An In Depth Analogy: The Yoga Sutras

If you read our article, the "8 Books Every Yogi Needs To Read" (If not, read this first!), you would know that the Yoga Sutras was on that list, as it is arguably one of the most important yogic texts in existence.

In "8 Books Every Yogi Needs To Read", we explored the Sutras via a brief summary, here however, we will go further in depth and breakdown some of the most important Sutras and delve into how those teachings will change the way you practice yoga.

A Brief Summary

The Yoga Sutras was written approximately 2,000 years ago by Patanjali. Little is known about Patanjali himself, but yogic history focuses far less on people and dates than it does on the myths, stories, and information presented in the ancient texts.

There are 4 chapters in the Yoga Sutras, and there is rumour that the 4th chapter was written at a much later date and was added later. The text was found by a British scholar while the British were occupying India.

“Sutra” meaning thread, the sutras act as threads of yoga, just like clothes are held together by threads, the fabric or tapestry of yoga is held together by sutras. Each sutra is concise, as it was historically, memorised by students. There are approximately 195 sutras.

There are many different versions or translations of the Yoga Sutras, seeing as, no Sanskrit word has any direct translation into English. The version we recommend is that of Sri Swami Satchidananda, which includes beautifully written explanations and commentary on each of the sutras.

"Read each sutra, then reread them again. Try to remember at least one of them and see how it can be applied to your life."- Sri Swami Satchidananda

The first chapter is about the idea or concept of bliss. What it could feel like to be blissful and happy, one with the divine. It talks about enlightenment and the highest version of one’s self. This chapter will convince you of the wonders and completeness that a dedicated yoga practice will bring you.

The second chapter takes this idea and reminds you that finding bliss will not be easy. Once we have already set it into our minds that this is what we want, we are reminded of the effort, of the work, of the commitment it takes to find true meaning in life and in our practice. This chapter then outlines the 3 step path of Kriya yoga as well as the 8 step path of Ashtanga yoga.

The third chapter connects the two first chapters, showing us that the bliss we want can be possible with work and intense practice. This chapters talks about the challenges that the yogi must overcome, and the distractions we encounter on the path to yoga. This chapter focuses on the elevated state, and becoming more than just a human form, therefore, surpassing the ego.

The fourth chapter is short, the most concise of the four, acting almost like an overview of the previous chapters, leaving you with all that you need to know as you move forward. The understanding of oneself alone, and yet with the world. Standing on your own two feet but knowing that you are part of the great web.

Understanding the Yoga Sutras can be challenging. Let’s break down some of the most important sutras. Below are 14 of the most impactful sutras that apply to the yoga we do on and off the mat.

Important and impactful sutras

Yoga Sutra 1.1 The ever-present now

Yoga Sutra 1.1 opens with yoga as an all-encompassing, an ever present practice. “Atha”, meaning now, not the now as in 2,000 years ago, nor the now of this very moment, but the now that always was and always will be. Yoga is everywhere, it surrounds us. Once you begin a yoga practice, you will start to see it everywhere, but that doesn’t mean that it wasn’t always there, but you may just be starting to see it.

Despite the fact that yoga is all around us, all the time, each and every path we take will be different, but we are all still walking on the same main road. The sutras describe the concept of "now" as something that is always happening, therefore it is not a fixed destination, and it must always continue to happen for one to remain in a state of yoga.

This is also where the idea of being present comes from. The only moment we have is this one. Yoga cannot occur if you are stuck in the past, nor can it occur if you are preoccupied about the future. It can only happen here, right now, and always.

Yoga Sutra 1.2 The definition of yoga

In this sutra, Patanjali continues to define yoga, he says, "when the mind becomes still, yoga can arise, as it is our natural state". It is actually the mind’s constant activity and distractions that obscure our experience of yoga. When we quiet our mind, we understand and experience moments of peace on our mat, and we endeavour to find ways to make those moments last, we begin to chase that feeling.

However, it is important to remember that, we need to work to let go of the attachment and to the idea that yoga will always make us feel good. Happiness is a human need and desire, but giving ourselves pressure to always feel “good” all the time will only lead to disappointment and negative self judgement.

Besides, yoga isn’t all bliss, it is also about the fight to get there, this is what makes yoga a life’s work. To face ourselves each day and challenge who and what we think we are, we want to see beyond that. Imagine looking into the mirror and seeing beyond the image or character that stares back at you.

