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There are a total of 195 verses, which detail all aspects of yoga, giving the yoga student or spiritual seeker a framework within which to study. The most well known verse is the second sutra, which reads in Sanskrit (the language in which it was originally written) “Yoga citta vrtti nirodha”. This translates as “Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind.” By this statement, Patanjali meant that yoga is more than just the physical practice of moving the body into postures. Yoga can also help us reduce stress and achieve inner serenity.

For most of us, life is all about completing tasks, checking things off our to-do lists, or “multi-tasking.” Yoga, on the other hand, is about mono-tasking. It’s about turning the volume down inside our heads and finding space and room just to be quiet.

Ask yourself how long it’s been since you’ve experienced a moment of true peace. Maybe now is the right time to create time and space in your life to reflect, and find the peace within you. To read further about Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, we recommend the following books:

Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – by BKS Iyengar

Four Chapters on Freedom – Swami Satyananda Saraswati