Yoga was never about twisting and turning oneself into various shapes. It's a holistic way of life, with its origins in ancient India. Learning classical yoga traditionally wasn’t just about asanas. It was about breathing, meditating, understanding the philosophy, and mastering the art of leading a fulfilling life. Traditionally, yoga poses were just a small element of one’s daily practice. The core idea was to prepare, purify, and tone the body so that one could sit comfortably for hours in meditation. But over time, the West mostly commercialized yoga and started focusing on just yoga poses, as we know it today.
However, many people still seek yoga to find prosperity in life and attain spiritual awakening, travel towards North to Rishikesh, the birth land of yoga and spirituality in India. Rishikesh is a peaceful and spiritual town. The town’s energy is so intense that just sitting by the banks of the holy river Ganga can elevate you to the spiritual state. In Rishikesh, traditional yoga forms the core essence of teaching. Everything is connected to classical knowledge. Here, at traditional yoga schools, students are exposed to various habits to instill spiritual values within them. For example, waking up early, cleaning themselves, Aligning their energies by performing pranayama, taking only a sattvic diet, treating everyone equal through samarth and listening chanting mantras.
Learning in Rishikesh gives a layer better experience. Breathing the same air, sitting on the same soil where these teachings have been going around for centuries gives the student a sense of continuity in their lives. One must never forget that yoga is not about who has been able to stretch more than the limit. It is about understanding yourself. Be as you are. You came to learn yoga, not to flaunt your fancy yoga mat. If approached with a sincere heart and mind, learning yoga leads you to your path of self-realization.