12/05/2025
Gratitude and the Path of Shraddha
This week, I have the immense privilege of welcoming my teacher to our shala. His presence, wisdom and boundless energy reminds me of the deep importance of gratitude in this practice.
In the yoga tradition, we speak of prostrating oneself before the guru — not as a gesture of submission, but as an act of humility, a way of dissolving the ego and the sense of “I”. When we recognize the presence of a teacher, we acknowledge that wisdom flows through a lineage, not from individual ownership.
This is beautifully expressed at the very beginning of one of yoga’s classic texts, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika:
“Salutations to the glorious primal Guru, who instructed the knowledge of Hatha Yoga, which shines forth as a stairway for those who wish to ascend to the highest stage of Yoga, Raja Yoga.”
It’s a reminder that before sharing, teaching, or practicing, we honor those who came before us. Every piece of knowledge I share in class has been passed down by my teachers. It doesn’t belong to me and it’s essential to honor this, so that the transmission remains pure, free from the voice of “I know”. Each teacher is also a student, forever receiving and offering what has been given.
This humility, this sincere gratitude, is known as Shraddha — faith, love and devotion expressed through pure motives. It’s a reminder that our practice is not only about postures, but about the heart we bring to each gesture, each breath, and to those who guide us along the way.
With gratitude always,
Marie
