Who is a Yogi?
The common notion of a yogi is someone sitting serenely in a Himalayan cave clad in saffron robes. These aspects of a yogic life, although not entirely misleading, are only superficial. The real question – who is a yogi? – has more depth to it than these outwardly visible aspects.
To understand who a yogi is, we firstly need to understand what ‘yoga’ is.
What is Yoga?
The word yoga was first mentioned in the oldest sacred Sanskrit text – the Rig Veda. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’ which means ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. In the spiritual sense, yoga means union of the mind with the divine intelligence of the universe.
Maharshi Patanjali, the founder of the formal yoga philosophy, stated: Yoga is concentration.
Maharshi Vyasa, the first commentator of yoga sutra has also given one more meaning as yuj samadhau. It means: yoga is samadhi. Samadhi is the highest level of concentration where mind gets completely disassociated with external world and gets established in the highest reality.
Vedanta defines yoga as union of individual soul with the universal soul.
The Bhagavad Gita defines yoga in terms of karma by saying yoga karmasu kaushalam which means excellence in work is yoga. It also gives second meaning to yoga as samattvam yoga uchyate which means maintaining the state of mental equilibrium is yoga.
Who is a Yogi According to Scriptures
Bhagavad Gita
In this profound text, a yogi is given an elevated status much above mere intellectuals and ritualists. This is so because a yogi lives through direct experience of the Self.
In Chapter 6, Verse 46, Shri Krishna states:
तपस्विभ्योऽधिकोयोगी
ज्ञानिभ्योऽपिमतोऽधिक:|
कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिकोयोगी
तस्माद्योगीभवार्जुन|| 46||
A Yogi is superior to the ascetics; he is regarded superior even to those versed in sacred lore. The Yogi is also superior to those who perform action with some interested motive. Therefore, Arjuna, you do become a Yogi.
Maharshi Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
Maharshi Patanjali mentions in the very second sutra of the first chapter:
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
Restraining the chitta (personality complex) from (taking on) modifications is Yoga.
In this text, a yogi is said to be the one who can still the fluctuations of the mind. The mark of real yogic progress is a calm and focused mind. Yoga is not only about headstands or lotus poses after all.
Types of Yogis
According to the yogic tradition, there are four types of yogis.
This yogi is has taken the devotional path in which one surrenders to the Divine and practices chanting, singing or prayers.
This is the path of wisdom and a deep inquiry into the nature of reality. These yogis seek answers to the question ‘Who am I?”
This is the path of selfless action in which one serves others without expecting any returns.
This is the royal path of meditation and mental discipline.
How the Yogis Experience Yoga
It all begins with the thinkers. They are then followed by those who give concrete form to the ideas of the thinkers. Then come the teachers who speak confidently on the subject although they may have not understood the concepts properly. These teachers are then followed by the users themselves who may directly experience the truth or understand the concept. In yoga, a yogi is the one who experiences the truth of yoga. Paramahansa Madhavdasji and Paramahansa Ramakrishna are examples of such yogis. They mastered the techniques of yoga and became gurus to other seekers on the path.
A yogi is, in essence, a spiritual seeker – one who lives with a heightened awareness, discipline and equanimity. Such great souls walk on the path of truth and non-violence and work towards the betterment of our world.
Motivations on the Path of Yoga
We begin to learn from the time we are born. Everything that we do comes from some motivation. However, there are some motivations at the conscious level that we know and some motivations at the sub-conscious level that we do not know. Such sub-conscious motivations come from our root potentials or samskaras. On the path of yoga, one’s motivation must be strong if one wants to achieve anything. Motivation that is not strong enough can distract one and one can fail in what one sets out to achieve.
In yoga, there are four types of motivation.
It is important for a student of yoga to be aware of the above four motivations or purusharthas and realise what it is that they want from yoga. One’s success on the path of yoga depends on the strength of the motivation. One should have a strong motivation to experience yoga because it forms the very basis of one’s value judgement and formation of attitude towards life. This then is reflected in one’s behaviour. Therefore, a strong motivation is necessary to bring about transformation from within a person.
