The Power of Aim

In life, having an aim is essential. Without one, we wander, unsure of where we’re headed or what we’re striving for. But when we do have an aim, it becomes the compass that guides our thoughts, words, and actions.

The key is to aim for something that represents the highest good—or at least something better than where you are right now. When you aim for the highest good, it shapes everything else in your life. It informs the ideas you generate, the thoughts you think, the words you speak, and the actions you take. Your aim becomes the lens through which you view and interact with the world.

The same principle applies to your practice. To make progress, you need to aim for something you can’t yet do—whether it’s mastering a challenging pose like a handstand, deepening your meditation practice, or simply showing up every day. The aim helps to drive you forward. But here’s where it gets interesting: you can’t hold onto the aim too tightly. If achieving the handstand becomes the highest goal, what happens when you get there? You’ve reached the end of the road. This is why the practice needs to remain open-ended, as for example in the Ashtanga system, where there’s always more to aim for. In that system, you’re never "done" aiming. There’s always deeper work to be done.

And just as in life, your aim in yoga reveals both light and shadow—strengths and limitations. But ultimately, as you progress, you’re always reminded that every journey ends in Savasana. And in Savasana, all goals, poses, and achievements lose their meaning. Learning not to hold on too tightly to the aim is part of the art.

The aim will shape who you become, but letting go will remind you that the journey itself is what truly matters and that you have, in a mysterious way, already arrived...