Stop Posing: From Physical Performance to Spiritual Awakening

Stop Posing: From Physical Performance to Spiritual Awakening

It hit me like a bolt of lightning during a conversation with a friend. As I wrestled with how to present my upcoming lecture on yoga philosophy, her response left me stunned. 'I've been practising yoga for years,' she said, 'but I've never heard that yoga's ultimate purpose was self-realisation.' This wasn't just any casual yoga practitioner; this was someone who had dedicated years to the practice and attended countless classes.

At that moment, I realised how profoundly we've lost our way in the West. What was once an ancient path to self-realisation has been reduced, in many minds, to nothing more than a series of Instagram-worthy contortions. The very essence of yoga has somehow slipped through the cracks of our modern interpretation.

Walk into any department store or scroll through social media, and you’ll see the same familiar scene: yoga mats neatly rolled on shelves, smiling influencers demonstrating perfectly executed poses, and sleek activewear enticing us to buy into the modern image of yoga. It is undeniable yoga has become a ubiquitous part of the wellness industry. Yet, despite its widespread popularity, few practitioners truly understand the heart of what yoga is meant for. 

Ask a casual yogi, or even someone who practices regularly in the West, what the purpose of yoga is, and you’re likely to hear something along the lines of improving flexibility, strength, or mental clarity. Some may speak to the benefits of stress reduction or mindfulness. While these outcomes are valuable, they represent only a fragment of yoga’s profound potential. Yoga’s original purpose is far more significant: it is a spiritual path toward ‘self-realisation’, a state of consciousness in which one transcends the illusions of separation and false identity to experience unity with the absolute, the endless light (Or Ein Sof). 

So, where did we go astray? How did a holistic spiritual discipline encompassing philosophy, ethics, breathwork, and meditation become synonymous with only physical postures (asana)? And, more importantly, how can we bring the beating heart of what yoga is about into our modern practice? 

Yoga was never meant to be just a physical practice. It is an ancient technology of transformation, a bridge between our limited self and the vast ocean of universal consciousness. When even one person glimpses this truth, in those precious moments of deep meditation or sudden clarity, they create ripples that touch countless others. Each awakening shifts our collective frequency higher, like a tuning fork.

This isn't a mere poetic metaphor. As quantum physics reveals, consciousness shapes reality at its most fundamental level. Those who walk the path of self-realization don't just transform themselves; they help weave a new pattern in the fabric of our shared reality. Their elevated awareness brightens the world like stars piercing through the darkness, fostering harmony in relationships, communities, and yes, even our precious environment.

But this transformation can only unfold if we dare to look beyond the superficial. The time for treating yoga as mere physical entertainment has passed. Our world, suspended in this crucial moment of possibility, calls for us to embrace yoga's deepest purpose. We must rise beyond the distractions of our age, beyond the carefully curated poses and designer leggings, to grasp the profound tools yoga offers for awakening humanity's highest potential.

The Garden of Eden was never a place but a state of consciousness. And now, as our world faces unprecedented challenges, yoga offers us a path back. By reclaiming its true essence as a path to self-realisation, we help birth a new reality rooted in unity, harmony, and existential truth. The choice stands before us, clear as dawn: Will we remain on the surface, or will we dive deep into yoga's transformative depths?

The Eight Limbs of Yoga: A Roadmap to Self-Realization

To truly understand this deeper purpose, we must revisit the roots of yoga. The ancient sage Patanjali codified yoga into a systematic framework in the Yoga Sutras, outlining an eightfold path known as the Ashtanga Yoga (the "Eight Limbs of Yoga"). These limbs are not mere concepts but actionable steps toward self-realization, offering a holistic guide to ethical living, mental discipline, and spiritual awakening.

Here’s a brief overview of Yoga’s eight limbs: 

1. Yama (Ethical Restraints): Guidelines for how to interact with the world, including principles like non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), and non-possessiveness (aparigraha).

2. Niyama (Internal Disciplines): Personal practices such as cleanliness (shaucha), contentment (santosha), and self-study (svadhyaya).

3. Asana (Postures): Physical poses designed to prepare the body for prolonged meditation by cultivating strength, flexibility, and stillness.

4. Pranayama (Breath Control): Techniques for regulating the breath to calm the mind and energize the body.

5. Pratyahara (Withdrawal of the Senses): Turning inward by detaching from external distractions to focus on the inner self.

6. Dharana (Concentration): Cultivating single-pointed focus to steady the mind.

7. Dhyana (Meditation): Sustained, effortless meditation to deepen awareness.

8. Samadhi (Absorption): The ultimate state of self-realization and unity with the divine.

While all eight limbs are interdependent, they build upon one another to prepare the ground for the ultimate experience of stillness and, eventually, Samadhi. However, in contemporary practice, the overwhelming emphasis has been placed on the third limb, asana and barely anything is mentioned about the integration of all limbs. Classes focus almost exclusively on mastering challenging postures, perfecting alignment, and achieving physical prowess.

