Atha Yoga-anushasanam- S.1.1
So it begins the first chapter of Patanjai’s Yoga Sutras. 'Atha' (‘now’) being the key word here.
I am prompted to write this post in light of generational shifts happening in the word of Yoga and the constant discussion about legacy and the future of Yoga within the younger generations (for the purposes of this post, I am going to keep to Yoga in general without getting into the specifics of the Iyengar lineage): How do we teach Yoga now so that it can stay alive in the future?
We all have heard that there is only the now, that 'now' is the moment, that the past and the future do not exist. We tend to see time within a very short range: hours, days, years. But I have a strong sense that Patanjali was considering time within a much bigger scope. By being about the ‘now, Yoga was already modern and contemporary. His explanation of Yoga doesn’t really have a timestamp. It is both ever-changing and constant.
We live in a period of history in which technology is driving developments across all areas of experiential knowledge. And these developments are taking pace fast. Much faster than the speed at which our minds can actually comprehend these societal shifts and integrate them. Sure, we adopt mobile technologies and virtual environments very easily, as they are more and more intuitive and easy to operate. But our inner clock is still catching up. Since Yoga is NOW, it is now part of the virtual landscape too. It is now normal to take an online class, or to make the first contact with a yoga community through social media networks and online content. ‘Now' is no longer the province of ‘here’. However, it is fair to say that this is not new, since many people (myself included) had their first contact with Yoga through a book: reading the words and seeing the photographs of someone who wasn’t in the same physical space they inhabit.
So, the question many of us are asking is: ‘what is Yoga understood to be NOW?”.
For some, it is a ‘workout’. For others, something to do with a friend. For many, a useful tool to decompress from the stresses of life and keep healthy. These days, it is also something we see everywhere on social media, with self-proclaimed ‘masters’ and ‘gurus’ (this is a topic for another post) declaring their own definitions of Yoga. Among the overload of information available, it is not that clear what Yoga is and its definition will change depending on who you ask. In reality, Yoga is all of that and much more. Yoga is a very sophisticated technology for the development of human potential. Physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, spiritual.
It is helpful to refer back to the Yoga sutras and other classical texts to bring us back to the basics concepts of Yoga philosophy. Their timeless technologies for human development allow us to integrate those basic concepts into a contemporary societal and psychological framework.
In the West, Yoga is understood as almost exclusively Asana: Asana is the aspect of yoga dealing with physical postures (as expressions of Consciousness ). Centuries back, Asana (postures) would only be taught to an aspirant that had demonstrated a firm command of the Yamas and Niyamas (precepts of social and personal behaviour). In contemporary yoga practice, this is no longer so. There is no teaching certificate that can vouch for someone’s integrity before they embark on the learning of Yogasanas. Only proficiency in Asana can be assessed (and I argue that only to a very limited extent).
But Yoga is also Citta Vrtti Nirodha, cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. It trains concentration and focus. All over the internet we see clips of people performing Yogasanas that are shorter and shorter in duration. Our attention span is gone. Our mind jumps from one shiny post or ad to another, our fingers click on app after app. We need Yoga if we are to retain any power over our own attention span. And Yoga is there for us, across all platforms.
Patanjali knew that throughout history, Yoga plays to the strengths of people and their societies and stretches them to their full potential. It helps humanity overcome challenges and seize the opportunities of their time. So Yoga NOW can be precisely that which we want it or need it to be. Like in everything else, there are trends and fashions. The are different Yoga schools and linages. But Yoga is one and being of the NOW will continue to filter into the Zeitgeist in just the ways that that particular period of history requires.
Understanding and integrating the full meaning and value of Yoga takes time and consistent, dedicated practice. It is experiential: you have to feel it. I believe that the younger generations can really get Yoga much faster than any of us predecessors did: they are open, curious and want to be and feel well. They are subjected to new emotional and cognitive pressures imposed by emerging technologies and the speed of life. They are also less prejudiced and more emotionally articulate. So Yoga is still today, a perfect fit for whoever may adopt it.
Remove the burden of ‘back then’ and embrace the NOW: that’s Yoga.
© Ainhoa Acosta (Yoga with Ainhoa), 2024
Comments