Yoga is more than a practice for wellbeing. It is more than all the modern approaches we have towards it. Yoga is knowledge through experience. It is a state of being that is experienced by the unlimited, transcendent mind, as the great sage Patanjali, father and systematizer of the science of Yoga, states in his Yoga Sutras.

Yogas citta vritti nirodah – Yoga is a state in which the restraint of the mental modifications is achieved (Yoga Sutras, Chapter 1, Verse 2)

Yoga literally means unifying, or weaving together. Unifying body and mind, breath and awareness, self and supreme self. Any activity that challenges your body and mind, leading you into a peaceful and balanced flow state, can be considered as Yoga. This can be Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action), Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion), Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Wisdom) or Raja Yoga (The King of Yoga), including all the different tantric Yogas (Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga etc.)

The ancient methods described in Raja Yoga are more than physical practices. The main goal is elevating oneself into a highly blissful meditative state by gaining mastery of the mind, purifying the thoughts and activating the energetic body through powerful breathwork and meditation practices including mantra, energy locks as well as visualization and manifestation techniques.

All the physical exercises by which Yoga nowadays is commonly understood, are merely prerequisites for the higher practices. In fact, these different forms of fitness yoga were developed only a few centuries ago and most of their postures are highly influenced by western gymnastics … Don’t get me wrong, developing a strong and flexible body is very beneficial for sustaining a healthy and long life. Also, overcoming your perceived physical limitations will give you confidence and maintaining mental focus during physically demanding postures is very helpful to train the mind. But it is not necessarily an integral part of Yoga… originally these practices were developed in order to master sustaining a meditative posture in a steady and comfortable way over a certain period of time, which is fundamental for reaching the state of Yoga. 

So, central to Yoga is harmonizing body and mind, bringing them into energetic balance. This harmony ultimately restores health, as illness is the result of an underlying energetic disharmony that manifests in both body and mind. Beyond its obvious physical health benefits – yoga builds resilience to stress, strengthens both the cardiovascular and immune systems, and enhances overall performance – it also has a major effect on the more subtle layers of our being. Yoga is about more than just perfecting exercises, it is a process of self-exploration, acceptance, deep healing and transformation.

Ultimately Yoga is the mind’s experience of equanimity and peaceful bliss while performing physically and mentally strong asanas, pranayamas or kriyas. Yoga is all about purifying mental distortions and aligning with the higher frequencies of the universe. It’s about realizing the ultimate nature of oneself, the interdependent interconnectedness with all that exists, tuning into the source of all being. During this ancient and scientific process, you’re harmonizing the energies of body and mind, becoming more aware of your thoughts and actions, eventually being able to transform them into a more beneficial direction. A direction for yourself to be genuinely happy and live your life to the fullest. 

Resonating with my approach to yoga? I’m open for online sessions, let’s practice! See you on the mat.