January 2026 | What is yoga?

The new year seems to be a good time to pause and reflect. As practitioners of yoga, it is important to press pause from time to time to reconsider what yoga is. How are we practicing, teaching, sharing, expressing, living yoga? Remembering the shastras and healthily questioning our ideas about yoga. It’s easy to be influenced by how we see yoga portrayed in social media. Set and intention for 2026 to study one of the classical texts: the Bhagavad Gita, the Tattva Bodha of Adi Sankaracharya, or the Ramayana, a Sanskrit text or ‘smriti’ (remembered) text. There are many to choose from. In a first study you may not understand a text completely, but you will certainly take away new understanding that will reverberate through your yoga practice. Here’s to remembering!

 In this issue of Sivananda Yoga Sandesha we look at ‘yoga’.  We share Swami Sivananda’s words on the goal of yoga, from his book “Yoga Asanas” and also a research study which describes the deep impact of the sequence of asanas that Swami Sivananda describes in that book to the development of modern postural yoga practice. We share Swami Vishnudevananda’s word on the “Philosophy and Aim of Yoga”. We consider the habit of having a mobile phone in hand and holding a japa mala with the same hand. We discover the Amarnath cave temple in Jammu and Kashmir, and the arduous path to reach it. We learn simple Ayurvedic rituals to incorporate which have a deep impact on the yoga practice and we discover (if you haven’t already) the inspiring “Walk for Peace” currently taking place in the US, where a group of Buddhist monks and their Indian rescue dog are walking 2,300 miles for peace, unity, and compassion. It feels like just what we need right now. Happy New Year!  As usual, please feel free to reach out to us with your thoughts and feedback at: [email protected]

December snapshots include Christmas celebrations from our centres, an ashram visit by members of the Trivandrum Centre, and our world-famous 10-day holiday programme at the Neyyar Dam Ashram! This included an array or performances of Indian cultural arts: Kathakali, an ancient dance form; Kalaripayattu, the forerunner of all martial arts; Tholpavakoothu, shadow puppet theatre fire is used to create light; classical music with tabla, sitar and violin; as well as workshops on how to improve your memory, an introduction to Ayurveda, and how to make laddus. The programme also included a challenging night walk up Kalipara Hill to celebrate a Lok Ambika puja with over 100 guests, and Christmas Eve carols, candles, cake, and Father Christmas, who delivered gifts to all the guests.

Prime Minister of India Sri Modi Ji presented the Prime Minister’s Award for Outstanding Contribution towards the Development and Promotion of Yoga to The Divine Life Society International Headquarters, Rishikesh. On behalf of the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, the award was received by Swami Yogaswarupananda Ji Maharaj.

Goraksha and Matsyendra knew well the Hatha-Vidya. Yogi Swatmarama learnt it from them by their favour. To those who wander about in the darkness of this science or branch of Yoga unable to obtain any knowledge of Hatha Yoga, the most merciful Swatmarama Yogi offers the light of Hatha-Vidya.

The goal of life is Self-realisation. All systems of Indian philosophy have one goal in view, the liberation of the soul through perfection.

Every man wants happiness. He shuns pain. No one teaches anyone to seek happiness. It is the innate, inherent Svabhava (nature) of everyone to seek happiness. Ananda is embodiment of one’s own nature.

Gratification of desires cannot bring in real peace of mind though the nerves are tickled for a second. Just as ghee when poured over the fire aggravates the fire, so also enjoyment intensifies a desire and makes the mind all the more restless. How can you expect real, lasting happiness from objects that are conditioned in time, space and causation and so are Vinasi (perishable) and Anitya (impermanent)?

The happiness that you get from sensual objects is fleeting and transitory. For a philosopher it is no happiness at all. It is like scratching the skin when you get itching. Sensual happiness is attended with severe exertion, sin, fear, pain, worry and several evils.

Amidst the din and boisterous bustle of worldly activities there come moments of tranquility and peace when the mind, for the time being, however short it may be, soars above the filthy worldly things and reflects on the higher problems of life—viz., Who am I? Whence? Where? Whither? Why of Universe? etc. The sincere enquirer becomes serious and extends his reflections. He begins to search and understand the truth.

Discrimination dawns on him. He takes to the study of Atma-Jnana books, reflects, meditates, purifies his mind and eventually attains the highest knowledge of the Self. But the man whose mind is saturated with worldly Vasanas and cravings is quite heedless and is irresistibly carried away by the two currents of Raga-Dvesha and tossed about helplessly in the tumultuous Samsaric stream of birth and death with its concomitant evils.

