Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
How should one perform an asana?
An asana is not just a physical exercise but so much more than that. When you are happy, you feel as though you are floating and when you are unhappy, you feel completely down and out, as if something inside you has shrunk. The mind’s tendency to go up and down is called Dvandva. An asana is that which helps you maintain equanimity. A posture that brings you stability and comfort is asana.
But we must define what comfort is because it can mean different things to different people. The smaller your comfort zone, the more miserable you are because life is vast but you are comfortable only in a limited sphere. Your happiness depends on the size of your comfort zone. An asana is something that expands your comfort zone.
An asana has to be done by aligning the breath with awareness. For example, if you are lifting your arm, you are fully aware that you are lifting your arm. In yoga, the body, mind and breath are all united. It is like a slow-moving dance leading from one posture to another posture.
The scriptures say ‘sthiramsukhamasanam’ - every asana needs to be done with stability and comfort. The best way to perform an asana is to stretch a little more than you can at the beginning of the asana, but then you must relax. So make an effort in the beginning and then let go of the effort. Then, infinity dawns on your awareness.
What is the purpose of yoga?
The whole purpose of yoga is to be with one’s Self; to bring integrity in you; to make you whole. The purpose of yoga is to prevent misery even before it arrives! Whether it is greed, anger, frustration, hate, jealousy- these negative emotions can be healed and transformed into happiness and love through yoga. Yoga takes us to our source of happiness.
Yoga is also the greatest wealth to humankind. The purpose of any wealth is to bring happiness and comfort. Yoga is an enormous wealth because of the comfort and strength it brings to you. During times when you are faced with financial, physical and mental health-related worries, only yoga can provide that inner strength.
When you go to the root cause of any conflict, you will find that there is stress, mistrust, and fear of the other. Yoga helps you overcome all these three elements. Fear of the other vanishes because yoga broadens your awareness and brings a sense of belongingness with everyone.
Fear of losing one’s identity or one’s existence is a big fear in people and yoga helps you see the truth about who you are. The central teaching of yoga is maintaining an equanimous state of mind. When you can do any action by being fully present, you are aware of what you are saying or doing and that makes you a yogi.
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