In time you will see more and more of that which lies behind the flaws or the features of a face you see and you will begin to know who you really are. Because after all, as graphic as it may sound, if one day you had a disfigured face, would you still be you? Hopefully the answer is yes.

Because, you are not your face, nor your body, nor your thoughts. Now, this does not mean that we want to get rid of these things, or the ego entirely, this would be like loosing ourselves completely, but we do want to soften around the ego and understand that we are much more than a body and more than our minds too.

Yoga Sutra 1.12 How to practice

Yoga Sutra 1.12 tells us how we need to practice yoga, in which it is defined as constant, consistent, and deep (conscious) practice. Like most things in life, showing up is important, imagine trying to grow a garden and only checking on the plants once a month. Like this we will quickly discover that, if it is simply the attachment to the idea of having a beautiful garden that we connect with, we are unlikely to see it through, especially when we encounter problems and set backs.

Watching the garden flourish and grow from seeds to thriving plants will not happen overnight. Yoga is no different. We love the idea of feeling peaceful and having a flexible and able body, but what we really need in order to grow is to fall in love with the process and detaching ourselves from the results.

When we engage in our daily yoga practice without added pressure, impatience or stress, or expectations of what the practice might do for us, we are then free to experience whatever may arise. Attaching ourselves to results either brings about disappointment, or only those results we were looking for.

When we practice in such a way, we send ourselves down a much narrower road as we try to direct our experience. Rather, we should simply engage in the practice and remain open for whatever comes our way.

Yoga Sutra 1.33 Perceptions and Interactions with others

In this Sutra, Patanjali talks about being in an “elevated state of mind”, but it is how we interact with others that can disturb this state and break our peace. Our judgements of others for good or bad, our comparisons of ourselves to others will bring nothing but pain and jealousy. Patanjali therefore, outlines three rules or recommendations for keeping our mind elevated and free of harmful distractions.

We should apply the following emotions to situations when dealing with other people to keep our own peace and to remain on our path.

1. We should express happiness towards those who are happy, even if we do not agree with the source of their happiness.

2. We should express compassion toward those who are sad, always showing empathy even if we believe the situation was avoidable.

3. We should express delight for those who are lucky, never bitter, even if you feel you are unlucky in comparison.

4. We should express indifference to the bad and the wicked, staying focused on creating positive energy.

We need to remember that, in our relationships and interactions with others, we must apply these emotions in all circumstances, exceptions do not apply. Meaning that, if the source of the other person’s emotions and/or actions is not in line with our values, even if we disagree with the source, we must continue to express the above emotions.

For example, if having lots of money and material things makes someone happy, and we do not believe in “buying happiness”, it is not our place to judge them. It is our perception of others that determines our attitude towards them.

Yoga Sutra 2.1 Kriya yoga and cleansing

In Sutra 2.1 we find the only phrase that is repeated more than once throughout the Yoga Sutras, showing us its importance. The phrase is “Isvara Pranidhanani” which is repeated 4 times throughout the Sutras, meaning, the thing that “sets your heart on fire" or the thing that most enlightens us.

Being connected with that which enlightens us most, gives us the ability to participate in yoga all the time, essentially, so that we never have to leave that state. By focusing all of our energy on that thing that is greater than us, that thing that sets our heart on fire, our intense dedication to yoga creates tapas, the heat and fire within us, our whole-hearted dedication to the practice.

This Sutra reminds us that the yoga never ends, yoga and the yogic state will always need to be present in order to keep moving forward, setting ourselves free through our practice.

Yoga Sutra 2.3 Obstacles to yoga

In Yoga Sutra 2.3, we find the 5 obstacles we encounter when we reside in a state of yoga or actively practice to do so. The Sutra reads:

The 5 obstacles of yoga are; the misunderstanding of ourselves as something other than our highest self, the belief that our ego is who we are, the attachment to pleasure, the aversion to pain, and the fear of death.

So let’s break each one of these down in order to understand what this sutra means. First, the misunderstanding of ourselves as something other than our highest Self. When we live in alignment with our small self, we are lacking in light, lacking in being, and we deny ourselves of the limitless and infinite abundance of our highest selves.

Likewise, denying ourselves connection with our highest selves, and becoming too attached to the ego, or believing that the ego is in fact who we are will diminish our light. The older we get the more the ego hardens and we become “stuck in our ways”. The more stuck we are, the less we can become enlightened and connected with things that are greater than us.

