After three years of practicing Ashtanga, my first ever jump through came unexpectedly today. I was ecstatic and wanted to experience more of them, so I continued through my series long past where, for the first time in a long time, I felt confident intuition to finish. Having overdone it, I am very tired and know that I have done my body and mind a disservice in pushing it.

Yoga has much to say about siddhis (yogic super powers) and cautions against attachment to them:

“Then the wise yogi, in order to gain success in yoga, should think that these are obstacles to the ultimate attainment; the wise yogi should not take pleasure in them.” - Dattātreyayogaśāstra 101-102

“Those powers are hinderances when in samadhi; when the mind is active they are perfections." - Pātañjalayogaśāstra 3.37

“in the end, all this is fraudulent display.” - Lallāvākyāni 38

Jumping through might not be a siddhi by classical definition, but the caution remains the same: don’t get sidetracked by markers of “progress.”

Let’s discuss! What are your progress markers or achievements and how do you relate to them?