15/07/2026
Such an important conversation in the yoga world right now. You can read my comment below:
This is such an important conversation, and one that I hope continues.
As I read this, I found myself wondering whether the real invitation isnāt simply to rethink Äsana, but to rediscover yoga itself.
If we view Äsana through the lens of biomechanics alone, then naturally our questions become biomechanical. Is this cue helpful? Is there a safer way? Is this shape necessary?
These are valuable conversations, but they can never fully explain why Äsana exists.
Perhaps the deeper question is this: What is yoga asking of us?
When Äsana is understood as one limb of an integrated pathāone that includes ethical living, breath, meditation, self-enquiry and ultimately the recognition of our true natureāthen its purpose changes completely. It is no longer simply about creating mobility or flexibility, but about cultivating the qualities that prepare us for deeper awareness.
Maybe the current debate isnāt asking us to abandon Äsana or defend it. Maybe itās inviting us to place it back into the context from which it came.
When we rediscover the whole of yoga, many of these questions begin to find their proper place.
