The purpose of yoga is to calm the mind. We achieve this peace by living with compassion, caring for ourselves, moving and breathing with intention, engaging in introspective practices, and meditating. The path of yoga guides us to samadhi, the bliss of universal oneness.

But what does that truly mean? What is bliss? What is universal oneness? If I become one with the universe, do I disappear? How will I know if I’ve entered samadhi? And if I never reach it, does that make me a bad yogi?

Yoga is so much more than the physical practice of the asanas. Meditation isn’t its own separate thing, it’s a part of the larger practice. The eight limbs of yoga provide a path to guide us on how to treat ourselves, how to focus our energy, and how to be in the world.