Atman

“Being”, “soul”, “Self”. The conscious and immutable principle that constitutes the true identity of every being.

Characteristics according to the Upaniṣads:

• Eternal (nitya)
• Pure (śuddha)
• Conscious (cit)
• Free (mukta)
• Unaffected by body-mind experiences

The mahāvākya “Ayam ātmā brahma” (This ātman is Brahman) from the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad declares the identity between the individual self and the Absolute.

In the context of yoga:

• The yogi discriminates (viveka) between ātman and anātman (what is not the Self)
• Practice purifies the body-mind so that ātman recognizes itself
• The ātman is never “bound” — it only appears so due to avidyā (ignorance)