In the four types of motivation, Dharma and Moksha are the main facets which provide the action. So, their quantity and quality should be increased. The other two, Artha and Kama, are intermediate and these need to be reduced.
To be a yogi is to have a certain state of being. So, a yogi could be:
The common aspect in all these examples is that all of them choose to live consciously with awareness.
What are some Characteristics of a Yogi?
Every person has the potential to become a yogi. Here are some qualities of yogis:
A yogi lives with a discipline that seems inherent as it is not enforced but joyful. They wake up early, eat mindfully and follow a routine that nurtures both the body and the mind.
Self-study of one’s own behaviour and responses is also the mark of a yogi. They reflect and may ask themselves questions such as: “What am I thinking? Why did I do that?” – this helps in their self-introspection and spiritual growth.
Detachment or Vairagya is to do one’s duty without clinging to the results of the same. This is not to be confused with indifference.
The strength of a yogi lies in kindness, forgiveness and the ability to see oneself in others.
Yogis usually maintain silence, not just outwardly, but inwardly too, in order to achieve freedom from the continuous noise of unnecessary thoughts, judgements and comparisons.
A yogi maintains mental equilibrium in all ups and downs in life – success and failure or gain and loss.
Practicing to Become a Yogi in Daily Life
It is true that you don’t need to retreat to the Himalayas to become a yogi. Here are some ways to start exactly where you are:
With the growing popularity of yoga, there are some distortions to the concept of yoga and its practice such as:
• Exhibition of physical flexibility on social media
• Use of yogic knowledge for fame or commercial gain
• Giving up responsibilities to pursue spirituality
A yogi is one who has risen above ego, greed and the illusion of the unreal.
A Yogi in Modern Times
We need more yogis in our world in these times – not just in modern yoga studios but in our public schools, offices and homes. Among others, we actually need:
A yogi need not shun his responsibilities or Dharma. Instead of escaping from real life, a yogi can live with deeper awareness.
When You Are on the Right Yogic Path
The yogi is within each one of us. It is that part of us that tends to seek peace in times of chaos, meaning in the mundane things of life, and the truth about everything.
You may be a student, a homemaker, a professional, or a retired elder – if you are making an effort to live with awareness, kindness, steadiness; then you are walking the path of a yogi.
We do not have to chase the image of an ideal yogi. We can strive to imbibe the essence of a yoga just by living mindfully.
Perceptual and Conceptual Aspects of Yoga
It is said that when yoga was conceived in the ancient times, it was a spirit. There was no methodology or rituals. The spirit of yoga guided the early students who wandered into the forests to know the ultimate truth. They were considered as mad sages. This is also mentioned in the Rig Veda. Later, yogis tried to devise a methodology to avoid any imbalance between the technology and the ideology.
The spirit of yoga leads a person from a lower level to a higher level. However, some teachers did not know much about the spirit of yoga and gave more importance to the technology. Unfortunately, this misguided people who became impressed with the physical aspect. They think that if they sit in Padmasana, they are practicing yoga. The spirit of yoga is lost in merely following asana practice without considering the higher goals of elevating oneself. The spirit of yoga deals with the psychic and perceptual aspect which is more important than the physical aspect. If one benefits from the physical aspect of yoga and does not pursue into the depth of the psychic or perceptual aspect, then one misses the spirit of yoga. The spirit of yoga cannot be understood if one does not know or believe what one cannot see.
In yoga, unless one follows the physical aspects with the right spirit, one has not gained anything. Yoga in spirit is an attitude that has to be consciously cultivated. When a person works selflessly for the betterment of the world and leads an unemotional and unattached life, it brings equilibrium in his life. It is important to bring the body and mind in a balanced state to get the true benefits of yoga.
The physical aspect of yoga is a kind of a trap and one should be careful to not fall into it. Shri Yogendra ji said, “A narrow mind cannot contain a gigantic truth.” When one focusses only on the physical aspects of yoga without giving importance to its philosophical foundations, the truth becomes narrow and thus gets distorted.
Traditionally, a yogi is never asked how many asanas he can do. On the other hand, he is asked about what he has realised. This is reflected in his behaviour as he may become more sober and introverted. This is the difference between the perceptual and conceptual aspects of yoga.
