Dharma

Cosmic order, natural law, appropriate duty. It is one of the broadest concepts in Indian thought, with meanings ranging from the intrinsic nature of things to correct ethical conduct.

In yogic context, dharma can refer to the inherent qualities of an object (dharmin), the stages of transformation in samyama, or personal duty (svadharma) that each person must fulfill according to their nature.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches that it’s better to perform one’s own dharma imperfectly than another’s dharma perfectly. Yoga is not escaping life, but living it with awareness of its deep purpose.