Yoga is not always presented as a theistic philosophy yet isvara in Patnajali's sutras is simply the divine or om. Krishnamacharya as described by his son as lord or divine. The idea of god or the divine resonates with some but not all and can potentially put people off coming to a yoga class.
I am always reminded of the story of Hanuman the monkey deity. Hanuman came across Rama and knew immediately that this was a divine being. Hanuman dedicated himself to Rama and his consort Site. One day Sita was kidnapped by the ruler of Sri Lanka. It is said that he leapt from India to Sri Lanka in devotion to capture Sita and bring her back. And so he did. The pose above hanumanasana thus represents dedication, devotion and an willingness to not think of self. It represents the leap into faith.
Chapter 1 verse 23 states that devotion to the divine is a key pathway to enlightenment. Pranidanah is often translated as 'throwing down' or 'surrender'. I have not studied sanskrit, however, my understanding of this translation is specifically throwing down the ego. I try to see my salutes more as prostrations and remind myself each time to simply surrender and let go to a greater force. To let go of ego is a huge challenge after all this is what gets us out of bed and doing things. It appears that we must let go of any outcome before we even begin the action. Wow - what a challenge! Minding the mind with each and every action and breath.
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