"The understanding of this has really helped me put things into perspective.

Having been anxious and holding onto previous experiences and jobs that haven't gone as planned, and having also struggled with finding self-worth as a full-time mum."

Esther, one of the students on the August Education in Yoga, Teacher Training 200 hours program, expressed a very clear, honest and well understood grasp of the essence of Patanjali’s yoga sutra. We happily share it here:

"Yoga as defined in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras refers to the experience of who you really are at the core, and not who you perceive yourself to be. This perception is distorted by the way our world and human nature works, with a tendency to be focused on the external. Hence, our aim should really be to look within ourselves. From this perspective, it can be said that this framework is applicable to all people anywhere in the world, regardless of race, religion, appearance, wealth, age, health or sex. It is this sense of inclusion and non-dogmatic approach which has really sparked my belief.

"We often define ourselves by the jobs we have, the people we associate with, the assets we own, our interests and hobbies. All of which are in fact impermanent. Our self worth becomes reliant on inherently external factors for which not only we have no control over, nor define who we really are. This sense of attachment to our distorted selves then causes us to pain, and we suffer its loss when it leaves us. The understanding of this has really helped me put things into perspective. Having been anxious and holding onto previous experiences and jobs that haven't gone as planned, and having also struggled with finding self-worth as a full-time mum.

"The Yoga Sutras state that by looking in, through regular practice, self examination and devotion. To be able to look at things for what they really are and apply care in our daily lives. We can then decrease distortions of ourselves, find peace within, and become more centered. While I am aware this journey is not easy, because that is the nature of this world, I take away from this a set of tools that has given me more clarity and direction. I see it as my 'Sthira', my foundation, on which I can be 'Sukha', happy and free. For I know this journey can happen only purely within myself."

Esther Yang