Sometimes people who practice yoga asanas become proud of their ability to bend and twist their bodies into advanced yoga postures. They like to show off their skill and may be quite competitive in their practice. But this desire for recognition reveals an agitated mind and a sense of false pride—not the signs of a real yogi.
True yogis are humble. They may not be doing extreme backbends or advanced balancing poses; in fact, they may not be practicing asanas at all. But because they have achieved inner peace and calm through meditation, they have attained yoga’s higher goal.
We must be ever watchful against falling into this prideful consciousness as it will prevent us from advancing in the true spirit of yoga. After all, there are many steps on the yoga path, and we must make the journey with humility if we want to achieve lasting inner peace and true happiness.