The ego, if inflated and hardened will only keep us small and disconnected. The next obstacle might not seem so bad at first, it seems natural for us to seek out things that make us feel good. But life isn’t all about feeling good. We also need to experience a range of emotions in order to develop and learn.

Pain is necessary in order to understand and fully experience pleasure. We need sadness in order to appreciate happiness. There must be an ebb and flow of emotions. This is only natural. However, to chase pleasure is to seek happiness outside of ourselves. If we are unable to find that source within ourselves, if we are unable to sit with pain, and fight to overcome it, if we are too busy numbing all the things that don’t bring us immediate pleasure, we will spend a lifetime running and never experience life for good and for bad.

It is said that, it is the fear of death in which all other fears arise and extrapolate from. This can be a difficult reality to face but it is important to remember that no person in history has ever escaped death. It is inevitable. However, the more important thing is that we make our life so fulfilled that when that day comes, we will feel ready.

It is to live alone and disconnected that is the living dead. To live without connection, without physical touch, without love. This is the kind of connection that is utterly critical and makes our lives worth living. Rather than living in fear and losing time, invest in love and connection and you won’t need to fear the future as life will be so sweet.

So the reason why we cannot remain in a state of yoga all the time is because of these 5 obstacles, or “kleshas”. When we allow our fuel to be the pursuit of pleasure and our aversion to pain, this will ultimately hold us back and keep us small.

The mind’s ability to assert its control over us and make us believe that the ego is all we are, is to live our lives via a warped and distorted view. If we can learn to let go of these attachments and obstacles we will be closer to living in a state of yoga all the time.

Yoga Sutra 2.29 The “gem” of the Sutras

In this Sutra we learn about the 8 limbed path of Ashtanga Yoga. They are not steps, they are limbs. They can all be done at the same time, or separately depending on where you are in your practice. They are neither goals nor are they objectives, as yoga cannot happen in the future, it can only happen in the now.

The 8 limbs begin with the most physical or external of the practice and work their way to the most internal, however, the limbs are not presented this way due to any hierarchical order. The 8 limbs help us to make choices that help us lean towards the light, not to deny the darkness, but to move past it.

Illustration purchased from Ying Bean on Etsy.

For the purchase and digital download link via Little Yogi, click here.

The 8 limbs are:

Yama, which is how we interact with others

Niyama, how we deal with ourselves

Asana, our seat, our way to connect the body and nature, to the earth through meditation Pranayama, how we best interact with our life-force or prana via breath manipulation

Pratyahara, meaning to turn inward

Dharana, concentration

Dhyana, meditation

Samadhi, to be one with all that is and therefore enlightened

The 8 limbed path of ashtanga yoga translated: restraints, observances, posture or seat, breath control, internal focus, concentration, meditation, and enlightenment.

NOTE: Yama and Niyama will both be further outlined in Yoga Sutras 2.30 and 2.32 as they appear in the text.

Asana - Posture or Seat

The term asana is most often translated as posture but the root of this Sanskrit word actually means “seat”, originally referring to the seat we take when meditating. The intension of this limb has shifted over the years, with that of rigorous postures and the development of western practices of yoga as a “workout”.

The yogi’s seat is a place of serenity, joyfulness, it is grounded, and steady. The original purpose of any seat was to facilitate the yogi’s ability to meditate, making our asana practice, a practice of opening our often, tight bodies to be able to sit longer in meditation.

Pranayama - Restraining the Breath

The breath is a function that the body performs automatically to keep us alive. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t utilise this function and maximise the benefits it can bring. The potential of the breath is vast, it is also something that we can consciously control, giving us a bridge or path into the deeper workings of the mind.

Every state of mind has a corresponding breath pattern. If we can change the pattern of breath, we can effectively change our minds. This begins to show us that our minds are not in control, but rather our highest self is in control. Like this, we can overcome anything, and we can use the breath as a powerful tool for enlightenment.

Pratyahara - Turning Inward

With the world moving at such a rapid pace, we are faced with so many distractions that our day-to-day can feel like a battle. Remaining connected will often be a challenge.

We get caught up thinking that the outside world is our source of happiness, but when we learn to turn our attention inward, we begin to realise that the foundation of our happiness and our freedom from the distractions of the outside world are found on the inside.

Pratyahara is a state of meditation designed to get us used to sitting quietly without distraction. It’s not that the distractions will stop completely, but we will cease to be bothered by them.

