This text was written for the European Yoga Congress in 2026
Bhāva and Rasa in Yoga Practice – Experiencing the Inner Elements
by Kei Kvarnstrom
In the classical yoga tradition the aim of practice is described as calming the movements of the mind. In the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali this is expressed as citta-vṛtti-nirodha (Yoga Sūtra I.2). Two concepts from the Indian tradition can help us understand this process more deeply: bhāva and rasa.
Bhāva refers to the inner state or emotional tone that colours our experience. In yoga practice this inner atmosphere may appear as calm attention, devotion, clarity, or quiet joy. They arise and change within the field of the mind.
Rasa is often translated as “essence,” “flavour,” or “inner taste.” It describes the deeper quality that can appear when an experience is fully felt and integrated. In yoga this rasa may arise when body, breath, and awareness come into harmony. The practitioner may sense a subtle feeling of balance, presence, and inner richness.
In teaching yoga, it is not enough to transmit techniques. The teacher also creates a space where a certain bhāva can arise — a field of attention, quietness, and openness. Within such an atmosphere a deeper rasa may naturally appear through practice.
This understanding forms the basis of the session I will offer during the congress: “Bhūti – The Inner Elements: Transformation and Balance through Yoga.” In this class participants explore how simple elements of yoga — movement, breath, sound, and awareness — can support the transformation of inner states.
The session begins with gentle awakening movements and mindful breathing. Simple āsana practice is combined with short moments of relaxation so that the body and breath can settle naturally. From this foundation the practice gradually moves toward prāṇāyāma and meditation.
Vedic chanting accompanies the practice and offers both structure and spaciousness. Sound here is not only musical expression; it becomes a subtle support for concentration and inner listening. Participants may join the chant or simply rest in silent awareness.
The structure of the session supports balance: two parts āsana, one part prāṇāyāma, and one part meditation with Vedic chanting.
Through this integrated practice the practitioner may notice how the quality of bhāva begins to shift. Gradually a deeper rasa of calmness, clarity, and inner balance may appear.
In this way yoga becomes more than physical exercise. It becomes a gentle process of inner transformation, where body, breath, sound, and awareness reveal the quiet richness of human experience.
