Yoga Sutra

“Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration,
coordination, stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle
thought patterns) of the mind field. (yogash chitta vritti nirodhah)”


Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is an ancient collection of writings on the theory and
practice of yoga that provides guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life on
the path toward enlightenment. The first few sutras encapsulate the whole teaching of
the ancient texts. Sutra 1.2 teaches us that yoga is the settling of the mind from the
chatter, attachments, chaos, doubts, ruminating thoughts, and worries (all that
disembodies us) allowing us to connect with the truest essence of ourselves.

It is profoundly beautiful that these ancient texts speak to the same burdens and
desires we carry with us today. We are all so very connected through our humanity to
those around us, those before us, and those to come. Through my yoga practice over
the past seven years, I have found that what draws me back to my mat each day is the
desire to disconnect from the chatter, shed that which is not serving me and reconnect
to my most authentic self. As we began our teacher training five months ago, we were
asked to write about our intentions for this journey. I wrote about the impact that yoga
has had on my journey of healing from trauma. I shared about the power of yoga in
guiding us towards presence, equanimity, expansion, and coming home to ourselves. I
shared about my desire to create a space for others to find these things through their
practice. What intuitively has drawn me to yoga has been at the heart and intention of
this practice for its lifetime.

The end of our teacher training is merely the beginning of a journey to come; one
of continued mind, body, spirit transformation through the practice of yoga. As I embark
on this journey, I carry with me hope for the future – shedding, quieting, expanding,
knowing, cultivating, shining – and hope that I may create a space for my students to
find these same gifts of yoga.

Intend to Shine,

Rachel Styers

Lightbearer 2022