Dharana - Concentration

Deep concentration can come in many forms, most commonly, it is practiced as an attempt at turning inward, remaining still and quiet, and focusing on a single thought, idea or an uplifting object.

To help us to concentrate on one thing at a time, we can use a mantra, a breath pattern, a story, or a thought. Any object of focus is meant to hold the mind’s attention and concentration, allowing for the state of yoga to arise via a connected and meditative state.

Dhyana - Meditation

After some practice in reducing or eliminating distractions, one can focus on the object of mediation. This process of calming the mind shows us that, the mind is not our source of self, but rather, it is something greater that is capable of changing the mind that is the presiding source.

When we are able to draw and collect our concentration and fix it onto a steady thought or object, this is known as perfect meditation.

Samadhi - Enlightenment

The ultimate goal of our yoga practice, and many other spiritual practices, is to reach enlightenment as the result of allowing the steady focus of the mind that was obtained in meditation practice, to then release the object of concentration so that the mind can be steady by itself.

Samadhi breaks down into two parts: sama, meaning same and dhi, meaning divinity. When we know ourselves as our highest selves in connection with the source, we have attained Samadhi.

Yogic philosophy and spirituality reminds us that, this is actually our natural state of being, some would call it our birth right. Samadhi is best understood not as an achievement, but rather a state of remembering.

We must always remember that, yoga is not meant to make our lives better, rather yoga teaches us how to be better at life. Yoga is not a thing you do but it is a state in which you reside.

"When you have trouble focusing the mind and distancing yourself from distractions, remember that you are the most interesting thing, what is already in your mind, who you already are at your core has always been incredible."

Nothing that you might find on the outside, nothing that you are currently trying to be, will ever compare to you. So work to reside within yourself, and work to peel back the layers and reveal more of yourself, rather than putting on more covers.

Yoga Sudra 2.30 The 5 Yama

In this Sutra we explore the 5 Yama. The Yamas or restraints pertain to the way in which we interact with and treat others. The Niyamas on the other hand, explore how we interact with ourselves.

The Yamas are somewhat undefined and they will look different for everyone. It is important to remember that all actions will have good and bad results. We cannot be free of consequences.

The restraints are non-violence or kindness, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-hoarding.

Ahimsa - Kindness or Non-Violence

Being the first of the Yamas, Ahimsa is the foundation of the other 4 restraints. We want to practice being kind and compassionate in our interactions with others, and this includes our thoughts, words and actions.

And although it seems counter intuitive, thought is the most important of the three as words and actions will stem from here. Like this, just by being ourselves, we can positively affect others and the world around us.

Satya - Truthfulness

Satya is about truth and how we effectively convey the truth to others. It is not about us being right. Hurting someone with our words in an attempt to be right will not connect us, rather, it will do the very opposite. It will disassociate us and make others feel uneasy in our presence.

Satya therefore asks us to communicate with others in such a way that our various interactions with people, leave others feeling at least somewhat uplifted. Satya reminds us that freedom comes with letting go, rightness is not always the way.

Asteya - Non-Stealing

Asteya teaches us that we must not steal what is not ours, be it something material or even energy from others. But can we take this a step further? Rather than focusing energy on what not to do, can we focus our energy on what we can give back?

What can we provide others with, how can we use our talents to help people? How can we be more generous?

And while most of us do not go around shoplifting or outright stealing, we do often take from others without realising we are doing so. So we need to be careful that we are not taking up too much of each other's time, energy, compassion, or good will.

Brahmacharya - Mindful and Appropriate Relationships

This Yama can be interpreted in a few different ways, but ultimately this Yama asks us not to be reckless with the hearts of others. Love and sex are beautiful things, but when in excess, it can lead to us feeling more broken than we were before. This Yama asks us not use others in the quest for pleasure.

It asks us to “abstain” from engaging in intimate relationships with others if they are going to hurt the parties involved. Rather, we want to seek to know one another intently only when we feel that the experience is uplifting and unifying.

Be wise, be kind, choose connection over a meaningless engagement for the sake of pleasure.

Aparigraha - Non-Hoarding or letting go

Hoarding is to keep or hold onto things that we no longer need until they pile up and begin to interfere and negatively impact our lives. Many of us do this in small ways, such as holding onto items because they have some sort of sentimental value, or for fear of missing that thing once it is gone.

