The Journey to Becoming a Yogi: Meaning and How to Begin Your Inner Journey

 “ Jitatmanah prasantasya paramatma samahitah

Sitosna-sukha-dukheshu tatha manapamanayoh”

-           Bhagavad Gita, Chp 6, verse 7

The above shloka mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita translates to a person who has conquered their minds to rise above situations and dualities such as cold and heat, joy and sorrow and honour and dishonour. Such people remain established in their mind and are steadfast in their devotion.

In a world like today, where people are definitely growing aware about fitness and staying healthy in general. Yoga has become a global movement. But people often mistake yoga with being associated just with the physical aspects. So yoga in a way gets limited to a means of physical fitness, aesthetic postures and varied levels of flexibility.

But in reality Yoga is a means for a person to become a yogi. When we say a yogi, it is not just about someone who has mastered tricky postures or who is able to touch their toes or bend their spine in a particular degree. But it is about connecting with your deep inner self, with conscious breath work and awareness about your movements and your presence in your surroundings.

A yogi is someone who is defined not by appearance or a way or a lifestyle or where they live at. But he is someone who has mastered the art of being and has blended awareness, balance and consciousness in their everyday movements. It is a deeply personal journey and requires commitment. So if you are someone who enjoys doing yoga and wants to connect to the deeper aspects of yoga, this article will help you discover the steps to start your journey as a yogi.

What Does Yoga Mean?

Yoga is a Sanskrit word which comes from the root word Yuj which means to unite. So yoga basically indicates the coming together of the body and the mind, the physical movement and the breath work and the person’s physical body and the universal consciousness.

How Do the Yogic Scripts Describe a Yogi?

Our yogic scriptures and ancient textbooks describe a yogi to be someone who has mastered the 8 limbs of yoga and integrated discipline, mindfulness, awareness, spirituality and ethical principles in his every day practices.

Being a yogi doesn’t mean you requiring to quit your job or changing the way you dress. But it simply means elevating your consciousness to rise above the mundane pleasures of life and truly realise the essence of your being.

The Journey of Yoga Begins With the Physical Body

It is true that yoga is not just about the physical body. But when you start your journey in yoga the first step begins with your physical engagement. Whether it is trying to practice a simple Tadasana - mountain pose or sit in meditative posture or indulge in the 12 posters of Surya Namaskar, you begin yoga with practicing the physical asanas.

Then gradually moving on to practicing them with the right alignment and with purposeful breath work to become aware of your body posture and energy levels. This is where the first physical change starts to happen.

Then comes breath awareness

Once you have become used to sinking your physical body with your yoga mat you can move on to deepen your personal practice with engaged breath work. This means that the Asanas - physical posturers that you have been practicing so far now needs to be done with more conscious awareness.

And this is where breath work comes handy. Breath work is the art of inhalations and exhalation at the right time of the movement and the transitions to become aware of your movement, your physical being. How your body reacts to certain postures and how you can transform a simple twist into a therapeutic asana.

The mind game, where yoga actually happens

It is said that all boundaries are truly physical. This 100 percent applies to yoga. Whether or not you are able to do a Shirshasana - headstand on the first day of your practice is a matter of confidence and mind.

Even with practice sometimes people face difficulty to attain a certain posture or to cross a certain physical limit. But yoga truly happens in the mind.

With gradual practice when you develop confidence and your mind opens up to trying new things and having the self believe that you can do it and your mind game comes in play.

Svadhyaya - self inquiry

One of the most important aspects about becoming a Yogi is to understand and process your emotions. This happens when you start observing your emotions - how you react, what triggers you and what behaviour patterns can you change. This analysis will not only help you preserve your energy but also better channel it.

Let go of your karmic layers

It is said that yoga helps release the karmic layers and attain bliss. Yoga truly affects one when they are able to release negative emotions, over thinking, fear, comparison, ego and seeking validation from outside sources.

Therefore, yoga and meditation helps you in letting go to wipe the mind clean into a new slate to record and apply the learnings of yoga, not holding grudges, to create space for something new, practicing forgiveness and staying detached.

How does a YTT program help you become a Yogi?

A YTTC program such as the Yoga teacher training course in Goa helps you follow a structured path to becoming a Yogi. Such courses not only give you the right instruction and methodology of practicing yoga but practicing yoga in the right manner.

You will learn the right transitions, correct alignment, classical yogic textbook knowledge and meditations. In addition to this you, will also learn various breath work techniques and meditation to elevate your yoga knowledge. Plus you will be gaining certification to expand your yoga skills and consider becoming a yoga teacher professionally.