What does it take to be a “good yogi”?

An essay by Sarah Landry Maltais aka SLiM (GLYS graduate, 2020)

We are told that yoga is more that doing shapes on a mat. It is more than, as my initial perception would have had it, stretching exercises you do to attempt to avoid injury as you age. What is yoga then? And what does being a yogi entail? More than that, what does being a good yogi entail? My personal view on it is that what a yoga practice looks like for each individual is different (and can evolve and take a different shape throughout different periods of a yogi’s life). I think there is no right or wrong way to be a yogi but that yoga does entail some form of adherence to a reasonably specific philosophy and I guess a good yogi will be someone who strives to embody that.

My view is that yoga is adaptable, that each of us has the flexibility to colour in between the lines. While the eight limbs are meant to form a path to spiritual realisation, yogis are meant to find what the philosophy means to them and how it can be applied in their day to day lives autonomously. This gives yoga a certain adaptability that can be applied to individual circumstances. If anything, yoga seems to require that yogis find their own balance both within the world that they live in and their relationship with others, within themselves and within the very practical aspects of the practice (asana, pranayama and the meditative limbs of yoga), all the while also juggling the ethical principles.

On a purely physical level, the practice of yoga involves a balance between discipline (showing up on the mat and doing your best) and being content with the process regardless of outcomes. A yogi should also be realistic and honest as to their capabilities and limitations. Therefore, yogis should strive to improve but not to the point where they are so focused on their goals that they are hurting themselves or disrespecting their bodies.

A huge part of yoga involves mental and meditative aspects of the practice which strive to quiet the mind and to develop an ability to be present. In that context a yogi’s acceptance of who they are, their circumstances, and a certain detachment from their past and what may happen in their future is very important. I also think that there is an underlying thread in the ethical principles of yoga that requires yogi to strive for self-improvement. This would seem to involve some form of careful introspection to identify patterns and tendencies that allow us to get into our own way and prevent us from growing. On that basis, there is a certain balance to be achieved between the ability to be present in the moment (contentment) while also striving for growth. I would argue that the later cannot be achieved without the yogi identifying what patterns they have had in the past and also being deliberate about how they want to live and what they want in the future. The balance resides in assessing the past and planning the future objectively with an appropriate level of detachment as to the outcome. In my experience, infinitely easier said than done.

Balance also needs to be achieved between the physical and the mental aspects of the practice. For me, both of these are essential: if I don’t feel good in my body, my mind is most likely an absolute mess. In my personal experience, I find that physical health is a precursor to mental health. I have to take care of the body first. However, it is very easy to focus on the body and forget what’s happening between the ears. It is important to be as deliberate in making time for the mental aspects of the practice. There also may be yogis for which the physical asana part of the practice is an infinitely smaller portion of the overall practice.

What I’ve set out above stands out as being quite the navel gazing exercise but the practice of yoga will also involve how we carry ourselves out into the world and a balance between our own self-interest and the interest of the collective. I believe that yogis who are attempting to live by the ethical principles must also find a way to apply these principles to their relationship with other beings and the environment. Yogis should probably therefore in some way, and within their personal means, seek to make their world a better place. The guidance established by the ethical principle requires, amongst other things, that yogis refrain from harmful behaviour and adhere to a certain level of honesty and generosity. How each yogi achieves that seems to me to be quite flexible and, in practice, I believe looks very different for different yogis depending on the circumstances in which they operate.

I think the philosophy of yoga requires you to strive and take steps to improve yourself and your environment, while all the while being cognisant and accepting of what you can control and what is realistically within your reach. It involves making considerate and deliberate choices as to what to prioritise in different aspects of your life and moments in time. It involves balancing of personal interest with the interest of others, including close friends and family as well as the collective.

So while there is no one-size-fits-all way to be a good yogi, there is an underlying current that requires individuals to somewhat adhere to the more practical aspects of the practice and to make an honest attempt to follow the yamas and the niyamas. However, while there is no strict way to be a good yogi, in my opinion, there is somewhat of a requirement to live as honestly as we can by its philosophy. From my perspective, and this is undoubtedly an over simplification, a conscious and deliberate balancing act between the physical and mental aspects of the practice and between the individual and collective interest as well as an honest attempt to not to be a jerk to yourself, others or the environment. Accepting “failures”. Learning from experiences. Repeat.

