Ancient, Modern, and Everything in Between

Dear Friend,

I want to share with you this month my very subjective point of view about the yoga tradition and teachings as they have been passed to us since ancient times and how they should be taken in the modern context. Please remind yourself that this is only my take on it and it may not be aligned with how you choose to view these matters.

There is a common belief that ancient things are of higher quality or authenticity, while on the other hand many people have a complete disregard or even distaste for anything that belongs to a distant past. like many things, the most conducive approach is one that takes the middle way, one that considers the pros of each view and leaves out the cons.

Religions or traditions, which are milder forms of religion, tend to put a lot of stock on textual sources that were written in ancient times, often regarding them as sacred or superior. This tendency can be quite dominant even within modern secular yoga circles, I've come across it many times. I have always been very suspicious of such view points, ones that consider people living many centuries ago as possessing some knowledge or wisdom that modern people lack. The fact of the matter is that human kind have accumulated massive knowledge over the centuries that it simply cannot be the case. These people living in ancient times had very little understanding about many topic that we know a lot about these days, for instance, they knew very little about the human body's anatomy and physiology as well as psychology.

That is not to say that profound wisdom did not exist in ancient times, there are some texts originated then that contain many gems and insights which are astonishingly relevant to this day. However, they also have plenty of marks of the ignorance of that time within them. The only way to get real teaching value out of these rare texts is with a grain of salt and a discriminative common sense, picking and choosing the useful aspects and ignoring the ones that don't hold up, otherwise we risk falling into yet another trap of religious blind faith.

When it comes to the yoga tradition there are very few texts written 1500-2000 years ago that stand the test of time, and as the centuries went by yoga texts started to lay out more grounded practical teachings as humans have gradually gained better understanding of the human experience and nature, not to mention the nature of the world.

The other side of the coin which is becoming more and more dominant these days to the point that it seems to have taken over almost the entire yoga field in the west, is a complete disregard of the many centuries of evolved experience-based yoga wisdom. It is true that throughout most of these centuries yoga pioneers had little knowledge about very important aspects of the practice such as human anatomy, neurology, psychology, and so on, but their meditative insight and intuition has led them to profound realizations about some core truths regarding the subjective human experience. Afterall, yoga is essentially an exploration of subjective reality with the purpose of transforming it for the better which essentially does not require the tools of modern science in order to reach discoveries and bring about positive change. 

What we see today is many yoga classes being led by instructors who have very little understanding of what yoga is really about. In fact, if we were to analyze these classes based on the core teachings of yoga we may come to a conclusion that they have almost nothing to do with what yoga actually is. These sessions are often either some form of physical exercise or a new age pseudo-spiritual one, and occasionally some combination of the two.

Navigating the contemporary yoga terrain is very difficult, which is common in many other terrains. We may encounter a yoga teacher  or school that is based on devotion to a guru or tradition, usually demanding obedience to a method, system, dogma, or a hierarchy, or alternatively we may find ourselves in a modern watered-down fitness-based situation, or maybe somewhere in between. We may join a modern fitness-based class and face rigid demands to position our body in generic shapes, or we may be in the presence of a teacher, often charismatic, that seems to know yoga philosophy very well, saying all the right things, quoting scriptures, using Sanskrit terminology and all of that, but at the same time it is easy to spot that they have not really bought into the teachings, they haven't embodied them, they are not teaching by example.

And so, how can we know that we are practicing yoga true to its essence and core teachings? Should we stick to doing yoga exactly as it was done hundreds of years ago or should we surrender ourselves to the modern version of it? Or maybe we should invent our own yoga method or style, or simply call the movements and shapes we like to make in our body yoga?

To be honest, it is not an easy question to follow up on. As I mentioned, navigating the current endless amount of yoga offerings is very challenging, there is no easy formula or a clear map. It can also be true that whatever practice we do, whether it is aligned with the core teachings of yoga or not, can have many great benefits.

Here is a simple condensed description of what yoga is all about:

The primary path of yoga is toward freedom from dukkha, meaning that we either reduce or come out all together of unnecessary psychological suffering. There are a few causes of this very specific form of pain or distress that is at the heart of the diagnosis of the human condition according to the teachings of yoga, it is very important that we get a clear understanding about what dukkha actually is and how it can manifest. All yoga practices should lead us in this direction.

The secondary path, which is intertwined with the primary one and is equally important, is the reduction or complete cessation of our misperception of ourselves to the point of recognizing with an utmost luminance and brightness who we really are at the ultimate level - our true nature. On the way to this transformative self-realization we can discover many other truths about the workings of our body and mind. This involves a growing capacity to be aware of self-generated narratives, beliefs, opinions, or any other thought content we identify with and project onto everything we experience which is one of the major causes of dukkha. It requires living a contemplative life and making all yoga practices be grounded in mindfulness.

