An excerpt from: The Breath of God and Pranayam
By Swami Kamalananda
Our physical or material life is only one aspect—actually the smallest—of our experience as a human being. Our physical self endures less, extends less and expresses less than who we are to ourselves and to others.
The purpose of Yoga is seeking our largest, most enduring and most powerful identity. In this process we realize a potential consciousness that may seem dormant or undeveloped but is ultimately the most powerful, meaningful and sublime reality of Life. According to Yoga, “salvation” is the birthright of every soul!
Meditation begins with this invaluable recognition: With every breath, as we sit humbly on earth, we are dynamically connected with the entire Cosmic Life Breath and its Perfection.
We can strive to fulfill our humanness (that is Divine) or we will suffer living as less than fully human. Interestingly, Rabindranath Tagore explained our divine potential as a surplus—not as something extra that we do not need, but as a faculty greater than what our senses or our minds can provide. All of us are endowed with this faculty for self-realization. It is our birthright, our “raison d’être” that awaits our exploration. Awakening to the divine purpose of our life is itself a powerful transformation.