We are told that yoga is more that doing shapes on a mat. It is more than, as my initial perception would have had it, stretching exercises you do to attempt to avoid injury as you age. What is yoga then? And what does being a yogi entail? More than that, what does being a good yogi entail? My personal view on it is that what a yoga practice looks like for each individual is different (and can evolve and take a different shape throughout different periods of a yogi’s life). I think there is no right or wrong way to be a yogi but that yoga does entail some form of adherence to a reasonably specific philosophy and I guess a good yogi will be someone who strives to embody that.

My view is that yoga is adaptable, that each of us has the flexibility to colour in between the lines. While the eight limbs are meant to form a path to spiritual realisation, yogis are meant to find what the philosophy means to them and how it can be applied in their day to day lives autonomously. This gives yoga a certain adaptability that can be applied to individual circumstances. If anything, yoga seems to require that yogis find their own balance both within the world that they live in and their relationship with others, within themselves and within the very practical aspects of the practice (asana, pranayama and the meditative limbs of yoga), all the while also juggling the ethical principles.

On a purely physical level, the practice of yoga involves a balance between discipline (showing up on the mat and doing your best) and being content with the process regardless of outcomes. A yogi should also be realistic and honest as to their capabilities and limitations. Therefore, yogis should strive to improve but not to the point where they are so focused on their goals that they are hurting themselves or disrespecting their bodies.

A huge part of yoga involves mental and meditative aspects of the practice which strive to quiet the mind and to develop an ability to be present. In that context a yogi’s acceptance of who they are, their circumstances, and a certain detachment from their past and what may happen in their future is very important. I also think that there is an underlying thread in the ethical principles of yoga that requires yogi to strive for self-improvement. This would seem to involve some form of careful introspection to identify patterns and tendencies that allow us to get into our own way and prevent us from growing. On that basis, there is a certain balance to be achieved between the ability to be present in the moment (contentment) while also striving for growth. I would argue that the later cannot be achieved without the yogi identifying what patterns they have had in the past and also being deliberate about how they want to live and what they want in the future. The balance resides in assessing the past and planning the future objectively with an appropriate level of detachment as to the outcome. In my experience, infinitely easier said than done.

Balance also needs to be achieved between the physical and the mental aspects of the practice. For me, both of these are essential: if I don’t feel good in my body, my mind is most likely an absolute mess. In my personal experience, I find that physical health is a precursor to mental health. I have to take care of the body first. However, it is very easy to focus on the body and forget what’s happening between the ears. It is important to be as deliberate in making time for the mental aspects of the practice. There also may be yogis for which the physical asana part of the practice is an infinitely smaller portion of the overall practice.

What I’ve set out above stands out as being quite the navel gazing exercise but the practice of yoga will also involve how we carry ourselves out into the world and a balance between our own self-interest and the interest of the collective. I believe that yogis who are attempting to live by the ethical principles must also find a way to apply these principles to their relationship with other beings and the environment. Yogis should probably therefore in some way, and within their personal means, seek to make their world a better place. The guidance established by the ethical principle requires, amongst other things, that yogis refrain from harmful behaviour and adhere to a certain level of honesty and generosity. How each yogi achieves that seems to me to be quite flexible and, in practice, I believe looks very different for different yogis depending on the circumstances in which they operate.

I think the philosophy of yoga requires you to strive and take steps to improve yourself and your environment, while all the while being cognisant and accepting of what you can control and what is realistically within your reach. It involves making considerate and deliberate choices as to what to prioritise in different aspects of your life and moments in time. It involves balancing of personal interest with the interest of others, including close friends and family as well as the collective.

So while there is no one-size-fits-all way to be a good yogi, there is an underlying current that requires individuals to somewhat adhere to the more practical aspects of the practice and to make an honest attempt to follow the yamas and the niyamas. However, while there is no strict way to be a good yogi, in my opinion, there is somewhat of a requirement to live as honestly as we can by its philosophy. From my perspective, and this is undoubtedly an over simplification, a conscious and deliberate balancing act between the physical and mental aspects of the practice and between the individual and collective interest as well as an honest attempt to not to be a jerk to yourself, others or the environment. Accepting “failures”. Learning from experiences. Repeat.