The byproducts of making real progress in these directions is the cultivation of qualities and attitudes such as kindness, goodwill, generosity, equanimity, peacefulness, truthfulness contentment, compassion, and wisdom. We start to notice that we don't perceive others in opposition or alliance but rather as interconnected, us included, and we feel a genuine urge to contribute to the wellbeing of others. 

This doesn't mean that we need to become activists or start charity organizations, it can be that too but very often these are signs of an unresolved ego that seeks validation. A yogi/ni that is truly concerned with the wellbeing of other beings engages with the world with compassion and loving kindness, one that holds the complexities of reality, the suffering and pain of everyone, and much like a loving parent - projects outwards selfless genuine care.

We also develop a sense of clarity about our own inner world and release the tension of opposition within.

Here are a few things that we probably need to develop in order to make sure we are fulfilling our yoga potential:

1. We need to study some yoga philosophy - reading books, taking workshops, joining courses, however we can, enough to get a sufficient view that allows us to understand clearly what yoga actually is, what are it's main purposes, and what are the most effective tools that can lead us towards the goals of the practice.

2. We want to be able to accurately measure our progress. Is it being able to do more and more physically demanding postures or maybe there is something else we need to look at? It can also be very useful to seek guidance, preferably from experienced practitioners or teachers, those who can mirror our progress in a helpful sincere way. We can easily get stuck in a beginner stage for many years, I've seen it happen many times, being too occupied with physical achievements or validation from others. It is crucial we continuously make sure our progress is in the right direction.

3. We want to check-in from time to time if we actually are buying into the teachings or are we simply going through the motions or having some other relationship with yoga that might be identity-based. Yoga can not work if we don't have faith in it as well as in our potential to reach the states that yoga intends to lead us towards. This is not a rational decision we can simply make, it is either there or it isn't. Effective long term practice tends to organically cultivate this faith, but we still want to monitor it, otherwise we can easily go astray.

4. We also want to incorporate a more open-minded and intelligent approach that prioritizes personalization and integrating some evidence-based sources. For example, making sure that we do a pose in a way that fits our own unique body rather then some mold or generic shapes. The same applies to other forms of yoga practice such as Pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. For that we may need to change our attitude and perhaps seek guidance and input from teachers who hold this approach rather then trying to impose a dogma on us.

In summary, from my own experience the most effective way to practice yoga is to always keep it in the context of its core teachings and main purposes. I would recommend that we rely mostly on techniques and tools that stood the test of time, ones that were practiced by many generations and developed through a process of evolution. However, it can also be useful to adapt every practice we do to our own capacities and circumstances, sometimes even change or mix them up with other tools, making sure it actually makes them more potent and doesn't water them down. I would definitely refrain from trying to invent the wheel, these attempts almost always lead to suboptimal outcomes and in many cases to mini cults of personalities. 

In many cases a practice may appear to be yoga, the pose looks like it, the facial expression or even the way people present themselves. These things and other similar ones say very little about the actual inner state one is in. Yoga can only be an internal experience, the way we position or place our body in space has very little to do with it. These things can be a sign of true yoga but they can also simply be a form of gymnastics, contortion, or some movement skill.

We can diversify our tools, mix and mash, simplify when needed, even experiment with integrating other methods or sources as ways to introduce additional layers that do not compromise the essential ones. If we keep on checking in to make sure that we are moving in the direction of yoga then we are more likely to be doing things right, but if we recognize that certain behavioral patterns tend to worsen or deepen their grip then we want to change course. 

Practicing yoga effectively means that we become less reactive, more present, less trapped in our stories and more free to see things as they are, less self-centered and more oriented towards others in a self-less way, more interested in essence and depth and less in superficiality, more interested in discovering ultimate truths about our own nature and the nature of our body and mind and less occupied with transitory experiences as seductive and tempting as they may be. 

If you notice at some point, with proper sincerity, that you haven't made progress in the right direction, I would suggest seeking other paths or sources of teachings. Slow progress is totally ok, especially for those of us who can only practice 1-2 a week. As long as there is genuine progress in any amount then we are on the right path.

And I will finish with repeating a very important disclaimer: if you get benefits from the practice that you do, even if they're not yoga benefits, then please enjoy them and don't rush to give them up. You might get some relief from physical pain or discomfort, you may get some relief from stress or anxiety, you may enjoy being more flexible and fit, or you may even get benefits from being around like-minded people. These are all valid!

If you find yourself curious about these kinds of topics - join a workshop, a retreat, or any other event on offer.

Looking forward to sharing yoga with you!

Wishing everyone peace and happiness,

♡ Oren

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