#### Yoga Is Meditation, Asana Is Not Most people, yoga teachers included, use the phrase "yoga and meditation" which is understandable since the predominant way yoga is portrayed and taught in Western society is as a physical exercise and stretching regiment. At best a nod is made to the fact that yoga asana is more than just moving the body around, that the associated intention and concentration make asana practice a more conscious physical activity than many other exercising regiments. Something I've noticed that I think needs correcting is when even yoga teachers start talking about incorporating "mindfulness" into a yoga practice (see [[Yoga vs Buddhism]] for more on that). Mindfulness is a fairly specific Buddhist derived meditation practice, which overlaps with much of the meditative practices found in yogic traditions, but there is no need to bring something external into yoga in order to add mindfulness or mediation, just a need to incorporate what is already there but mostly unknown or unrecognized (see [[YP - Yoga Sutras]]). Asana as it's taught today, and as it serves as the general public perception of yoga, is a relatively modern addition to a practice which is internal. Similar to claims of "all is one", "we're all the same", and "God is love", the idea that yoga postures are the core of yoga is misguided. Many modern teachers, even some of those who brought asana to the West, have claimed that the postures are meditation, but simple observation and comparison to the process laid out in the Yoga Sutras would bring us to a different conclusion. The simple observation is that when we are outwardly exerting ourselves in a physical activity it is impossible to fully withdrawal from the senses. That withdrawal from the senses is the bridge to the inward journey to reach a state of meditation. So, at least from the point of view of the Yoga Sutras, and from my experience, while postures may help with the ability to focus the mind, and ease tension in the body to facilitate longer periods of sitting, postures literally cannot bring us to a state of mind referred to as meditation. That takes something more. --- Created on: 2024-03-17 [[Home]]