Why as in Know-why. Know-how is important. Know-why is even more important.
These pages have discussed a lot of Hows. How to design a yoga practice. How to perform asanas. How to learn about yoga. And so forth.
But why would you do those things? And if you made a certain decision in the process of designing your yoga practice, why did you make that decision?
Basically, the question “Why?” on any topic has two possible acceptable answers. One is that you are taking the advice of someone you trust. The other is that you have analyzed the situation in satisfactory detail, including gathering adequate information, and developing sensible criteria, to have confidence in your decision. There is actually a third possible answer, namely that you are reacting blindly and trusting your instincts in a life-and-death situation, but that probably won’t apply to yoga decisions you make. So you are stuck with the other two, and ultimately with yourself to make the right decision, either about someone you trust or about the correct thing to do.
Knowing how to fire a gun or perform Warrior II asana properly is important if you are going to use that firearm or do a yoga practice. Knowing why you would fire the gun or step into a Warrior II pose (or even have a yoga practice!) is the fundamental decision you need first to get right.