The Overemphasis on Asana 

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with enjoying the physical benefits of asana, this narrow focus overlooks the greater purpose of the practice. Asana is just one of eight limbs, and it was never intended to be an end in itself. Its original purpose was to prepare the body to sit comfortably for long periods in meditation. Without incorporating the other limbs, particularly meditation, breathwork, and self-reflection, asana alone cannot lead to the deeper states of consciousness that yoga aims to cultivate.

In traditional yogic lineages, physical asana often plays a minor role, if any. Many devoted yogis focus instead on meditation, devotional practices (bhakti yoga), or selfless service (karma yoga). The goal is not to perfect the body but to transcend it, using the practice as a vehicle to connect with the divine. 

This fixation on asana is symptomatic of a broader issue in modern spirituality: the tendency to prioritise external appearances over inner transformation. The sleek, acrobatic poses we see on Instagram have created a culture of performance where yoga becomes a spectacle rather than a path to inner peace. The right outfit, the perfect backdrop, and the serene smile have become symbols of ‘success’ in mastering tranquillity, but they often mask a lack of true connection to its essence. 

Returning to the Heart of Yoga:
A Few Steps to Reclaim the True Practice

Despite its commercialization, yoga’s true purpose is still accessible to those willing to seek it. Even practitioners who come to yoga through asana can deepen their experience by exploring the other limbs of the practice.

Here are some ways to reconnect with the essence of yoga: 

1. Incorporate Pranayama:  Breathwork is a powerful tool for calming the mind and accessing deeper states of awareness. Practices like nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) and kapalabhati (cleansing breath) can be transformative when done consistently. 

2. Meditate Daily: Meditation is central to yoga, yet it’s often overlooked in modern classes. Most yogis in India practice meditation as their main focus, and it’s no exaggeration to say that without meditation, there is no yoga. Start with just a few minutes a day of seated meditation, focusing on the breath and quieting the mind. Over time, you may find your practice expanding naturally, with prolonged states of peace becoming an embodied part of your daily life.

3. To deepen your practice, choose one Yama (Ethical Restraint) or Niyama (Internal Disciplines) to focus on each month, consciously applying its principle to your thoughts, actions, and daily interactions.

4. Study Yoga Philosophy: The Yoga Sutras, ‘Bhagavad Gita’, The Vedas, Understanding the laws of creation through sacred texts provide invaluable insights into the spiritual dimensions of yoga. Engaging with these teachings can inspire a more holistic practice. 

5. Practice Selfless Service: Known as ‘karma yoga’, acts of selfless service help dissolve the ego and cultivate compassion. Doing action that benefits the whole (environment or others) with joy, without expectation of reward, can be a powerful spiritual practice. 

6. Creating a clean, beautiful, and special space for your yoga practice amplifies its energy and intention, anchoring you in a quantum field of presence and serenity.

7. Most importantly, if you are going to a class outside, choose a teacher who is rooted in traditional and holistic practice. Seek out instructors who honour yoga’s spiritual roots and incorporate elements like breath, meditation, philosophy, and sacred space into their classes. 

Beyond Fitness: Yoga as a Path to Self-Realization 

For those who practice yoga in the West, this is an invitation to look deeper. Consider whether your practice truly aligns with the broader purpose of yoga. Are you using yoga as a tool for spiritual growth, or has it become another checkbox on your fitness routine?

At its core, yoga is a journey of self-discovery and ultimate realisation of our true nature. It is a process of peeling away the layers of attachments to our false identities to uncover pure radiating consciousness within. This state of self-realisation is, as I call it, the ultimate potential of human existence. It is such a profound shift in consciousness that once attained, the whole universe quantum jumps with you.

This timing feels far from coincidental. Our world teeters on a knife's edge, wars tear at humanity's fabric, division spreads like wildfire, systems crumble beneath their weight, and both our bodies and our Earth cry out in similar distress. This isn't just a crisis of health or environment; it's a crisis of consciousness. Yet, precisely in this moment of global upheaval, we find ourselves with access to one of humanity's most powerful tools for transformation, if only we can yield its power.

Yoga is not just about touching your toes or mastering a headstand. It is about touching the infinite, mastering the mind, and realising the oneness of all existence. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the physical benefits of yoga, but we must not stop there. Yoga offers a profound opportunity to awaken to our highest potential and to live in harmony with the world around us. By embracing the full spectrum of the eight limbs, we can move beyond the superficial and step into the transformative power of yoga.

Yoga has only been in the West for a few decades, and all we've done so far is scratch the surface of its transformative power. It's a striking paradox that while yoga mats line department store shelves and studios dot every street corner, the heart of this ancient practice still awaits. Like seeds scattered on fertile ground, the millions who roll out their mats around the world each day have yet to experience their true human potential and are like dormant seeds waiting for the right conditions to sprout.

Yes, yoga has reached our shores, but perhaps its real journey has only just begun.