Sutra 1.2: Why Yoga

Samadhi Pada: Yoga of Being in the Now

1.2 Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah

• Yoga = union
• citta = container with no form or movement (like an energy field)
• vrtti = activities of the mind such as thoughts, emotions, images, expectations, beliefs, perceptions, etc.
• nirodhah = to find tranquility

Guided by sutra 1.1 last week, we decided to start NOW, to keep our practice directed NOW and know that we are ready NOW! Now that we have our own attention, sutra 1.2 gets directly to the heart of the matter with no bullsh*t. "Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind" That's what yoga is. That's what results from practicing yoga. That's why we practice yoga. Full stop. That's it!

The Samadhi Pada (or first section or chapter) of the Yoga Sutras is about observing our current NOW reality. The first sutra asked us to be present now, and the second sutra is telling us we can achieve tranquility and calm now. That is what yoga is, that is why we do it, and it's important to know this so that we can come back to the idea of this simple, attainable concept when we run into obstacles and stumbling blocks which we will (later sutras will actually list some of these obstacles we may encounter). For now, use this week to ask yourself why you personally practice yoga. Maybe it's for specific physical, mental or emotional benefits or maybe you don't really know why. Focus on your why (or come up with one), meditate on and move through your why and see if the root of why you came to yoga in the first place and why you continue to practice aligns with this definition from the yoga sutra 1.2 (without the expectation that it has to).

Happy exploring!! 

Sutra 1.2 Yoga is the stillness of the fluctuations of the mind