The Evolution of Asana: Practicing from the Inside Out
- Prema Posner
- Jun 4
- 2 min read
From performance to presence: How my practice changed when I stopped chasing the pose
There was a time when my yoga practice was all about the pose—how deep I could go, how long I could hold, how “advanced” I could look.
But over time, I began to feel disconnected. I was moving through the shapes, but something essential was missing. The more I pushed, the less I listened.
Then I came across this teaching from T.K.V. Desikachar:
“The success of Yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures, but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.”
It struck something deep in me.
Slowly, I began to let go of performance. I started listening to my breath instead of relying on alignment cues. I practiced less for the pose and more for the presence it revealed.
The Real Purpose of Asana
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras remind us that asana is meant to be sthira sukham—steady and easeful. Asana is not about achieving a goal; it’s about preparing the body to be a clear vessel for breath, awareness, and stillness.
As Swami Satchidananda said:
“You can practice a perfect posture and still be miles away from yoga.”
When I began moving from the inside out—feeling prana, honoring subtle shifts, letting energy guide me—my practice became a gateway.
Not to performance, but to presence. To healing. To wholeness.
This Is the Yoga I Now Share
In every class I teach, we return to this: Slow, conscious movement. Breath-led awareness. Inner listening. We explore postures not to master them, but to meet ourselves within them.
If you’re longing for a yoga practice that nourishes more than it pushes, I invite you to join me. This isn’t about doing more. It’s about being more present.
And that, to me, is the most advanced practice of all.
With love,
Prema
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