I asked a simple question in two different Facebook groups.  The question was this: What is the purpose of yoga?

Before I write anything more, don’t believe a word I write.  Instead of believing what I write, look into it for yourself.  If you see something for yourself, look into that even deeper.

Also, I am not writing this post nor did I ask my questions because I want to shame anyone nor to prove how smart I am.  I’m definitely not writing this so anyone will like me!

My sole purpose in writing this is to help you see the purpose of yoga so clearly, that it directs everything you do and so you can share it clearly with others.

I received 174 different answers.  Yoga teachers and instructors, that reveals a grave lack of understanding.

It’s not that I received 174 uniquely worded responses that said the same thing.  I received 174 unique responses.  There was some overlap in the responses, naturally, but of those 174 responses, only a handful even hinted at the actual purpose of yoga.

Swing a hammer as much as you want, you aren’t guaranteed to build a house unless you have the knowledge and understating of building a house.

Yoga is not some magical thing that will automatically relieve tension, anxiety, depression or fatigue.  If that were the case, those conditions would not exist.  “Just do a forward bend!”

Do you, teachers and instructors, have the skill to guide a student, step-by-step, out of anxiety, etc.  using postures or any other yogic tools or do you just tell them to swing a hammer and hope for the best?

Students, do your teachers ever teach you the why of yoga?  Do your teachers help you use your time on the mat to change your life or is time on your mat like a spa treatment?  Does it relieve your stress and leave you feeling refreshed for a short time but then fade away?

Jai Bhagwan

Tomorrow, I’ll sort through the answers I received and then on Friday I’ll answer the original question.