The spiritual path is thorny, precipitous and nevertheless has been trodden by man of strong determination, undaunted spirit and indomitable energy. When once you make up your mind to tread the path, everything will become smooth and easy. You will have descent of Grace from the Lord. The whole spiritual world will back you up. The path will directly take you to realms of Infinite Bliss, Supreme Peace, Eternal Sunshine—realms where three kinds of Tapa, cares, worries, anxieties and fear, which torment the soul here dare not enter, where all distinctions of caste, creed and colour vanish altogether in the one embrace of Divine Love and where desires and cravings find their full satiety.

The science of Yoga gives a practical and scientifically prepared method of finding truth in religion. As every science has its own method of investigation, so also the science of Yoga has its own method and declares that truth can be experienced. The truth can be experienced only when one transcends the senses and when the mind and intellect cease to function.

The Yogic teacher does not stop to prove his theory as he advances it, nor does he try to demonstrate to or argue with his class; his teaching is authoritative, as he himself experienced what was taught to him by his own teacher. The truth he teaches is an accepted truth and those who are ready for it will intuitively recognise it. On the other hand, no arguments or discussions can bring truth to those who are not yet ready or evolved enough to receive it.

The teacher knows that much of his teaching is but the planting of seeds and that, for every idea the student understands, there will be a hundred that will come into his conscious recognition only after his mind is ready to understand and accept it. This does not mean that every Yoga teacher insists that his students accept his teachings blindly. He knows that at firs the student cannot accept everything and so he insists that the student accept only that portion of the truth which he can prove to himself by his own experiments. The student is taught that before he can reach a deeper understanding, he must develop and unfold through service, devotion, and a moral life. As the student moves along the path of Yoga, he becomes aware of many new things that his teacher has already taught him theoretically. To a certain extent a student is advised to follow the teachings until he is able to experience truth within himself. In the beginning, he will profit by the advice and experience of the teachers who have traveled the path before him. For every man must learn through his own experiences. Walking along this path, he will see signs left behind as guideposts by those gone before him at each stage of the journey and in turn, he will leave his own road marks for those who follow behind. A real student will not follow blindly but will take advantage of these signs until he reaches the goal without losing his way through this rough and difficult path.

The following anecdote illustrates the point: Once a teacher in India went to a holy river for a purification bath with many of his devoted followers. As it is the custom to bring a small vessel to carry holy water from the sacred river after the bath, the saint had brought one. Arriving at the river’s sandy bank the saint dug a hole, buried the vessel, and piled a heap of sand over it as a landmark. His followers had not seen what he was doing but n noticed that he had made a pile of sand. Assuming this to be a part of the ceremony, they made similar heaps all over the riverbank. When the teacher finished his bath, he looked for his vessel. Instead of finding one heap he saw the vast riaver bank littered with similar heaps. Astonished, he asked the reason for all these sand heaps. Hearing that they had tried to imitate him, the saint was wonderstruck over the foolishness of his followers who imitated him blindly. Needless to say, it took considerable time to find the saint’s buried vessel.

Today we can see such followers in every religion, people who blindly follow their leaders without bothering to search for truth. Yoga philosophy and its teachers do not call for such blind faith, but ask the student to be patient and many things that appear vague at first will become clear as he progresses.

Yoga and Ayurveda were never meant to be lived separately. While yoga practices can deeply support body-mind balance, attaining this balance on a body burdened by toxicity, or improper nourishment becomes an obstacle to deeper yogic practice. From a yogic perspective, the body is an instrument through which consciousness is experienced, and Ayurveda helps keep this instrument balanced. Through mindful eating, seasonal living, self-care rituals, and herbal support, the body becomes sattvic. When the body is cared for the Ayurvedic way, the mind naturally settles, and yogic practices unfold with less effort and greater depth.

Ayurveda plays an essential role, teaching us how to keep the body clean, light, and well-functioning so that it may serve as a stable foundation for yogic practices. Through its understanding of digestion, metabolism, and daily rhythms, Ayurveda ensures that the body does not become a source of distraction or disturbance. The cultivation of strong agni, the prevention of ama (toxins), and the balancing of the doṣhas allow prana to move freely and support the nervous system. Without Ayurvedic wisdom, even sincere yoga practice can lead to imbalance. Ayurveda provides the necessary guidance to align diet, lifestyle, and daily routines with one’s constitution and environment. In doing so, it protects the practitioner from strain and supports longevity in yoga practice. Ayurveda can deepen your yoga practice with its rituals that can be seamlessly integrated into your yoga routine.

