, be conscious of the steps you take. When you eat, taste your food, feel the texture. When you are sleeping, sleep; when you are working, work; when you are with friends, be with friends. Be with your experience.
All limbs of yoga can also be found within each other and practiced in parallel. When you practice yoga postures, practice meditatively, maintain your mind on the movements, sensations in your body, avoiding that your mind wanders too much. You can also integrate the yamas and niyamas, by respecting the limitations of your body in the postures (ahimsa/satya), and practicing with an attitude of gratitude and joy (santosha).
The more you practice, and the more components of yoga you practice, the more resilient and the deeper your state of yoga becomes. Samadhi is also included as one of the 8 limbs. This means that as samadhi deepens, so will other aspects of your practice; It is a positive feedback loop.
Variations of the yoga practice: What kind of yoga should you practice?
You have probably noticed there are many lineages of yoga: Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini; The list is nearly endless and continues to grow.If the ultimate goal of all yoga is the same no matter what the style, why are there so many styles? Is one style better than the other?
Different styles of yoga resonate for different people. Choose the path that resonates with you and you will arrive at the same destination. No style of yoga is better than any other, and no style of yoga will make you arrive faster at your destination, there is no magic yoga pill.
I recall how nervous I was the first time I taught a yoga class. I had to work to focus on teaching one movement at a time, one breath at a time. I could have easily become overwhelmed with fearful thoughts and concerns, filtering the experience with my mind, but I decided to just be with what arose in the class. Before I knew it I had taught my first class and enjoyed it very much.
Everytime we still the mind back into the present moment , we choose to live freely, instead of through the projections of the mind. This freedom is samadhi, this is the state of yoga.
Yoga as a practice - cultivating the state of yoga
The practice of yoga can be broken down into 8 components. These 8 components of yoga practice can be thought of as the tools used to cultivate a state of yoga. The aspects you use in a yoga class are normally limited to the practice of postures, often meditation, and sometimes breath practice.Another tool or component of yoga involves living according to the yamas and niyamas. The yamas and niyamas include principles such as: not harming (yourself or others), being honest (with yourself and others), not overindulging (appreciating rather than taking in excess), being content and having gratitude, practicing detachment (not clinging to things or people, letting go) . When we live by these principles life becomes simpler, we reduce the chatter of our mind. It is an important component to begin to quiet and still the mind. It also becomes easier to live by these principles as we practice the other limbs of yoga.
The 8 limbs of yoga are ideally practiced in unison, as each limb serves to add depth to the others. Meditation is a key component of the journey to achieving a still mind, it is the gateway through which we reach samadhi. Many people struggle to jump right into a meditation practice. Practicing the yamas and niyamas, along with practicing yoga postures and breath work, can serve to cultivate a mind better prepared to sit in meditation. The physical effect of yoga postures on the nervous system, and the improved flexibility prepares the mind & body to sit with greater calmness and with ease for longer.
Meditation need not only be lived on the mat. All aspects of yoga practice can and should be integrated into your daily life. As you walk, be conscious of the steps you take. When you eat, taste your food, feel the texture. When you are sleeping, sleep; when you are working, work; when you are with friends, be with friends. Be with your experience.
All limbs of yoga can also be found within each other and practiced in parallel. When you practice yoga postures, practice meditatively, maintain your mind on the movements, sensations in your body, avoiding that your mind wanders too much. You can also integrate the yamas and niyamas, by respecting the limitations of your body in the postures (ahimsa/satya), and practicing with an attitude of gratitude and joy (santosha).
The more you practice, and the more components of yoga you practice, the more resilient and the deeper your state of yoga becomes. Samadhi is also included as one of the 8 limbs. This means that as samadhi deepens, so will other aspects of your practice; It is a positive feedback loop.
Variations of the yoga practice: What kind of yoga should you practice?
You have probably noticed there are many lineages of yoga: Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini; The list is nearly endless and continues to grow.If the ultimate goal of all yoga is the same no matter what the style, why are there so many styles? Is one style better than the other?
Different styles of yoga resonate for different people. Choose the path that resonates with you and you will arrive at the same destination. No style of yoga is better than any other, and no style of yoga will make you arrive faster at your destination, there is no magic yoga pill.
My journey began with Kundalini Yoga, at the time it served me perfectly. Soon after I began practicing Hatha Yoga and continued practicing the two styles in parallel for 7 years, finding them complementary to one another. As I evolved and changed through my practice, my needs also changed. I soon felt called to practice Ashtanga Yoga. Though initially, I had had a great aversion to the Ashtanga style, it later became exactly what I needed to progress.
The style of yoga you practice depends on who you are and where you are on your journey. I would recommend trying various styles (and teachers) and deciding what feels right for you.
Sadhana: Why and how to start a daily practice.
Regardless of the style of yoga you choose, daily practice is the key to greater and longer lasting changes. That does not mean you must go to a yoga studio everyday, though you can. Your daily practice is called sadhana. Every yoga tradition places great importance on sadhana. Sadhana does not need to be done at 4am in the morning and it does not need to be a lengthy two hour practice, though it can be. Sadhana is a daily practice which you may do at the hour, for the length of time, and with the practice that serves you best. Commiting to consistency is most important.
If you aren’t sure where to start, see my youtube channel for Surya Namaskar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSX2KJQ-oAI&t=6s This takes about 10min to complete each day and is a great sadhana to begin with. You can later amplify your practice perhaps to include Surya Namaskar, breath practice and a gratitude meditation, click the link for this 25min practice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e_Ebu2dOPw&t=1261s
You may begin a daily practice and find yourself drifting off of it somehow. Don’t be hard with yourself, just keep coming back to it. It is a process. Be kind with yourself. Just keep coming back to your practice over and over again.
"Do your practice and all is coming" - P.Jois.
The style of yoga you practice depends on who you are and where you are on your journey. I would recommend trying various styles (and teachers) and deciding what feels right for you.
Sadhana: Why and how to start a daily practice.
Regardless of the style of yoga you choose, daily practice is the key to greater and longer lasting changes. That does not mean you must go to a yoga studio everyday, though you can. Your daily practice is called sadhana. Every yoga tradition places great importance on sadhana. Sadhana does not need to be done at 4am in the morning and it does not need to be a lengthy two hour practice, though it can be. Sadhana is a daily practice which you may do at the hour, for the length of time, and with the practice that serves you best. Commiting to consistency is most important.
If you aren’t sure where to start, see my youtube channel for Surya Namaskar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSX2KJQ-oAI&t=6s This takes about 10min to complete each day and is a great sadhana to begin with. You can later amplify your practice perhaps to include Surya Namaskar, breath practice and a gratitude meditation, click the link for this 25min practice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e_Ebu2dOPw&t=1261s
You may begin a daily practice and find yourself drifting off of it somehow. Don’t be hard with yourself, just keep coming back to it. It is a process. Be kind with yourself. Just keep coming back to your practice over and over again.
"Do your practice and all is coming" - P.Jois.
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