Why do we practice yoga?
“To achieve the state of moksha, of course!” one might answer. “The state of liberation! What else for?”
Yet, if every morning we stepped onto the mat with this ambition, we would probably sell it on Vinted after a couple of months.
Certainly, yoga can lead us to liberation and charts the path with scientific rigor, but first and foremost, it guides us progressively, through ever deeper stages of awareness.
As the saying goes — and as T. S. Eliot wrote — “it is the journey, not the destination, that matters”.
So, how does yoga lead us to liberation?
When Patanjali composed the Yoga Sutras between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE, he described an eight-stage path of purification, intended to lead the sadhaka — the practitioner — to the realization of the Self (Purusha).
The underlying idea is that the true Self is hidden behind five sheaths, called koshas, which the practitioner must transcend. These are the dimensions in which a human being acts and interacts in daily life.
Of these, the outermost and most accessible of these sheaths is the physical body, Annamaya Kosha.
At this level, that of matter, we interact with the world through our senses.
At this level, āsanas (yoga postures) are used as tools for purification, to prepare and strengthen oneself for more subtle practices.
When the practice of āsanas is consolidated, the sadhaka can begin to work on Prānamaya Kosha, the energetic body.
Prana is both the energy that governs the activities of the body and mind, and the energy that regulates the cosmos.
Here, prāṇāyāma (breath control) is practiced, which regulates the flow of prāṇa — the vital energy.
The stability and vitality gained at this stage allow access to more subtle work, on Manomaya Kośa, the mental body.
Here, the fifth and sixth aṅgas of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga come into play: pratyāhāra (withdrawal of the senses) and dhāraṇā (concentration). These practices calm and purify the mind, helping the practitioner become more aware of their thoughts and emotions, reducing distractions.
With a stable mind, one is ready to meditate. Thus, one enters the level of Vijñānamaya Kośa, the intellectual body.
Meditation (dhyāna) refines awareness and understanding, awakening the intellect and wisdom. At this point, the practitioner is able to discern reality from illusion.
Finally, one reaches Ānandamaya Kośa, the bliss body.
Here the practitioner experiences the state of samādhi (absorption), in which all koshas are transcended and the authentic nature of the Self is realized, experiencing pure bliss.
Although in daily practice on the mat one often limits oneself to "stretching a bit" or improving proprioception, it is important to remember that every asana is part of a much broader path.
Perhaps in this life we will not go beyond Annamaya Kośa or Prāṇamaya Kośa, but knowing in which direction we are going — and why — is what distinguishes yoga from simple gymnastics. And the fruits of this awareness can be surprisingly exquisite.
Further reading:
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras edited by F. Squarcini
Yoga and the Path of The Urban Mystic by Darren Main
