Feel Like You're Always in Your Head? Here’s What Yoga Was Actually Meant to Do

27 Jun

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A Modern Look at Patanjali’s Timeless Teachings

I’ll be honest — the Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras were one of the most confusing texts I encountered during my yoga teacher training.

The translation didn’t make any sense to me at the time, so I put it aside for a few years.

But later, when I came across quotes in yoga magazines or workshops, my curiosity was rekindled. There was something about these short little sutras — these threads of wisdom — that felt oddly familiar. As if I already knew them somehow, but hadn’t quite understood how to work with them.

Over time, I’ve come to appreciate that the Sutras aren’t meant to be memorised or decoded. They’re meant to be practised. They’re not about quick fixes or perfect poses — they’re a guide for the mind. And once you see them that way, they become incredibly practical.

Whether you're a curious student, a yoga teacher, or simply someone (like many of us) who feels overwhelmed and wants to feel calmer, clearer, and steadier, there's something in here for you.

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01 The Real Goal of Yoga — And It’s Not Touching Your Toes

Patanjali starts strong. In the second sutra, he lays it all out:

“Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ”
Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. (YS I.2)

In other words, yoga is what happens when the constant spinning of thoughts, worries, comparisons, lists, doubts and distractions settles down. When the mind becomes quiet. And then, in the next verse, we hear:

“Tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe avasthānam”
Then the seer rests in their own true nature. (YS I.3)

This is one of my favourite lines. According to the Sutras, our true nature isn’t stress, anxiety, or drama. It’s calm. It’s clear. It’s content. Just like our body naturally wants to return to balance (homeostasis), so does the mind. Yoga, then, is about helping us remember that place and return to it more often.

This doesn’t mean ignoring life’s challenges, but rather finding a way to meet them with greater steadiness.

02 The Two Things That Actually Work (But They Take Time)

Patanjali doesn’t just tell us the goal and leave us hanging. He offers a roadmap. Quite early in the first chapter, we meet this teaching:

“Abhyāsa vairāgyābhyāṁ tan-nirodhaḥ”
The mind becomes steady through practice and non-attachment. (YS I.12)

These are the two pillars of yoga:

Abhyasa: consistent effort
Vairagya: letting go of expectations

Practice here doesn’t mean doing something once in a while, or only when we feel motivated. Patanjali is very specific:

“Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and in all earnestness.”
— YS I.14

This means that practice needs to be repeated continuously, ideally daily, rather than in fits and starts. It’s this regularity, even if the practice is short, that matters most. Without it, the mind quickly slips back into its old patterns.

And when we don’t have a practice to come back to, we tend to fall back into the pull of the subconscious: fear, doubt, distraction, and reactivity.

These are the patterns that run in the background, often without us noticing, until something brings us back to awareness. That’s what practice does. It interrupts the old loop.

And this isn’t about rigidity or perfection. It’s about showing up for yourself in a sustainable way, like brushing your teeth for the mind, so to speak.

Whether it's movement, breathing practices, sitting in silence, walking in nature, or simply noticing your thoughts without judgment, consistency is what makes it medicine.

Non-attachment, meanwhile, is the tricky one. Let’s say you’re working towards headstand or the splits. You’ve been practising for weeks and think, by now I should really be able to do this. That thought creates frustration or self-doubt. You feel like quitting.

But that's the moment when the Sutras remind us: keep going without the drama. Let go of the outcome and stay focused on the process, just as you would when brushing your teeth. No fuss. Just keep going.

Practice doesn’t mean just showing up on your mat twice a week. It means anything that supports steadiness, and it needs to be done over time, with sincerity, and without giving up. Most importantly, it should be done without attaching a timeline or expectation to it.

03 What Gets in the Way — And How to Work With It

So why don’t we just stay calm and steady?

