Liberating Yoga

Harpinder Mann

Welcome to the Liberating Yoga podcast. A space to explore yoga as a practice and path of healing, resistance, and deep connection. If yoga is a rich body of experiential knowledge rooted in South Asia, how did we end up with a mainstream yoga culture in the United States focused on promoting physical fitness and selling polyester “yoga pants” with pockets? Join Harpinder Kaur Mann, Punjabi Yoga Asana, Pranayama, & Meditation Teacher, on a journey of yoga’s history, philosophy, and contemporary culture to uncover its true nature as a path toward deep self-inquiry and collective liberation.

Episodes

  1. 06/17/2025

    Yoga as a Philosophy of Integrity with Anjali Rao

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Anjali Rao.Why do modern yoga spaces feel so in conflict with the path’s core principles? In this episode of the Liberating Yoga Podcast, I'm in conversation with Teacher, Intersectional Health Advocate, and Space Holder, Anjali Rao.We discuss the absence of history and philosophy in yoga teacher trainings, the damage of unbridled power and privilege in yogic spaces, and all that is possible when we tap into the depth of yoga’s teachings.00:00 - Intro 00:43 - Meeting Anjali Rao01:31 - Meaning Of Yoga04:47 - History Gap In Teacher Trainings07:06 - Colonisation, Capitalism & Asana09:56 - Practitioner Vs Teacher Responsibility13:12 - Reframing 200-Hour Curriculum18:19 - Erasure & Dominant Narratives22:17 - Quantity Over Quality Culture26:17 - Yoga On Happiness & Contentment30:18 - Harms Of Capitalism36:23 - Wholeness, Practice & Patriarchy40:30 - Dating Yoga’s Origins45:35 - Learning Philosophy Paths48:23 - Trauma-Informed Claims Examined51:39 - Interconnectedness Core Teaching58:29 - Living Yoga With Integrity1:00:02 - Power, Privilege & Diverse Voices1:05:17 - Burnout And Staying Grounded1:11:24 - Vision For Future Change Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Work With Me ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 18m
  2. 06/10/2025

    Decolonizing Yoga: Classical Roots & Spirituality with Dr. Neil Dalal

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Dr. Neil Dalal. There is no checklist for avoiding cultural appropriation and honoring yoga’s roots. In a society seeking quick fixes to avoid being “wrong,” this episode is an invitation to think more deeply about how we might connect back to the path’s original intentions with reverence. In this conversation, Dr. Neil Dalal, Researcher and Director of Religious Studies at the University of Alberta, speaks about what it might look like to practice deeply and decolonize the spiritual path of yoga. 00:00 - Intro 05:01 - What Yoga Means to Dr. Neil Dal 10:05 - Understanding Moksha in Classical Yoga 15:21 - Yoga as Present-Moment Liberation 20:11 - Modern Yoga Goals vs Classical Intent 25:23 - Structural Shifts in Global Yoga 30:31 - Dangers of Surface-Level Teaching 35:52 - Teacher Trainings & Lack of Depth 41:03 - White Ownership & Cultural Distortion 46:30 - Can Yoga Be Decolonized? 52:03 - Beyond the Checklist Mentality 57:00 - Yoga’s Identity Crisis in the West 1:02:08 - Finding Authentic Yoga Paths 1:07:14 - South Asian Teachers & Tokenism 1:12:17 - Value of Traditional Lineage 1:17:21 - Yoga as Deep Cultural Training 1:22:12 - Dangers of Unsupervised Practices 1:27:05 - Rise & Issues of Modern Kundalini Yoga 1:32:51 - Yoga Nidra, Modern Myths, & Misunderstandings 1:38:01 - History of Asana & Lineage Loss 1:43:06 - Four Aims of Life & Yoga’s Real Goal 1:48:54 - Yoga’s Critique of Capitalism & Desire 1:54:00 - Returning to Wholeness Through Inquiry 2:00:00 - Last Reflections & Integration Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠⁠⁠⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Work With Me ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠⁠⁠⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    2h 5m
  3. 06/02/2025

    Tantric Yoga & The Power of Holding Multiple Truths | Kendra Coupland

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Kendra Coupland.You are divine. What might it look like to embody this truth, while being deeply aware of how oppressive systems impact us in a very real way based on our multi-faceted human identities? Harpinder Kaur Mann is in conversation with Kendra Coupland, Yoga Grandmaster, Mindfulness Coach, and Artist, on this episode of the Liberating Yoga Podcast. They explore the importance of discomfort, harmful patterns in mainstream yoga spaces, and how tantric philosophy can lead us toward collective liberation. Book Launch Eventhttps://www.harpindermann.com/events 00:00 - Intro 02:06 - Meet Kendra Coupland 02:40 - What Yoga Means to Kendra 06:17 - Embodiment of Divinity 09:11 - Spiritual Bypassing in Yoga 12:15 - Yoga and Suffering 16:16 - Trauma & Yoga Spaces 19:00 - Individualised Practice 22:02 - Kendra's Teaching Style 25:07 - Limits of the Practice 28:42 - Daily Practice Matters 33:26 - Emotional Regulation 36:09 - Embodying Oneness 41:17 - Practices to Decondition 45:16 - Seeing the Interconnectedness 50:27 - Ancestors & Awareness 54:26 - Honoring Lineage 57:26 - Yoga & Disconnection 59:59 - Entry Points Into Yoga 1:02:02 - Equanimity & Observation 1:06:03 - Awareness vs. Ignorance 1:08:15 - Yoga & Cult-like Trends 1:12:30 - Teacher vs. Student First 1:16:36 - Warrior Heart Practice 1:18:10 - Disrupting Thought Patterns 1:20:28 - Where to Find Kendra Subscribe ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠⁠⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠⁠⁠ Work With Me ⁠⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠⁠⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 22m
  4. 05/26/2025

