You're Doing Yoga Wrong

What is yoga?

Were you to ever hear or read this question, the most common answers that would follow would be “union of body and mind”, “the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind”, or “taming the monkey mind” (‘chitta vritti’ as it were).

Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?

But alas, simple does not necessarily equate to easy.

One plus one equals two, but how long would it take to get to two as you navigate the terrain of all the decimals in between?

What is yoga? Preparing the body for meditation. Ensuring the use of the body as a vehicle for sustained physical stillness to create the conditions for stillness of the body. Using the body to transcend the body. So on and so forth.

Is there a right way to practice yoga? Yes. No. Maybe.

If the answer is yes, then what’s the wrong way to practice yoga?

If the answer is no, then is it possible to perpetuate the original teachings withoutdiluting them? To maintain the original essence and intention without distorting them beyond recognition through practice? Without losing them to time?

If the answer is maybe, then that just won’t work for us because we as human beings, need clarity. We need something solid; something timeless and consistent against which to measure ourselves, our experiences, and all those around us. We can’t possibly chalk it all up to subjectivity because then, chaos would (likely) ensue. Because then, our spiritual ego would be triggered and quite frankly, we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves.

This isn’t about the right way, the wrong way, or the nuanced way. Because even that is a topic of discussion that’s ever changing.

This is about a moment of clarity that I experienced recently that I felt inclined to document.

‘What is yoga to you?’. I saw this question and before my mind had a chance to intellectualize its way to answer, I wrote down ‘challenging myself without losing myself to the challenge’.

Whoa. Deep.

That’s what my initial instinct was. But then again, it’s true.

It’s my truth at least.

The physical practice of yoga, the version of it that resonates with me and for my own practice is a challenge. It’s not always about advancing my way through asanas (physical postures), but sometimes it is. It’s not always about maintaining my practice of certain asanas, but sometimes it is. Sometimes the challenge is in the most basic asanas and sometimes the more advanced ones feel like a piece of cake. Delicious and oh so enjoyable to experience.

The spiritual, mental, and emotional practice of yoga is a challenge. It’s not a clear line drawn in the sand; obsidian black on one side and a shining bright white on the other. It’s a spectrum; a kaleidoscope of different gradients and shades of colours. Neither good nor bad. It all just is as it is. Practicing compassion is a challenge. Allowing myself grace is a challenge. Granting myself the permission to accept, acknowledge, challenge, redefine, unlearn, relearn, explore, expand…is an eternal challenge.

Establishing balance harmony between doing and being is the essence of the challenge.

Without losing yourself in or to the challenge. Without identifying yourself with what it is you’re doing. With the degree of your being. Without measuring oneself against a moving target. Variables, achievements, and end-goals that are so close but remain eternally out of reach. As though therein lies your enlightenment, dangling in front you and yet, ever so elusive.

Is yoga about getting more flexible? Getting stronger? In both body and mind?

Is it about balancing on your hands or your forearms? Does enlightenment await you on the other side?

Is it about leading a virtuous life? Is it a practice of righteousness? Standing on a moral high ground as though so-called enlightenment exists right then and there?

Is there a right way to be enlightened?

Is there a wrong way to be enlightened?

I’ve found that the more time I’ve spent classifying, judging, critiquing, comparing, reflecting on what is or isn’t yoga, the more of my time and energy I’ve redirected from aligning with my own pursuit of what it is or isn’t right — for me and my practice. For me and my experience. For me and my existence.

Because it is a pursuit. It’s a constant back and forth, a dance between the different ends of the spectrum, some movements greater than others and some too subtle to detect. But it’s ever moving. It’s ever changing. Different fonts. Different flavours. Different degrees and different variations.

The cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. But if the mind were to fully cease, would you not then be brain dead?

The union of the mind and the body, but aren’t they already in union? Otherwise who or what is operating the body? Who’s reacting and responding?

It’s subjective. It’s personal. It is what it is. It is what it isn’t.

So again, is there a right and wrong way to practice yoga? To practice the entirety of yoga? Yes. No. Maybe.

Maybe we’ll find the ever elusive answer after we’ve reached enlightenment.

Maybe we’ll never find the answer because there was never a need for the question to begin with.

In the meantime, all there is for me to do is to maintain my practice. Identify what about my practice feels right for me — not for others and certainly not for show, even if I need to swing back and forth between the two, even if that’s all I ever do.

And practice not taking anything personally or seriously because it never really is.