We start to be conditioned from the moment we are born. Before we even draw our first breath, we are labelled without choice— our gender determined, our name given, and our religion and social status inherited from our family. As we grow, this conditioning continues through cultural norms, societal expectations, and the stories we are told about who we are and should be. But it doesn’t stop there. Our experiences, both joyful and painful, add new layers to this conditioning. For instance, traumas leave deep imprints on our psyche, shaping how we see ourselves and the world, often creating limiting beliefs or protective patterns that are difficult to unravel.

Awakening begins when we realise that the person we’ve become is a complex outcome of labels, roles, and lived experiences, leaving little room for conscious choice or authenticity. It's a rude but necessary awakening. Once we're awake, the path to the essential self isn’t easy. Shedding the stories and labels we’ve been given often means confronting shame, resistance from others, and the emotional pain of seeing the truth and healing past wounds. But this journey is one worth taking, and it lies at the heart of yoga—a path to moksha, or liberation, from everything that obscures our true essence.

The First Yogis: Seekers of Truth Beyond Conditioning

The origins of yoga lie in the quest for liberation. Thousands of years ago, in ancient India, the first yogis were śramaṇas—wandering ascetics and seekers who turned away from the conditioned norms of their time. These individuals rejected the rigid structures of caste, religion, and materialism, recognising that their inherited identities were not their true selves. Dissatisfied with societal expectations, they left behind their families, villages, and possessions to retreat into forests and mountains, seeking freedom from the labels and constraints imposed upon them. The most famous one was the Buddha.

Still, the śramaṇas knew that true liberation required more than rebelling against society—it demanded a complete transformation of the self. Through solitude, meditation, and self-discipline, they attempted to peel away the layers of conditioning. They understood that freedom could only be found by facing the inner obstacles that bound them—the fears, attachments, and wounds that kept them bound to the false self. Their practices of silence, stillness, and deep introspection were tools for reconnecting with their unconditioned essence.

This path is not without challenges. Stepping outside societal norms was (and still is) met with resistance, judgment, and shame. It requires courage to question inherited beliefs and walk a path of truth, especially when the wounds of past traumas make us doubt our worth or fear the unknown. Yet, the śramaṇas showed us that this work is the key to discovering the essential self and finding true freedom.

Conditioning, Trauma, and the False Self

In our modern world, the conditioning we face is no less pervasive, even if it takes different forms. From a young age, we are taught to conform—to prioritise success, appearances, and external validation. These societal pressures create a "false self" designed to fit in and meet expectations. Over time, this false self becomes a mask, hiding the truest parts of who we are. We become an adjustment to the expectations of others.

Trauma complicates this process even further. The painful experiences we endure—whether in childhood or later in life—often create patterns of self-protection that keep us disconnected from our essential selves. For instance, we may learn to suppress our emotions to avoid conflict or adopt perfectionism to feel worthy of love. These patterns, though rooted in survival, become barriers to living authentically, so the path to the essential self requires unlearning societal conditioning and healing the wounds that keep us bound to the false self. This is no easy task, as healing often brings up old pain and requires deep vulnerability.

Moreover, society often shames us for stepping outside the roles we’ve been assigned. Just as the first yogis were judged for rejecting societal norms, we, too, may face resistance when we question the narratives we’ve been taught. This is why the path to the essential self requires both courage and compassion—for ourselves and for the parts of us that have been shaped by pain.

The Danger of Following False Paths

However, on the path to liberation, the obstacles are many. One of the greatest challenges lies in navigating the multitude of theories, practices, and beliefs that promise liberation but instead lead us further astray. In a world where opposition to mainstream society and culture often takes the form of embracing the alternative, it can be tempting to trust any path that feels like rebellion. Yet, rejecting the status quo without insight and wisdom can be just as binding and conforming, often to a more dangerous and misleading rhetoric. Many are drawn to the alternative practices with the hope of finding freedom, only to discover they have unwittingly traded one form of conditioning for another. Blindly following ideas that seem "different" or "spiritual" without questioning their validity can deepen disconnection from the essential self. True liberation requires critical thinking and the courage to seek truth, even when it challenges what we want to believe. In yogic terms, this is Viveka, or discernment, or the ability to distinguish between what is what is unreal or temporary, and what is real and eternal guiding us toward truth and liberation on the path of yoga. We can avoid losing our way by developing critical thinking and distinguishing what aligns with the truth.

Yoga as The Path to Liberation

Yoga, in its truest sense, is the practice of unravelling the layers of conditioning and returning to the essence of who we are. The practice of asana, pranayama, and meditation we associate with yoga today are only the tools and methods for resilience designed to prepare the body and mind for the deeper work of self-discovery. The ultimate goal of yoga is moksha, or liberation: freedom from the false self, untruths told and learned, binding beliefs, the pain of unhealed traumas, and the labels and roles that do not align with the truth. This process takes time, as we peel back the layers of conditioning and face the emotional weight of the process. But with each step, we move closer to the stillness and clarity needed to hear and see the truth and to be truly free.

At its core, yoga means union or oneness—a recognition that we are all interconnected. Seeing this oneness liberates us, helping us transcend the need to conform to societal expectations. When we align with our essential selves, we become more compassionate beings, aware that our words and actions matter. Therefore, liberation is not only about personal freedom but about shedding the fears that drive shortsighted behaviour and living in a way that serves not just ourselves but everyone and everything around us. Yoga is not only a path to personal liberation but to the creation of a better world.

Final thoughts

Living from the essential self means learning to follow the path of truth, even when the truth challenges our beliefs about ourselves and about the world. When we live from our essential selves, we no longer measure our worth by external markers or seek approval from others. Instead, we live from a place of authenticity and compassion. This doesn’t mean life becomes free of challenges; it means we meet those challenges with a sense of wholeness and peace, knowing we are rooted in who we truly are and, perhaps more importantly, knowing that our lives and actions contribute to the greater good and the well-being of all.