***
Who is a Yogi?
The common notion of a yogi is someone sitting serenely in a Himalayan cave clad in saffron robes. These aspects of a yogic life, although not entirely misleading, are only superficial. The real question – who is a yogi? – has more depth to it than these outwardly visible aspects.
To understand who a yogi is, we firstly need to understand what ‘yoga’ is.
What is Yoga?
The word yoga was first mentioned in the oldest sacred Sanskrit text – the Rig Veda. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’ which means ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. In the spiritual sense, yoga means union of the mind with the divine intelligence of the universe.
Maharshi Patanjali, the founder of the formal yoga philosophy, stated: Yoga is concentration.
Maharshi Vyasa, the first commentator of yoga sutra has also given one more meaning as yuj samadhau. It means: yoga is samadhi. Samadhi is the highest level of concentration where mind gets completely disassociated with external world and gets established in the highest reality.
Vedanta defines yoga as union of individual soul with the universal soul.
The Bhagavad Gita defines yoga in terms of karma by saying yoga karmasu kaushalam which means excellence in work is yoga. It also gives second meaning to yoga as samattvam yoga uchyate which means maintaining the state of mental equilibrium is yoga.
Who is a Yogi According to Scriptures
Bhagavad Gita
In this profound text, a yogi is given an elevated status much above mere intellectuals and ritualists. This is so because a yogi lives through direct experience of the Self.
In Chapter 6, Verse 46, Shri Krishna states:
तपस्विभ्योऽधिकोयोगी
ज्ञानिभ्योऽपिमतोऽधिक:|
कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिकोयोगी
तस्माद्योगीभवार्जुन|| 46||
A Yogi is superior to the ascetics; he is regarded superior even to those versed in sacred lore. The Yogi is also superior to those who perform action with some interested motive. Therefore, Arjuna, you do become a Yogi.
Maharshi Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
Maharshi Patanjali mentions in the very second sutra of the first chapter:
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
Restraining the chitta (personality complex) from (taking on) modifications is Yoga.
In this text, a yogi is said to be the one who can still the fluctuations of the mind. The mark of real yogic progress is a calm and focused mind. Yoga is not only about headstands or lotus poses after all.
Types of Yogis
According to the yogic tradition, there are four types of yogis.
This yogi is has taken the devotional path in which one surrenders to the Divine and practices chanting, singing or prayers.
This is the path of wisdom and a deep inquiry into the nature of reality. These yogis seek answers to the question ‘Who am I?”
This is the path of selfless action in which one serves others without expecting any returns.
This is the royal path of meditation and mental discipline.
How the Yogis Experience Yoga
It all begins with the thinkers. They are then followed by those who give concrete form to the ideas of the thinkers. Then come the teachers who speak confidently on the subject although they may have not understood the concepts properly. These teachers are then followed by the users themselves who may directly experience the truth or understand the concept. In yoga, a yogi is the one who experiences the truth of yoga. Paramahansa Madhavdasji and Paramahansa Ramakrishna are examples of such yogis. They mastered the techniques of yoga and became gurus to other seekers on the path.
A yogi is, in essence, a spiritual seeker – one who lives with a heightened awareness, discipline and equanimity. Such great souls walk on the path of truth and non-violence and work towards the betterment of our world.
Motivations on the Path of Yoga
We begin to learn from the time we are born. Everything that we do comes from some motivation. However, there are some motivations at the conscious level that we know and some motivations at the sub-conscious level that we do not know. Such sub-conscious motivations come from our root potentials or samskaras. On the path of yoga, one’s motivation must be strong if one wants to achieve anything. Motivation that is not strong enough can distract one and one can fail in what one sets out to achieve.
In yoga, there are four types of motivation.
It is important for a student of yoga to be aware of the above four motivations or purusharthas and realise what it is that they want from yoga. One’s success on the path of yoga depends on the strength of the motivation. One should have a strong motivation to experience yoga because it forms the very basis of one’s value judgement and formation of attitude towards life. This then is reflected in one’s behaviour. Therefore, a strong motivation is necessary to bring about transformation from within a person.