Some of us may also use objects and things to fill the void which is not being filled by another person. The things become a safety net or a blanket of comfort, which in the end, actually leave us feeling more empty.

The principle of Aparigraha invites us to let go of all of the things we are holding on to, be it externally or internally, in exchange for generosity, openness, and space that we can utilise to invite others into our world and our lives.

This could be the letting go of bad thoughts, memories, experiences, or traumas. It is not that we want to ignore or suppress these things, but we need to acknowledge that they happened, and then let them go.

Yoga Sutra 2.32 The 5 Niyama

The observances are cleanliness, contentment, intensity, self-study, and devotion to a higher power.

Saucha - Cleanliness

The body acts as a vehicle that carries us through our life from beginning to end, so it is important that we give it the care and attention that it needs. Our bodies require regular day- to- day maintenance and recharging. But how can we take good care of our bodies?

We want to begin by practicing good hygiene and getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and eating food that nourishes us, by moving our bodies daily, speaking kindly to ourselves, and this could also include various cleansing practices via Pranayama or other Kriyas.

Santosha - Contentment

If we were to measure the fluctuations of our emotions over the course of the day, we would be shocked to see how many ups and downs we experience in such a short time frame. We often make decisions based on these emotions and they influence us quite frequently.

These emotions are known to affect our thoughts, words, and even the way we interact with others, depending on what kind of mood we are in. However, they need not control how we react regarding any given situation. While emotions are a natural and valid part of the human experience, as yogis we should know better than to allow our emotions to be the driver in our lives.

"We have emotions, we are not, our emotions."

Can we work to cultivate a sort of relaxed detachment from our emotions that in turn brings about a deep sense of calm no matter what emotions tend to arise?

Tapas - Intensity

Tapas quite literally translates as “to burn”, it is the heat generated by our daily yoga practice. With a consistent practice, we allow ourselves to burn through the resistance that we may encounter on our road to remaining in a state of yoga all the time.

The more we turn up this fire, and build this consistent heat, the more we benefit from our practice and the more often we will be able to reside in this state, that is the state of yoga and bliss.

Svadhyaya - Self-Study

This observance asks us to find a guide or a mentor to help us along our path to finding the innermost self. Qualified teachers who have already walked this path themselves can act like a compass on the quest to discover the innermost self.

If one is unable to find such a mentor or it is not possible to seek this information, resort to books and other resources. Find and use the tools required to be one with the innermost and highest self.

Ishvara Pranidhana - Devotion to a Higher Power

While yogic philosophy and practices do not specify any particular form of higher power, nor does it place pressure on you to choose a “belief system”, yoga is not, in of itself, a religion, however, it does offer the possibility of strengthening the practitioners relationship to what he or she finds sacred.

That sacred thing could be anything, asking the yogi to give up any selfish motives and rather find a selfless source of inspiration for living and being.

Yoga Sutra 2.33

Yoga is a mental state, letting go of the ego will ultimately set us free. When negative thoughts arise, counteract them by thinking the opposite.

This Sutra explains that negative thoughts that cloud the mind will only hold us back from reaching our potential and becoming free. These thoughts can send us into a downward spiral and it can become hard to pull ourselves out of this place.

Yet, we do have the ability to change. No one can avoid pain, but we can learn to rewrite our stories, as our minds may not always be the authority. Just because a negative thought arises, does not mean that we have to listen to that inner voice, we can create a new thought.

Patanjali says; we can choose to simply think the opposite. If thinking the opposite seems too daunting, try this image: try imagining that the triggering thought you are experiencing is a balloon and you were holding a sharp object like a safety pin or a needle. Now start to poke holes in the balloon and watch how it slowly begins to deflate and become small, eventually the air will slip out of the ballon all together.

Now imagine having the power to take a negative thought and watch it deflate just like that balloon.

We always have the choice to accept or reject any thought that comes into our mind. This simple tool is a way to redirect the kind of thought patterns we allow into the mind in order to create a happier outlook of our life and circumstances.

Yoga Sutra 2.46 The seat of a yogi is steady and joyful

Sutra 2.29, the seat of the yogi is of utmost importance in the practice of yoga. In fact, asana, the physical practice of yoga, or sequencing for the physical body is given very little consideration or mention in the Yoga Sutras.

There are only three sutras that refer to it, and only this one in particular gives us any real instruction or guidance on how to practice asanas.

