What Even Is Yoga? The Main Principles of the Yoga Sutras

Most of us first meet yoga through movement: the physical poses, the mat, the music, the breath.
But yoga, in its truest form, is not something you do, it’s something you experience.

The ancient text known as The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali describes yoga as a complete path of awakening, one that transforms not only the body, but the mind, heart, and spirit.

So, what even is yoga? Let’s look beyond the poses.



Yoga Means Union

The Sanskrit word yoga comes from the root yuj, meaning “to yoke” or “to unite.”
It is the process of bringing together what feels separate – body and mind, effort and ease, self and spirit.

In daily life, that means moving from distraction toward presence.
It’s not about touching your toes, it’s about remembering that you are already whole.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, written over 2,000 years ago, outline this path in 196 short verses. Each verse, or sutra, distills wisdom about how to quiet the mind and remember your true nature.



The Heart of the Sutras: “Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha”

The second sutra, often considered the most important, says:
“Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.”

In other words, yoga is not found in motion, it is found in stillness.
When the constant waves of thought, worry, and judgment settle, we can finally see ourselves clearly.
Yoga is the practice of calming the mind enough to reconnect with the quiet awareness beneath it.

Every posture, breath, and meditation in yoga ultimately serves this one purpose.



The Eight Limbs of Yoga

Patanjali describes eight interconnected practices, known as the Eight Limbs, that form the full system of yoga. They are not steps to climb, but threads that weave together inner and outer balance.

  1. Yama – Ethical Foundations
    The way we relate to others.

    • Ahimsa (non-harm)

    • Satya (truthfulness)

    • Asteya (non-stealing)

    • Brahmacharya (moderation)

    • Aparigraha (non-attachment)

  2. Niyama – Personal Practices
    The way we relate to ourselves.

    • Saucha (cleanliness or clarity)

    • Santosha (contentment)

    • Tapas (discipline)

    • Svadhyaya (self-study)

    • Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to something greater)

  3. Asana – The Postures
    Physical movement that prepares the body for steadiness and meditation. In the Sutras, asana means “a comfortable, stable seat”. Not performance, but presence.

  4. Pranayama – Regulation of Breath
    Controlling the breath to balance life force energy (prana). It calms the nervous system and focuses the mind.

  5. Pratyahara – Withdrawal of the Senses
    Turning attention inward and learning to rest awareness within rather than chasing constant stimulation.

  6. Dharana – Concentration
    Training the mind to focus on one object, sound, or mantra.

  7. Dhyana – Meditation
    Continuous flow of awareness. The point when focus becomes effortless and still.

  8. Samadhi – Union or Absorption
    The state of Oneness, when the observer and the observed dissolve. It is peace beyond words. Not a goal to chase, but a natural state that emerges from practice.



So, Is Yoga a Religion? A Workout? A Lifestyle?

Yoga is not a religion, it is a philosophy, a practice, and a state of being.
You can approach it spiritually or practically, traditionally or creatively. What matters is awareness.

The postures (asana) are only one piece of the whole. They strengthen the body so that the mind can rest. The ethics, breathwork, and meditation work together to cultivate harmony and presence, both within and beyond the mat.



Bringing the Sutras Into Modern Life

You don’t have to be a scholar to live by the Yoga Sutras. You already practice them each time you:

  • Choose kindness over judgment (ahimsa)

  • Tell the truth even when it’s uncomfortable (satya)

  • Show up for your practice even when you don’t feel like it (tapas)

  • Pause before reacting and take a conscious breath (pratyahara)

Yoga is in how you live, not just how you move.



Why It Still Matters

In a world that moves fast and demands constant reaction, the Yoga Sutras remind us to pause, observe, and reconnect to stillness.
They teach that peace is not found in escaping the world but in seeing it clearly, from the calm center within.

So, what is yoga?
Yoga is the art of remembering who you are, again and again.


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