In the four types of motivation, Dharma and Moksha are the main facets which provide the action. So, their quantity and quality should be increased. The other two, Artha and Kama, are intermediate and these need to be reduced.
To be a yogi is to have a certain state of being. So, a yogi could be:
The common aspect in all these examples is that all of them choose to live consciously with awareness.
What are some Characteristics of a Yogi?
Every person has the potential to become a yogi. Here are some qualities of yogis:
A yogi lives with a discipline that seems inherent as it is not enforced but joyful. They wake up early, eat mindfully and follow a routine that nurtures both the body and the mind.
Self-study of one’s own behaviour and responses is also the mark of a yogi. They reflect and may ask themselves questions such as: “What am I thinking? Why did I do that?” – this helps in their self-introspection and spiritual growth.
Detachment or Vairagya is to do one’s duty without clinging to the results of the same. This is not to be confused with indifference.
The strength of a yogi lies in kindness, forgiveness and the ability to see oneself in others.
Yogis usually maintain silence, not just outwardly, but inwardly too, in order to achieve freedom from the continuous noise of unnecessary thoughts, judgements and comparisons.
A yogi maintains mental equilibrium in all ups and downs in life – success and failure or gain and loss.
Practicing to Become a Yogi in Daily Life
It is true that you don’t need to retreat to the Himalayas to become a yogi. Here are some ways to start exactly where you are:
With the growing popularity of yoga, there are some distortions to the concept of yoga and its practice such as:
• Exhibition of physical flexibility on social media
• Use of yogic knowledge for fame or commercial gain
• Giving up responsibilities to pursue spirituality
A yogi is one who has risen above ego, greed and the illusion of the unreal.
A Yogi in Modern Times
We need more yogis in our world in these times – not just in modern yoga studios but in our public schools, offices and homes. Among others, we actually need:
A yogi need not shun his responsibilities or Dharma. Instead of escaping from real life, a yogi can live with deeper awareness.
When You Are on the Right Yogic Path
The yogi is within each one of us. It is that part of us that tends to seek peace in times of chaos, meaning in the mundane things of life, and the truth about everything.
You may be a student, a homemaker, a professional, or a retired elder – if you are making an effort to live with awareness, kindness, steadiness; then you are walking the path of a yogi.
We do not have to chase the image of an ideal yogi. We can strive to imbibe the essence of a yoga just by living mindfully.
Perceptual and Conceptual Aspects of Yoga
It is said that when yoga was conceived in the ancient times, it was a spirit. There was no methodology or rituals. The spirit of yoga guided the early students who wandered into the forests to know the ultimate truth. They were considered as mad sages. This is also mentioned in the Rig Veda. Later, yogis tried to devise a methodology to avoid any imbalance between the technology and the ideology.
The spirit of yoga leads a person from a lower level to a higher level. However, some teachers did not know much about the spirit of yoga and gave more importance to the technology. Unfortunately, this misguided people who became impressed with the physical aspect. They think that if they sit in Padmasana, they are practicing yoga. The spirit of yoga is lost in merely following asana practice without considering the higher goals of elevating oneself. The spirit of yoga deals with the psychic and perceptual aspect which is more important than the physical aspect. If one benefits from the physical aspect of yoga and does not pursue into the depth of the psychic or perceptual aspect, then one misses the spirit of yoga. The spirit of yoga cannot be understood if one does not know or believe what one cannot see.
In yoga, unless one follows the physical aspects with the right spirit, one has not gained anything. Yoga in spirit is an attitude that has to be consciously cultivated. When a person works selflessly for the betterment of the world and leads an unemotional and unattached life, it brings equilibrium in his life. It is important to bring the body and mind in a balanced state to get the true benefits of yoga.
The physical aspect of yoga is a kind of a trap and one should be careful to not fall into it. Shri Yogendra ji said, “A narrow mind cannot contain a gigantic truth.” When one focusses only on the physical aspects of yoga without giving importance to its philosophical foundations, the truth becomes narrow and thus gets distorted.
Traditionally, a yogi is never asked how many asanas he can do. On the other hand, he is asked about what he has realised. This is reflected in his behaviour as he may become more sober and introverted. This is the difference between the perceptual and conceptual aspects of yoga.
***