About Yoga

The Real Definition of Yoga

Someone once said to me that yoga is the art of flexibility and so on. In the ancient texts, it actually is a very real science.

yogas’ citta vrtti nirodhah

“Yoga is the cessation of mental mindstuffs.”

(from the Yoga Sutras)

This is the real meaning of yoga and the goal of all the postures, Asana, breathing techniques (praanayaama), and meditation.

Typically, quite a lot of effort goes into that act of cessation, that ending of effort, until all is one, one, One.

Indeed, many of you know that the word yoga itself, comes from yuj, to unite, or yoke, i.e., the act of uniting.

The concept of unity is used to cancel the concept of the many; the concept of self (infinite consciousness) is used to cancel the conceptualisation of unity. [The term “unity” itself implies disparate objects. Ed.] The self can neither be conceived of as existence or non-existence, it is what is. (Vasistha’s Yoga, p. 400)

Said another way:

“Love knows that I am everything and wisdom knows that I am nothing, and between these two things, my life moves.” -Nisaragadatta Maharaj

Maharshi Mahesh Yogi had a nice interview on video where he describes yoga.

This is the meaning that I’ll use to talk about yoga, dear yoga, on this site.

I’m not a powerful yogini. I am a simple flawed vessel. But I love yoga and I hope to do it some justice here.