Ayurveda Practices for Yogic Lifestyle:

Begin the Day with Gentle Cleansing – Start the day with morning cleansing practices such as tongue scraping and oil pulling that help clear overnight buildup of ‘ama’, toxic undigested matter, and awaken digestion. These practices create lightness in the body, preparing you for a more fluid and focused yoga practice.

Hydrate the Body with Warm Water – Sipping warm water in the morning supports digestion, circulation, and vitality. This simple ritual gently awakens the system and encourages smoother energy flow during asana and pranayama practices.

Nourish Yourself with Abhyanga – Self-massage with warm herbal oils calms the nervous system and enhances circulation. Oil application deeply nourishes the body and calms down the vata energy to bring the body into a state of deep calm. Practiced before or after yoga, abhyanga nourishes the body and helps strengthen the body tissues.

Sip Herbal Infusions – Herbal teas are a source of prana. Herbal teas such as CCF tea (cumin, coriander, and fennel) tea, rose tea, and tulsi tea are powerful ways to support the flow of prana and strengthen the effects of yoga practice.

Adapt Your Practice to the Seasons – Ayurveda teaches us to move with nature. Warming, dynamic practices support bodily warmth in colder months, while slower, restorative postures help cool and replenish during warmer seasons.

Use Aromatic Support – Natural aromas such as sandalwood, rose, or citrus subtly influence mood and energy. Natural aromas are a direct source of pranic energy

The road to Amarnath does not announce itself as sacred. It begins as a physical test, thin air, uneven paths, a body slowly learning its limits. Pilgrims walk quietly, breath becoming more important than conversation. Somewhere between fatigue and focus, the outer journey begins to turn inward.

The Amarnath Cave lies at over 3,800 meters in the Himalayas. It was not built but discovered. Unlike most temples, it has no clear date of construction, no royal patron whose name survives in stone. References to the cave appear as early as the 12th century in Kalhana’s Rajatarangini, suggesting that this place of worship has lived more in memory and practice than in architecture.

The ‘temple’ itself is the cave. Its form is raw and unadorned, with natural limestone walls, uneven stone floors, and water constantly seeping and dripping from above. There are no carved pillars, no sculpted towers. Only temporary wooden platforms and simple railings which appear during the pilgrimage season and are removed again when winter seals the valley. Impermanence is built into its design.

Inside, the air is cold, the smells of damp stone, burning ghee and camphor linger on the walls. Lamps flicker due to strong, cold wind that embraces Lord Shiva, as though bowing and surrendering itself as an offering to the lord; their light barely holding against the darkness, reminding us to search for the light within. Footsteps echo softly, as if the mountain is listening, and reminding you of your limited time on earth.

As bhaktas enter, they notice water falling drop by drop from the roof, slowly freezing into the ice Shivling, which grows and melts in rhythm with the lunar cycle. It appears for a short time each year, then disappears without ceremony, like a mystical being.

Tradition says that Shiva revealed the secret of immortality here. Yet nothing about the place suggests escape from death. On the contrary, everything points to change and reminds of this transient human birth. The ice does not last. The fragile body shivers in the cold. Your breath, the anchor of your soul, shortens. Yet what remains is true yoga.

Yoga, in its oldest and rawest sense, is not posture but union and unwavering attention, the discipline of staying present when comfort is stripped away. The walk to Amarnath enforces this without instructions. Each step that you take demands awareness. Each breath becomes deliberate, as if Mahesh, the Lord of Destruction, is slowly destroying your ego and reminding you of your true purpose.

We fear death because we cling to permanence. But Amarnath offers another view of life: that what appears and dissolves can still be sacred; that surrender is not loss but understanding. People leave the cave without spectacle, no triumph, no adambar (ostentation), no drama. Just each sadhaka and their quiet steadiness of mind, as if something unnecessary has been released from the body, mind, and soul. Once again you are back in the womb of sweet universe, sitting in silence, anchored: true yoga.

Amarnath Temple does not promise immortality or grand revelations and boons. It teaches us how to stand calmly before impermanence and, in doing so, live without fear, to live in yoga.

Follow the official Walk for Peace, a 2,300-mile journey on foot from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC for peace, unity and compassion. Conducted by a group of Buddhist monks, and Aloka, the dog. At a time when the world doesn’t make sense, and when we see suffering and violence almost everywhere we look, this group of monks are creating a quiet movement of compassion and peace through the simple act of walking. Learn more here: https://dhammacetiya.com/walk-for-peace/