I have often heard people describing the ultimate pursuit of the yoga practice as true freedom/liberation. Often enough, as I have seen in my own life, freedom is not an elusive goal that needs to be sought over distance and time, but something that appears to be immediately accessible. What then could be the reason we are not free?

One point of view suggests that we choose not to be free or liberated. Why would we do that you might ask (as I do often)? One possible answer: because we will have to assume responsibility for our own lives. Many of the great teachings and sages have advocated a life of liberation as a more fulfilled way of being. What is our response? We adopt these teachings as our step-by-step method for attaining freedom, not realising that we have inadvertently fitted ourselves with a new set of chains.

The security that we seek through subscription to any particular way of living our lives is tantamount to handing the keys to our freedom over to someone or something else. If we find “the method” then we will no longer have to figure things out for ourselves. Ultimately the security we seek is illusory and fleeting, the only constant being change. A prescription for freedom ends up being a poor substitute for true freedom.

What then is freedom? The choice to live in world that is uncertain and to personally negotiate with that reality on a daily basis. Why should you want to take on this kind of responsibility? Because nobody else’s method will ever be an adequate substitute for your own authentic experience of life.

How does this apply to yoga?

As students we should strive to assume total personal ownership of our practice. While our teachers can offer us possibilities and engage us in dialogue, the ultimate application of the conclusion we arrive at is up to us. A restaurant menu will not fulfill our appetite any more than someone eating food on our behalf. Choose the life you want, order it from the menu and, if you don’t like the taste, try something else the next time. Or try another restaurant. Or cook at home 😉