The art of liberation through Yoga
Exploring liberation through the wisdom of yoga philosophy
In the yogic tradition, true liberty is not merely the freedom to act, speak, or choose; it is the liberation of the soul from suffering, attachment, and illusion. This ultimate state of freedom is known as Moksha. Rooted in ancient yogic philosophy, Moksha represents a profound awakening in which the restless mind becomes still, and the individual transcends the limitations of ego and worldly desires. It is not an escape from life, but a deeper understanding of existence itself. Through Yoga, meditation, self-discipline, and inner awareness, one gradually moves toward this state of inner liberation, discovering a freedom that cannot be given or taken away by the external world.
Yoga and Liberation
In Yoga, there is a concept called Moksha. From a yogic perspective, Moksha is one of the four aims of life: kama, artha, dharma, and Moksha. Kama is our emotional and sensory fulfilment. Artha refers to our wealth and achievement of worldly goals. Dharma is what we contribute to the world, and the honour and recognition we receive in return. Moksha, one of the four aims of life, represents transcendence beyond worldly existence and the other three goals of human life.
Moksha means liberation. Videha Mukti and Jivamukti are two distinct types of Moksha. Videha Mukti is Moksha that occurs after death. Upon realising their true nature, the Videhamukta incurs no further karma and is released from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth. Jivamukti is Moksha that occurs before death. The Jivanmukta is a living, liberated, and fully enlightened being.
When we identify ourselves with the illusory world, we confuse the truth of who we are with a false sense of self. Insanity is denying reality and believing we are what we are not. The Jivanmukta’s perspective has shifted, allowing her to see clearly and restoring her to sanity. As a result, she no longer lives in fear and ignorance. Therefore, the Jivanmukta can tap into her unlimited potential. She accesses greater creativity, compassion, and understanding.
If you keep doing what you’ve been doing…
Samsara binds us to the material world, a world Yoga tells us is an illusion and quantum physics tells us is persistent. One’s rebirth is determined by karma. We don’t have to wait until we die to experience karma. Karma is also the consequences, both positive and negative, for our thoughts, words, and actions right now. Samsara is our tendency to repeat thinking and behavioural patterns that may or may not contribute to our ultimate well-being. Left to our own devices, we will continue these patterns until the consequences become too severe to sustain or we die.
Fortunately, we are not left to our own devices. The universe has a life-giving order that nature and non-human creatures participate in. Humans, however, can choose whether to operate according to the natural order of the universe or not. Because we have forgotten our true nature and have misidentified reality with the illusion, we often choose not to live in alignment with universal principles. These principles comprise the major themes common to all of the world’s great religions: love, unity, oneness, and transcendence, to name a few.
Seeing things clearly.
Choosing to work against the universe is like swimming upstream. We are welcome to do it, but our lives work so much better if we don’t. Deep, transformative spiritual practices such as Yoga are our ticket from a fear-filled life of struggle and confusion to one of joy and purpose. It isn’t that we all of a sudden have it all figured out and are happy all of the time. However, we can navigate the world from a peaceful place, aligned with our true nature, by serving the collective good. Avidya, which means ignorance of our true nature, obscures our ability to see ourselves as we really are. Yoga removes avidya and allows us to foster a fresh perspective, as we see our image clearly after removing the dirty film from a mirror. As our ignorance is removed, Moksha is achieved.
Learn more about mokhs in our 500-hour Yoga TTC program