Yoga: An Ontological Perspective
Yoga is a word used to indicate the ever-present nondual state, the unified field, the fundamental substrate the absolute consciousness which underpins reality.
Individuals, by contrast, exist in a dualistic state where they identify themselves as different from other things and other selves. Individuals may approach the nondual state, and they tend to do so in gradations, becoming “less dualistic” and “more nondual”.
Furthermore, the word “yoga”, for individuals, denotes both that state of nonduality and also the self-directed practices from India that help them reach the state.
Unlike passive treatments such as massage or chiropractic care which are performed on you, yoga is an active practice you engage in, sometimes with guidance from a teacher, but ultimately a process of self-exposition.
The term itself derives from Sanskrit, with deep historical roots in the Indus Valley and Himalaya, from whence it evolved over thousands of years. Oral traditions were eventually (sometimes) scribed and preserved through family lineages and specific schools of practice.
The modern landscape of yoga, particularly in the Western world, presents interesting complexities around authenticity and regulation. Yoga remains largely unregulated in Western contexts, with Professional Liability insurers often serving as the primary oversight mechanism.
This freedom has led to innovation by reformulation and at times problematic appropriation for the purpose of marketing, or simply due to superficial resemblances and casual references.
Legitimate yoga can generally be traced to India’s established traditions and techniques, though interesting hybrid forms like Yin Yoga, which blends traditional yoga postures with concepts from Traditional Chinese Medicine, illustrate the complex scope of practice questions that arise when ancient wisdom traditions become popular.
An Ontological Approach
The historical grounding in Sanskrit traditions and transmission through lineages reflects an understanding that yoga’s essential nature is inseparable from its cultural and origins. It’s not just a set of techniques that can be abstracted from their context.
Debashish Banerji writes in his commentary of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: “Once the gods appear within the contested realm of Being-and-non-Being or Being-in-non-Being, there is the struggle. Will the cosmos endure in its existence and evolve or will it drop into extinction, into the Death of non-Being out of which it arose? So at the outset we are brought face to face with the precarious existence of the cosmos, its foundational relativity. This struggle of Being to emerge into existence and endure against the forces constantly attempting to obliterate it, is the essence of cosmic Work, the foundation of work as struggle, the very mark of cosmic existence.”
Wow. Given this complexity, it’s understandable that society at large and insurance companies might focus on the physical postures, as these are the most visible and measurable aspects of the practice.
Similar Practices
Postures and techniques found in yoga sometimes appear in other systems, both ancient and modern. This illustrates a perfect ontological distinction. The physical forms themselves don’t constitute yoga’s essence; rather, it’s the underlying intention, context, and framework that makes something authentically yoga. A forward fold in a gymnastics routine, a warrior-like stance in martial arts, or breathing techniques in other wellness traditions may share identical physical characteristics with yoga asana or pranayama, yet they exist within entirely different frameworks.
This highlights why the traceability to Indic and Vedic roots matters so much. Human movement patterns are universal, but yoga’s essence emerges as specific understanding of consciousness, liberation, body and mind.
Appropriation concern becomes clearer through this lens. Calling something “yoga” when it lacks connection to that traditional context is a misrepresentation.
Just Yin Case
“Yin Yoga” offers a fascinating edge case in this discussion of authentic practice. Books on the subject usually feature information on TCM frameworks (with meridians, organic overlay, and energetic mappings).
Teachers of Yin classes often (but not always) speak of such things too. In any yoga class, a teacher’s dialogue gives the analytical mind of participants tangible tasks and details to contemplate, occupying the intellectual faculties that might otherwise interfere with deeper states of awareness. Teachers verbally offer something for the language centre of the human brain to “do” so that it stops disrupting the actual work. For some practitioners, the TCM framework may simply be more accessible or familiar than traditional yogic concepts, thus providing a meaningful entry point into deeper practice.
Meanwhile, beneath this conceptual overlay, the fundamental yogic transformation is occurring through the application of postures, the cultivation of stillness, and the gradual dissolution of resistance. These are processes that don’t require understanding of TCM to be effective.
The essence of yoga, that expanded awareness, emerges naturally from the practice itself, regardless of whatever theoretical framework the mind uses to make sense of the experience. The “real yoga” happens in that space beyond mental grasping, where awareness expands naturally through sustained attention.
Conclusion
Understanding yoga ontologically reveals why definitions matter so profoundly. When we recognise yoga as a state of awareness, expanded beyond the physical body, rooted in particular traditions, we can distinguish between authentic practice and surface-level appropriation. The physical postures can be common human patterns, but yoga’s nature emerges from a liberation that cannot be separated from its origins.
This conversation helps us navigate the modern landscape where yoga intersects with regulation, commercialisation, and hybrid practices. Ultimately, we want to amplify what makes yoga transformative, rather than merely therapeutic or recreational.
