The purpose of practicing yoga is to attain spiritual liberation, described as moksha or kaivalya, through the disciplined transformation of body, mind, and consciousness. At its heart, yoga seeks freedom from suffering born of ignorance and attachment, and release from the cycle of birth and death. This liberation is not merely an abstract ideal; it is grounded in the realization of one’s true nature as pure consciousness, distinct from the ever-changing movements of mind and matter. In this sense, yoga is a path of inner freedom, where the practitioner comes to discern the Self beyond ego and material identification.

Central to this process is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind, often expressed as citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ. When the mind’s restless movements are quieted, inner silence and clarity arise, making it possible to recognize the distinction between the true Self (puruṣa) and the material world (prakṛti). Through this clarity, individual consciousness is understood as not separate from the highest reality, and the sense of bondage created by misidentification begins to fall away. The ultimate aim is a state of spiritual independence in which consciousness abides in its own nature, free from the compulsions of ignorance and conditioning.

Yoga approaches this goal through a comprehensive discipline that includes ethical living, physical and energetic refinement, and progressive interiorization of awareness. Moral and ethical observances establish the foundation for purifying conduct and intention, while postures and breath regulation make the body and life-force steady and fit for deeper practice. Practices such as sensory withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and meditative absorption gradually turn attention away from external distractions and toward the inner reality. As these disciplines mature, they cultivate virtues, dissolve karmic obstacles, and prepare the practitioner for the culminating experience of samādhi, where union with the ultimate reality and genuine spiritual freedom are realized.