You probably have your own goals for your yoga practice, but would do serious yogis say is the ultimate goal of yoga?

Everyone has their own reasons for doing yoga, but for the serious yoga practitioner, yoga can actually become a way of life. Following the traditional teachings of yoga has been found by many to bring a deeper, more spiritual understanding of ourselves and our connection to the world.

While not everyone has to follow the same path, we thought it would be interesting to share what true “yogis” feel is the ultimate goal of yoga.

Here are some insights on the question from Yoga.com:

…Arguably, each practitioner has a goal (or goals) individual to him or her. However, yoga has been practiced in various forms for hundreds of years all over the world. There must be a grand design, an ultimate goal…

There is. It is called: moksha.

Moksha is the liberation from worldly suffering and samsara (the cycle of birth and death through reincarnation). This release from sequential lives on earth leads to an enlightened relationship with a creator. Different schools of yoga have differing beliefs about this enlightened relationship.

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For serious practitioners of yoga, moksha is worth more than just sweat on the mat and a few classes every week. It requires an austere, self-disciplined life based around the Five Principles of Yoga (proper relaxation, proper exercise, proper breathing, proper diet, and positive thinking and meditation). The rules and guidelines of this self-disciplined life are called yama and niyama…

The disciplined life is guided by the understanding that many of life’s problems are self-imposed limitations. Poor habits, frivolous living, and unfounded beliefs all contribute to a confusing, murky world. Yama and niyama help practitioners prioritize their inner and outer worlds so that balance and proportion are restored to all aspects of life.

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Moksha is a noble ambition that has been shared by billions of people throughout history and the yama and niyama still guide the lives of thousands of yoga practitioners today…