Even with the best of intentions, the path can feel slippery. Patanjali names ten common hindrances (vikshepas) that get in the way:

“Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground, and slipping from the ground gained — these are the distractions of the mind.”
— YS I.30

They’re familiar, aren’t they? We’ve all been in those places — tired, discouraged, distracted, caught up in habits that don’t serve us. Often, the hardest part is simply starting again after slipping off track.

This is where the earlier teaching of abhyasa — practice — becomes even more relevant. The more often we repeat something that brings us steadiness, especially when it becomes a daily rhythm, the less grip these hindrances have on us.

Regularity is key. Not intensity. Not perfection. Just returning to a nourishing practice, again and again, no matter how small. That’s where real transformation lives.

And if you do fall down the rabbit hole, the good news? There are tools to get you out again.

04 Seven Ways to Soothe the Mind (That Don’t Involve Escaping)

Patanjali offers seven ways to regain balance. These aren’t meant to be done all at once — just choose one that resonates.

“The mind retains its undisturbed calmness by...”
— YS I.33–39

Cultivating the right attitude toward others:
Friendliness towards the happy. Compassion for the unhappy. Delight in the virtuous. Disregard for the wicked.
(This was my teacher’s favourite sutra to practise — and it truly helps. Notice your mind the next time you feel envy or irritation.)
Breath: Controlled exhalation and breath retention.
Sense focus: Noticing subtle sensations — the feeling of the breath on your upper lip, or your feet on the ground.
Inner light: Concentrating on the lotus of the heart — or, if that feels abstract, try candle gazing as a way to connect to something deeper.
The example of a great soul: Think of someone who radiates peace. What would they do?
Dream or sleep recall: Reflecting on moments of peace, even in unconscious states.
Any object that uplifts you: Music, nature, poetry, silence. Anything that brings your mind back to steadiness.

None of these require fancy equipment or hours of time. Just intention.

🌟 Bringing It Back to the Heart of Yoga

And this is where it all connects back to the very beginning of the Sutras — to that second and third verse, the core of what Yoga is:

“Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. Then the seer rests in their own true nature.”
— YS I.2–3

Our true nature — that quiet, grounded part of us — isn’t something far away or reserved for spiritual masters. It’s already here. But the layers of stress, distraction, doubt, fear, and restlessness cover it up.

That’s why regular, steady practice matters so much. It’s not about achieving something new. It’s about remembering and returning to what’s already within us.

Each time we come back to the breath, the body, or a moment of stillness, we peel away another layer — and come a little closer to that place of calm and clarity that has been there all along.

05 What If Samadhi Isn’t Just for Sages?

The first chapter of the Sutras concludes by exploring different levels of samadhi, often described as the highest state of yoga—a merging of the self with pure awareness.

But what if you’ve already experienced glimpses of this without realising?

That moment of quiet at the end of savasana. Watching the sea. Being absorbed in music or reading. When the mind feels completely at ease and open, even for a breath.

Samadhi doesn’t have to mean transcendence. It can be an inner steadiness. A deep knowing. A moment of being completely here. That’s already a kind of return to our true nature.

If this sparked your interest, you might also enjoy:

Yoga in Daily Life, Life Lessons from Patanjali’s Second Chapter

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras Explained – Why They Matter Today

The Universe Within: Yoga Sutras and the Journey to Samadhi

How Self-Doubt Holds You Back and How to Overcome It

The 5 Main Obstacles on the Yogic Path – and How to Overcome Them

Final Thoughts

The Yoga Sutras aren’t a quick-fix manual or a mystery to be solved. They’re a living guide. And they remind us that the essence of yoga is mental steadiness, emotional balance, and clarity — something we all long for, especially in fast-paced and noisy times.

Whether you're a busy mum trying to stay calm, a curious yoga student wanting to go deeper, or a teacher looking to reconnect with the roots of the practice, Patanjali offers something valuable. The journey back to our true nature might not be a straight line. But it’s worth walking.

So here’s the question:
Which of these tools could you try this week — just experimenting, no pressure — to return to yourself?