Yoga Beyond the Mat: Exploring Philosophy in Practice

We begin every class with a Sankalpa, or intention, and end by offering the energy we have created to the world. This practice makes you feel like a part of something larger. I explain how showing up with harmonious energy creates a ripple effect of positivity in your community.

Namaste. On International Yoga Day, I reflect on the theme of self and society. We believe that by refining ourselves and healing our own pain, we create more space and energy to be present for others, which is how we collectively make the world a better place.

If you are too close to a mountain, you cannot see its height. Similarly, if you get stuck on perfecting a pose, you miss the experience. I discuss how the true purpose of yoga practice is not performance, but to use the experience to understand who you are.

Svastha means balance. A balanced body leads to a balanced breath, which is the gateway to understanding the subtle energy, or prana, within you. I explain the structure of practice: asana prepares you for pranayama, and pranayama allows you to tame your energy layer.

We all share a common pool of energy. Whatever practice you have chosen to regulate this energy, I encourage you to start it today and share it with your family. In this way, we move from being borrowers of energy to becoming lenders, creating a surplus for our community.

Yoga can be described as purification. Through dedicated practice, we slowly remove the colored films of our past experiences that tint how we see life. This allows us to see things as they are, which is the essence of yoga.

Using yoga only for health is like using a nuclear bomb to dig a well. It is a powerful tool, but its purpose does not stop at physical health. True sadhana, or dedicated practice, moves beyond health to happiness, which health alone cannot bring.

A practitioner can face a dilemma when studying the shastras, or scriptures. If you learn something but do not apply it, a clash between potential and kinetic energy arises, leading to unhappiness. I explain why it is crucial to take what you learn and put it into practice.

The inherent fear of being wiped out leads to the desire to stay alive, a loop that can span incarnations. I explore how this fundamental desire gave rise to the great thought systems, as people began to question if losing this desire was the key to freedom.