The ultimate goal of yoga, according to Patanjali, is to quiet the disturbances of the mind. When that difficult task is achieved, “the seer dwells in their own true splendor” (BKS Iyengar translation of sutra 2.3).

My own true splendor….Sounds wonderful. But what in the world does it mean?

Notice, the individual is called the seer, or perceiver (drashtuh). In other words, an individual is not a thing but a point of view. Our bodies change. Our moods and understanding change. But through all the changes (even, supposedly, through lifetimes), some awareness keeps track. This awareness, this perceptive bit of the universe, is the true nature of the individual.

As a point of view, our own true splendor or essential nature (svarupe) is inextricably dependent on the immediate moment — our circumstances and our condition. Even after we die, it is said, we will have experiences. So an individual is a continuing awareness of ever-changing moments from a particular point in space and time.

When our mind takes us out of the moment, we obscure our essential nature. We’re hungry and want lunch. We’re frightened and are frantic to find safety. Those are real considerations, so yoga practice (always pragmatic) begins by helping us be a successful animal in the world, developing basic skills like health, strength, persistence, patience, compassion, faith. And pursuing those skills with drive and determination gives an opportunity to practice engagement without attachment. When you free yourself from attachments, you will uncover what you really are. The people who have gone before us promise the realization will be beyond our wildest dreams.

Homework

As you practice, notice everything but don’t get stuck in thought. Simply notice. Are there circumstances where that is easy? Hard? Just notice.

L1: salabhasana, chatush padasana, supported backbend