Could this help us to avoid becoming self-obsessed?

There can be a tendency among ashtanga yoga practitioners to become very focused on one's self. We spend so long paying attention to our own breath, physical sensations, thought patterns, emotions, aches and pains, that it's possible for us to become a little self-obsessed.

Yoga, by its nature, is an introspective practice. The aim is ultimate awareness of our Selves; the knowledge of who we truly are on a fundamental level. This requires us to look inwards, to examine our thoughts and emotions, and to analyse ourselves on an almost atomic level. How can we do this, and simultaneously let go of our ego, our sense of self, and our tendency towards self-obsession?

I've seen over and over again throughout my years in the world of ashtanga yoga how 'achievements' on the yoga mat can build ego and lead to self-aggrandisement or how perceived failure or lack of progress can lead to frustration or even disillusionment.

One way of reframing the practice to allow us to become less focused on ourselves is to notice how our own yoga practice is beneficial for those around us.

We all know that when we practise regularly, we become healthier, happier, less stressed, and maybe even less reactive in our daily lives. This is a given. These are the very reasons most people take up yoga in the first place.

But rather than having such a narrow focus on how yoga practice can benefit us, we can potentially have a much wider focus on how our yoga practice can be for the benefit of others, be it family, friends, colleagues, or anyone else who we interact with throughout the day. Our state of mind is altered significantly with this adjustment in perspective and the nature of our experience of yoga practice can be altered in an interesting way.

With practice, this approach can lead us to re-frame our yoga practice as being something that doesn't just help us in our daily lives but also helps those around us. It can help us to avoid the pitfall of strengthening our own ego through yoga practice, and even allow our consciousness to expand into the realm of loving-kindness.

If we practise purely with the motivation of getting something for ourselves, we have a very limited focus, and we are opening ourselves up to self-judgement about our perceived progress in the yoga practice.

If we practise with the motivation of benefiting others, our mind is much more spacious, and the very nature of the practice can feel quite different.

"Do what you love, be of service to others, and know that you're on the right path"
Rich Roll