Applied Yoga

The ancient sages believed that thinking was at least as important as Downward-Facing Dog in reaching our full human potential.

By Douglas Brooks

From its origins, yogis have debated rationally and with deep emotion what yoga's purpose truly is and how we might best go about reaching our goals. But no matter what goals we set for ourselves or what understandings we create from our human experiences, yoga asks us to bring all of ourselves—our body, emotions, and thoughts—to its practice. In this sense, yoga truly lives up to its literal meaning, "union." Without logic and clear thinking, we might have strong feelings but no way of evaluating and knowing if we are meeting our goals. But, just as Mr. Spock comes to realize from being half human, feelings are equally crucial, for they can boldly transport us to realms where logic alone can never go.

A professor of religion at the University of Rochester in New York, Douglas Brooks teaches Asian religions, comparative religion, and Sanskrit. He also teaches the philosophy curriculum for Anusara Yoga trainings.

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