Rishi Patanjali states that yoga begins with righteous conduct and discipline. Accordingly, yama and niyama are considered the first two limbs of ashtanga yoga. With this foundation in place—and under the guidance of a competent teacher—the practitioner can progress further on the path of sadhana.

Many Hindus adore the Divine by visiting temples or performing aarti, waving lamps, beating drums, and playing cymbals before a murti (idol). In this insightful article, Pujya Gurudev Anandmurti Gurumaa elucidates that for a yogi, God is not a mere statue. The Divine has no form or name; it is the unchanging, absolute existence. Yogis perform their worship differently—by stilling their mind in meditation and adoring the Atman, the pure and...