The Art of Going Back to Go Forward

Navigating the Yog Sutras through my own lens of experience and understanding, I find each sutra precise yet layered with subtle hints that point toward the whole. These reflections are my attempt to share my inner dialogue and evolving map that guide me on the path of Self-Realization, as I seek to transmit what is deeply internal into something that resonates universally.

Yog Sutra 1.1

अथ योगानुशासनम्

atha yoga-anuśāsanam

atha: and so, now

yoga: origin, oneness, eternal truth

anuśāsanam: continuation of instruction

“Yoga is the art of retracing our steps backwards, back to the very beginning, and becoming one with that origin.” (trip aum shanti)

Atha means “and so, now,” but it is more than a simple beginning. It signifies readiness, a threshold moment where prior experiences, purification, and inquiry have prepared you for the discipline of yoga. Yoga does not happen by accident; it begins when we consciously choose to engage. This readiness is both inner and outer alignment, a silent declaration: I am prepared to walk this path.

Though the past no longer exists, it is this endless loop we must understand to grasp the whole. Every choice and action leads us toward understanding. Everything we are is created so that we may know Source, our Origin. Yet this still begs the question: What, not who, are we? So not only are we trying to understand Source, but also what we are and why we came to be. This means it is not all about God; it is also about the human and its Soul at its most infinite potential in union with God. If the humanness, the “I,” the ego, stands in the way, we will never understand purpose. We must remove ourselves from Self.

It is a constant evolution, ever changing, the going back to go forward. There is no true beginning. Even though part of our journey is to return to Source and be liberated, the other side is understanding what we are and why we came to be in the first place. This defines the macro micro simulation. We reflect the Divine. This endless loop reminds us we are not separate. We are not merely human; we take form to understand, but here we can truly realize: I am not this or that. We must look deeper than the surface. Like the ocean analogy, its depth holds the mystery. Swimming on the surface only gives the human experience, not the Soul’s insight.

We can connect deeply, but this too is a choice, an asking and an understanding. It is all about the roots. “Whatever path has led us here, one can meditate, practice yog sadhana, or participate in any activity only by choosing to. In any activity, YOU choose to play.” (Jyoti Subramanian) To truly go back, to find the roots, to genuinely participate in your journey, one must choose to do so. One does not simply meditate; one must cultivate concentration first. This echoes Patanjali’s progression: dharana → dhyana → samadhi. Writing and contemplation are powerful preparatory steps; they refine the mind and prepare it for deeper absorption. A beautiful practice for this sutra is to concentrate on your unique path that leads you back to the origin, the original Source of your existence. Remove it all. Bare yourself naked down to your most enlightened parts, the Soul that sits within. This is the inner work at play.

Yoga is the art of returning, not to a past that no longer exists, but to an eternal presence within. It is the stilling of the fluctuations so that the seer rests in its own nature. This journey is not about breaking the loop but understanding it, transcending it through awareness. It is not only about God; it is about the human journey toward its infinite potential in union with the Divine. It is about asking, choosing, and participating fully. It is about stripping away everything that is not essential until only the Soul remains, luminous and free. This is the work, the discipline, and the grace of yoga, the going back to go forward, the return to Source, and the realization of what we truly are.