Yoga Bhāvanā – The Path of Cultivation

Beloved Sangha,

This note may ask a little more of your attention, it’s a first glimpse into an extensive body of work that is - and will continue to be - in progress. It may need more than one reading to land…

 I’ve quietly begun sharing a more intentional vocabulary around what I teach, something that has evolved for the past three decades of daily engagement on my own mat. I first introduced this personal approach in my In-Depth Training in November, hoping it would help students orient within this vast material, and offer a clear structure for those teaching this work.

I call this approach Yoga Bhāvanā.

Like many Sanskrit words, Bhāvanā cannot be directly translated, as some of its deeper meanings are embedded in the sound of the word itself. In plain English, Bhāvanā can be understood as Cultivation, Becoming, or Bringing into Being - even Practice. It is said to be the word the Buddha used the most.

“By avoiding the implication that the journey of Yoga has an end-point, Yoga Bhāvanā inspires a commitment to the path itself.”

So, what is Yoga? The best translation I have come up with (so far) is Integration. Integration of body, breath, heart, mind, relationships – all aspects of our human experience. In Yoga Bhāvanā this is reflected in a multi-layered approach to practice, addressing each domain distinctively, yet as part of an integrated whole. Below is an overview taken from our In-Depth Training Manual.

Each Bhāvanā has further layers and subtleties, beyond the scope of this brief text. Each with its own cultivation process - interdependent but with distinct practices and trainings assigned to each area.

While Āsana Bhāvanā is rooted in classical yoga āsana including - but not limited to - Aṣṭāṅga Yoga, Kāyā Bhāvanā cultivates the soil, the Embodiment, from which āsana arises.

Kāyā Bhāvanā - The Cultivation of Embodiment, involves somatic preparatory sequences designed to return us to our body’s innate intelligence, allowing āsanato unfold with integrity, ease, and clarity.

Kāyā, another word with multiple depths, usually translates in Buddhist teachings as body or collection. Yet it is far richer than the physical body alone; in this context it embraces the full field of our human experience.

“Kāyā Bhāvanā is a way of taking up residency in our body that leads to integration, healing & ”

It is the living ground from which āsana practice becomes truly embodied and transformative.

It begins with something deceivingly simple, yet most profound: A Body Scan. A willingness to listen - not just to the loud demands of dramatic postures, as is common in modern yoga, but to the quiet wisdom already present in our somatic universe.

A live recording from my In-Depth Training is shared in our new podcast episode. A simple invitation to establish inner reference before āsana practice, or daily life begins - so that we can better attune whatever follows to our inner climate.

In an increasingly disembodied world, attention is scattered and bodily signals ignored countless times each day. This dissonance hides us from our inner supports and creative ways of engaging with life. We must each consciously cultivate methods to disentangle ourselves from that. Slowing down to Body Time, Real Time and cultivating sustained compassionate attention, is deeply called for. It is a radical act of reclaiming inner agency and empowerment. 

I would, as always love to hear back from you and continue this journey together.

Thank you for your kind attention. With Love and Blessings x

/kia, Paris February 2026