Question: A lot of us are familiar with the concept of finding happiness within (without it coming from outside or relying on need). In this context, do you think yoga and meditation can become a need/compulsion wherein we only feel good about ourselves, life and happy with it? If so, what can be our next step go beyond this? Can it be dropped at some point in our journey?
Answer:
This question is in a way the mind’s way of tricking oneself to avoid sadhana. Because Yoga is so effective in helping us overcome our compulsions, we try to find something wrong with it.
Yoga is THE way to end all compulsions. By its nature and design, it slowly transforms us by destroying the old patterns in our mind and body and leaving us with the freedom to create ourselves the way we want.
Whatever other compulsions we may have, however innocently and compassionately we may see them, they do entangle us further in physicality by leaving some imprint on us.
However, Yoga is the only activity that does not leave any imprint, rather erases over time what everything else does to us.
How slowly or quickly this transformation happens is dependent on how intensely the sadhana is done. And this transformation can be beautiful if one is truly seeking ultimate freedom from their limited nature.
But for many, it becomes a bit of a torture as their attachment to their limitations and old ways are so strong and have deep rooted emotions associated with them.
Then there are the up-and-down people who can’t really choose either and for some time are very focused on sadhana and at other times falling back into compulsive ways.
From a social perspective, yes, when doing yoga with commitment for some time, it seems like we are running away from the “good” life (especially to our near and dear ones). But what others may not understand (because it is not visible) is that one experiences something much more profound on the inner journey that cannot be compared with stuff on the outside.
Some navigate this transition skilfully by balancing whatever they need to do externally in terms of professional life, family commitments, and other social activities alongside their inner journey. Some may not be able to do it with as much grace and therefore hurt or lose some people on their journey, and this is also why a lot of people look at spiritual life with mistrust.
Either way, over time sadhana is always enhancing us, enriching our lives, and lifting our energies. This can and should eventually be used to bring a balance on the outside as well, so our social situations are equally joyful and pleasant as are our inner states.
Until we get there, sadhana is the best support we have. I think when the time comes to go beyond sadhana, if we ever get there, we will know what to do and what to drop, and it is better that this knowledge comes from within rather than setting an expectation or a milestone to be achieved.
For inspiration, we can always look to Sadhguru who has also said in some videos and interviews that he doesn’t do any sadhana, except for some 20 second process with his ring finger after which he is fully on!