"On the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Core Essence and Meaning of Yoga, and Living Yoga:

I have found through my more than twenty years of practicing and living yoga that of the 196 sutras in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, these three sutras express the core essence and meaning of yoga (please note, I spell the yoga sutras in English with translated Sanskrit, then provide a translation in English):

A) Yoga Sutra 1.2: 'Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ.'

'Yoga is calming the thoughts and activities of the mind (such that the mind becomes still).'

B) Yoga Sutra 1.3: 'Tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe'vasthānam.'

'Then the yoga practitioner abides in their own true nature (in pure consciousness).'

C) Yoga Sutra 1.4: 'Yoga Sutra 1.3: 'Vṛtti sārūpyam-itaratra.'

'At other times (when the mind is not still) the yoga practitioner takes the forms of the thoughts and activities of the mind.'

All of the other 193 Yoga Sutras of Patanjali radiate from the core essence and meaning of yoga in the above three sutras, and explain:

1) The practices to achieve a still mind,

2) the benefits received when the mind is still, and,

3) the practices and experiences of one who has stilled the mind, with the ultimate experience being mastery over the mind, and liberation of one's true Self, merging into Oneness with All That Is.

With regard to all of the above, along with all the possible paths one can journey along in the course of a life, some truly precious and others maybe not so much, I would like to share with you the following two very significant insights and realizations that came to me along my journey in the more than twenty years of practicing and living yoga, on the meaning of yoga, and practicing and living yoga along one's journey in life:

1) With sincere, ongoing practice of all nine limbs of Raja-Vinyasa Apex Yoga™, I have found through my own direct firsthand experience, it is possible to live in an ongoing awakened state of mindful awareness, using the mind in appropriate ways as needed for daily activities, while maintaining a mind free of any disturbances (i.e. an active stillness of mind). Thereby allowing for one to live in the daily activities of life in alignment with Truth and strong moral values, AND simultaneously experience an awareness of deep gratitude, Divine grace, peace, and love, and a sense of Oneness with All That Is. This is the essence of what I call 'Living Yoga'.

2) The practice of yoga does not preclude or take the place of ANY other spiritual path, religion, or wisdom tradition one might choose to practice, be it theistic, atheistic, agnostic, or not even in the realm of any notion of 'theism'. At its best, yoga not only can be practiced as a complete comprehensive system on one's own journey in life, but more noteworthy, yoga can also complement and enhance one's journey even if they are dedicated to ANY other path, IF the person on that path sincerely seeks to see and live Truth."

Best regards,

Keith Wolfe, founder of Raja-Vinyasa Apex Yoga™