Moving With Purpose: Yoga Asanas to Align With Your Dharma

In yoga philosophy, dharma is often described as our purpose, duty, or the path we are meant to walk in this lifetime. It’s not always clear from the start, and sometimes, it takes years (or even lifetimes) to fully step into it. But when we move with awareness (on and off the mat) we begin to uncover the places where we feel most alive, most aligned, and most at home in ourselves.

Yoga is more than just movement; it’s a tool for self-discovery, a way to clear the mind and reconnect with the wisdom already inside us. And just as life requires us to navigate different energies (strength and surrender, balance and stability, action and reflection) our physical practice reflects these dualities, helping us embody them.

So today, I want to guide you through a sequence of asanas (postures) that cultivate qualities essential for walking your dharmic path. Whether you’re searching for your purpose or seeking deeper alignment with it, these poses will help you connect with your body, breath, and intuition.

1. Grounding into Your Truth: Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Tadasana may look simple, but standing still with awareness is an act of deep presence. This pose teaches stability, reminding us that before we can step into our purpose, we must first feel rooted in ourselves.

🌿 Try it:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides, palms facing forward.

• Engage your thighs, lift your chest, and feel the crown of your head lengthen toward the sky.

• Close your eyes and take slow, steady breaths.

• Ask yourself: What does alignment feel like in my body? What am I standing for?

2. Taking the Leap: Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)

Warrior I embodies strength, focus, and action. It teaches us to step forward into the unknown, even when the path isn’t fully clear.

🌿 Try it:

• Step one foot back, bending the front knee at a 90-degree angle.

• Square your hips forward, lifting your arms overhead.

• Press firmly into your back foot, feeling both stability and momentum in your stance.

• Take three deep breaths and imagine stepping forward into your dharma with confidence.

  
  

3. Finding Balance in the Journey: Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

Tree Pose reminds us that balance is not about perfection—it’s about constant adjustment. Just like in life, we may wobble, shift, or even fall, but we always have the ability to reground and try again.

🌿 Try it:

• Stand tall and shift your weight onto one leg.

• Place the sole of your opposite foot on your ankle, calf, or inner thigh (avoid the knee).

• Bring your hands to heart center or extend them overhead.

• Notice the micro-adjustments your body makes to stay balanced—just like the adjustments we make in life when we follow our dharma.

4. Opening the Heart: Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

Camel Pose is a deep backbend that requires vulnerability and surrender. It helps release fear, tension, and resistance—things that often hold us back from embracing our true path.

🌿 Try it:

• Kneel on the mat with your knees hip-width apart.

• Place your hands on your lower back for support, and slowly begin to arch backward.

• If it feels safe, reach for your heels, lifting your chest and letting your head fall back.

• Breathe deeply, focusing on opening your heart and letting go of fear.

5. Embracing the Flow: Sukhasana with Pranayama (Easy Pose + Breathwork)

Sukhasana (Easy Pose) combined with mindful pranayama (breathwork) helps us tune inwards and quiet the noise of the external world. This is where clarity happens.

🌿 Try it:

• Sit comfortably with your spine tall.

• Close your eyes and take a deep inhale through your nose, then exhale slowly through your mouth.

• Try Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) by closing one nostril at a time as you inhale and exhale, bringing balance to both sides of the body.

• With each breath, ask yourself: What is my dharma? What is calling me forward?

Walking Your Dharma, One Breath at a Time

Yoga is more than just movement—it’s a way to connect with your deepest truth. Each pose, each breath, is a step toward greater self-awareness. And when we practice with intention, we begin to embody the qualities we need to live out our dharma, strength, balance, openness, and trust.

If you’re still searching for your purpose, know this: You don’t have to have all the answers right now. Dharma is not a destination; it’s a journey. And just like in yoga, the key is to keep showing up... to your mat, to your breath, to the unfolding of your own unique path.

So, move with intention. Breathe with awareness. And trust that every step is guiding you home. With Love and Gratitude, Niah Blue