It tells us that our asana, or our "seat," should be both steady and joyful. For Patanjali, asana was not a collection of postures, but rather, our seat in meditation.

The meaning of asana has evolved into what we know it as today, yet, it is important to remember its origins, even when in the midst of our challenging and even, athletic yoga class. By maintaining a sense of joy and ease, we can hold onto the integrity of the practice.

Yoga Sutra 4.6 The law of Karma

How often do we hear the phrase: oh well, “Karma will get them” or “all that bad Karma will catch up with them eventually”. Karma has been twisted, and used in western culture as a way to say that, via good or bad deeds and actions we either, reap rewards and good fortune or we will receive punishment or bad luck going into the future.

Yet the Karma described in the Sutras is neither good nor bad. It is not a reward system nor is it a lightning bolt waiting to strike you on judgement day. Karma is neutral and from Sanskrit translates to “action”, not good or bad action. Karma is produced simply by existing and doing, not by the nature of those actions.

Patanjali tells us that we are responsible for creating our own path, we create our own experience in life, we cannot be victims or subject to life. Rather than attaching ourselves to ideas and labelling them as good or bad, we should remain open and unattached to the “fruits of our labour”.

Detach yourself from the idea that we do things to get good karma, or that bad people will “get there’s in the end”. Accept that there are no good or bad associations. Karma is neutral.

Yoga Sutra 4.15 Creating our own world

In this Sutra, we explore the concept of reality, our own reality, what is known, experienced and that which has yet to be lived. We explore the notion that, everything can only be as we have known it before. We can only understand things if we have encountered them in the past, as we project that previous experience into this new idea, object or task.

Think of it this way, how do you learn to drive a car? Well, through practice and acquiring knowledge about driving, cars, car parts, and how to apply all of that information when on the road.

But then, a friend asks you to drive their car. It is a stick shift, and you are used to driving Manual. How would you manage to drive this car? Well, you would apply your previous knowledge and project your learnings onto this new car, even if you had never driven this kind of car before, you would manage.

You would figure it out, unlike a person who does not know how to drive at all, they wouldn’t have the first clue, as they have no knowledge, and most importantly, no prior experience with it.

Initially, this ability to project past experiences into current ones seems useful, but what would happen if we start projecting the past and assuming things based on past experiences in all situations we encounter?

We can easily see how damaging this could become if every time we started a new relationship, we projected the past failed relationship or trust issues on our new partner, or if we approached every new job like that one we were fired from?

The role of this Sutra is to teach us to see things as empty and new, in order to let go of the past. We are after all, 100% responsible for creating our own reality.

We want to begin to see things from a greater, more vast perspective, rather than allowing our pasts to repeat themselves. This in turn, gives us power and helps stop the cycle of the past repeating itself, helping us create change and begin a new.

Yoga Sutra 4.28 The obstacle to yoga

In this Sutra, Patanjali talks about the great obstacle of yoga and how to overcome it. He says that it is a simple act: "the act of ridding the self of all its prejudices. Overtime we have hardened ourselves, made the ego our ruler, and have made continuous assumptions about ourselves because of our pasts."

Ultimately, we must ask ourselves, do I want to be right or do I want to be free? Can we challenge ourselves to let go of the ego’s insecurities and begin to see things as they come, as new, as firsts of many, and see ourselves as non knowing, as learners, as if we were just children, doing it for the first time.

If yoga is a state of being, how can we move forward and let go of the ego’s attachments to the physical being and our own expectations? We need to consistently move though our own resistance in order to let go and learn to be more than who we think we are.

Concluding Thoughts

The Yoga Sutras provide us with guidance and knowledge that will not only transform our practice, but our lives. Yoga is not to be left on the mat. Start to see yoga everywhere, in your surroundings, your choices, thoughts, and actions.

This book remains one of the most important yogic texts in existence for a reason. No matter how complicated or “advanced” your yoga practice gets, come back to these principals. Find the joy and steadiness in your seat and therefore in your practice.

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Jasmine Melrose

Director & Founder of DECO the Blog

Jasmine Melrose is a Toronto native living in Amsterdam. Once a professional dancer, her passions include movement, fitness, yoga, healing, and all things vegan. Jasmine is a 500-hour trained yoga teacher, who loves to get you deeper into your practice. She is also a certified barre teacher who loves making raw vegan, guilt-free and good-for-you treats. Check out her recipes and articles on everything from fitness to yoga, to notes on a journey towards healing.

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