Find Happiness 38: The Oft-Neglected Goal of Yoga

Yoga is without doubt a wonderful, invaluable and deeply beneficial discipline. It is taught all over the world, and the number of people practicing it is likely to run into the millions.

The goal of yoga is to lead one to Enlightenment; but what I am seeing is that this goal is often not given sufficient priority by those who teach it.

What the Literature Says about the Goal

That yoga is one of the paths to Enlightenment is described in the first part of the ultimate reference book on yoga, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, which is said to have been written in the second or third century CE.

The first part of the Sutra is called the Samadhi Pada, and the second sentence of this part succinctly describes the goal of yoga. It describes the goal with the word nirodah.

There are several translations (in my opinion, mis-translations) of this word; the translation that ties in perfectly with other ancient Indian philosophical texts that describe Enlightenment is, “realizing that you are the still and unmoving Consciousness that is aware of all your thoughts and sensory perceptions.”

What Frequently Happens in Yoga Schools

In my observation there are many yoga schools which do not have this goal in mind when they plan their curriculum. The emphasis is on perfecting the physical exercises of yoga, the asanas. Asanas no doubt do wonders for one’s flexibility, strength, posture, concentration and general health. But, as I have mentioned above, they are by no means all there is to yoga.

Integrating Yoga with Enlightenment

In my opinion, and based on my learning, the enhanced power of concentration that results from yoga should be harnessed for meditation aimed at attaining Enlightenment (which is also the state of inner peace).

One’s basic self, which I term the “basic you” in all my writings, is deeply peaceful and not dependent on external things or events. Constant identification with the “basic you” is the nature of Enlightenment (and the state of inner peace).

The “basic you” is the witness to all your thoughts and sense perceptions. To identify with it constantly, you should follow a two-step process: firstly, put your finger on the” basic you”; secondly, keep going back into it until you stop leaving it.

To put your finger on the “basic you”, some meditation is necessary: sit in a place where you will not be distracted, close your eyes, and watch what is going on in your mind. The moment a thought hits you, find the answer to the question, “To whom did did that thought to occur ?” That “whom” is the “basic you.”

Please be aware that when you identify with the “basic you”, you should allow your thoughts to come and go freely, neither pulling them in nor pushing them out, with you being nothing more than a motionless observer.

Once you learn how to do this, you should try to identify with the “basic you” even when your eyes are open and you are going about your daily routine. Over time this will make you reside in the “basic you” constantly.

The method I have described above requires keen use of your powers of alertness and concentration, and one of the ways to enhance these powers and therefore make your meditation more effective is to practice yoga.

Therefore if you are already into yoga, please use the mental benefits that accrue from it to meditate first with your eyes closed and then with your eyes open, thereby growing in inner peace and true Enlightenment.

If you are sincere in your effort to attain Enlightenment/inner peace, all doors will open for you… you will see it happen yourself!

To your success,