Hold up. Stop. Are you really trying to achieve the perfect Instagram asana pic? Hmmm … you may have gotten a little lost on your journey in yoga. Let's check.
Pop quiz: Is the true meaning of yoga …
(a)The perfect Instagram pic of your headstand on a mountain top?
(b)An intense hot, sweaty class that leaves you feeling like you did cardio?
(c)Achieving the most flexible splits in class?
(d)Finding a state of pure consciousness in samadhi?
Read on for the answer!
As a society, we are predominantly obsessed with the things that we can see and touch: fashion, design, social media, food, body image, and more. Thus, when we look at our health, we focus primarily on the physical aspects. The Western world discovered yoga but viewed it as another tool to improve physical wellbeing or attain physical goals (psst … the answer is not (b)), and too often, the mental and spiritual benefits of yoga have become an afterthought.
Unfortunately, many of us who do understand the true purpose of yoga still continue to promote it in such a visually beautiful and perfect way that we make it look unattainable. Social media is a great seductress. It's so easy to get swept up into a visual competition that involves perfect asanas (psst … the answer is not (c)), photoshop, and perfect quotes. But yoga isn't about that.
Yoga is a practice that truly everyone can participate in, but headstands are very difficult for most people and physically unattainable for others. So what does that mean for our burning desire to do a headstand? The truth is that although a yoga journey offers many side benefits, you don't need to be in a headstand to achieve its true purpose. (psst … the answer is not (a))
Yoga is a non-competitive personal journey. However, we love a challenge, and through physical asanas we find challenge, even if only with ourselves. With challenge comes focus. Focusing your attention in the present moment is a key principle in achieving the true purpose of yoga. The path of hatha yoga involves first limbering up the body with asana, and beginning to draw your attention inward; next, focusing on your breath through pranayama, while holding a still (typically) seated asana. Then follows meditation, focusing your consciousness on one point, while physically holding completely still. Achieving the true purpose of yoga is to focus your consciousness on nothing, to simply exist.
Viewed like this, the specific asanas we practice start to seem irrelevant. With challenge comes focus, but focusing on nothing is the challenge. So headstand isn't necessary, but it exists as a step on the path of some. If after reading this you still want to pursue that perfect headstand on a clifftop pic, go for it. Just remember that clifftop or not, the true challenge of yoga is simply exist in a state of pure consciousness.
Stay healthy, and happy meditating!
Have a beautiful day. 🧡
P.S. If you're new to yoga or still in the physical phase of your journey, take a little time to explore the true nature of yoga. I've compiled a playlist on YouTube that covers exactly that topic: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm_t6bOtidgGbDR3q4viITGyYOg2lsGrs
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