Yoga practice often begins with effort. We come to the mat carrying the pressures, desires and disturbances of ordinary life, and we try to bring ourselves into order. Yet practice alone is not enough. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali places Abhyasa, sustained practice, beside Vairagya, detachment or dispassion. Together they show that yoga is both an active engagement and at the same time, a release. We act, observe, adjust and repeat, but we also learn to loosen our hold on achievement, reaction and self-concern. This article explores detachment as the cultivation of an inner witness. Through asana we direct our attention and develop our awareness to see how the mind clings, resists and projects. Detachment allows practice to become less about performance of practice and more about the understanding that comes from experience. It creates the space in which we may act clearly, observe quietly, and return to what is essential.
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