    Re-Centering Yoga’s Philosophy | Dr. Shyam Ranganathan

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Dr. Shyam Ranganathan. While mainstream American culture limits yoga to a mere fitness class or a “woo-woo” spiritual endeavor that belongs at home, it began as a philosophical commitment toward ethical action and sovereignty. In this episode of the Liberating Yoga Podcast, host Harpinder Kaur Mann is in conversation with Scholar and Historian of Philosophy, Dr. Shyam Ranganathan. Together, they dive deep into the ways yoga’s current definitions have been shaped by Western colonization and how we can reclaim the practice today to fight racism and colonialism. 00:00 - Intro 02:19 - What Is Yoga? 03:59 - Yoga as Unity of Self 06:21 - Yoga vs. Fitness 07:22 - Colonialism’s Impact 13:27 - Internalized Colonialism 16:57 - Race, Religion, and History 19:33 - Pre-Colonial Philosophy 23:15 - Ethics & Dharma 26:54 - What Is Pre-Colonial Yoga? 28:14 - Yoga’s Ethical Model 30:42 - Modern Yoga & Colonization 33:26 - Yoga as Decolonial Practice 35:49 - Yoga Studies & White Supremacy 41:01 - Yoga Heals Colonial Trauma 44:43 - Egotism & Power Structures 47:27 - Yoga as Political Action 50:11 - Tokenism in Yoga 55:12 - Diversity vs. Change 57:38 - Lifelong Learning 1:02:05 - Why Only Āsana? 1:05:42 - Big Y vs. Small y Yoga 1:08:09 - Philosophy vs. Industry 1:12:00 - Teaching vs. Selling 1:14:23 - Embracing Change 1:15:06 - Where to Learn More Find Dr. Shyam Ranganathan Online ⁠https://yogaphilosophy.com/ Subscribe ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠⁠ Work With Me ⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 16m
  5. 05/19/2025

    Creating Braver Yoga Spaces | Tejal Patel

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Tejal Patel. In a sea of yoga spaces that often feel exclusionary, I find myself asking: What does it really take to create an environment that reflects yoga’s deeper purpose—collective liberation and peace? Tejal is the founder of Tejal Yoga, and in this conversation, we explore what it means to build yoga spaces rooted in community, cultural humility, accountability, and justice. 00:00 - Intro 01:14 - Speaking on Gaza 02:20 - Meet Tejal Patel 04:00 - Yoga and Peace 06:45 - Meditation as Listening 10:51 - Student vs. Teacher Role 14:51 - Challenging Assumptions 18:32 - Harm in Modern Yoga 22:50 - Love & Light Culture 27:20 - Yoga and Collectivism 33:58 - Intentional Communities 37:46 - More Work to Do 42:47 - Inclusive Yoga Spaces 47:05 - Building Brave Spaces 52:04 - Addressing Harm 57:07 - Trust Through Honesty 1:03:16 - Returning Through Yoga 1:06:18 - Closing Thoughts Find Tejal Online https://www.tejalyoga.com Subscribe ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠ Work With Me ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 11m
  6. 05/12/2025

    Embodying Yogic Activism | Reggie Hubbard

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Reggie Hubbard. Reggie is the founder/chief serving officer of Active Peace LLC. His yogic and meditative practices have served as a sanctuary of peace and perspective while navigating the stresses of being a black man in the world and serving in pressure-filled jobs at the height of US politics. His practices have also helped him navigate complicated emotions (anger, grief, disappointment) to find and nurture peace of mind and ease of spirit, which is why he now seeks to share them widely for the well-being of all. He has extensively studied with leading teachers such as Faith Hunter, Amy Ippoliti, Yogarupa Rod Stryker and Sri Dharma Mittra and countless other amazing teachers he has encountered along the way – always remembering that the best teacher is an eternal student. He is a graduate of the 2023 MMTCP (Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program) cohort, led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. Find Reggie https://activepeaceyoga.com https://www.instagram.com/oreggieglobal 00:00 - Intro 02:54 - Yoga & Activism 05:05 - Burnout & Awakening 08:11 - Starting the Path 10:55 - Merging Practice & Politics 14:54 - Healing Retreat for Black Men 17:14 - Refuge, Not Retreat 20:25 - Representation Matters 22:09 - Why Black-Only Spaces 24:07 - Community Healing 26:06 - Listening to the Call 30:06 - Teaching with Compassion 34:02 - Listen with the Heart 36:26 - Identity & Teaching 41:10 - Teaching Philosophy 44:03 - Collective Healing 47:02 - Healing Through Grief 51:03 - Wisdom in Community 54:33 - Radical Self-Love 57:44 - From Despair to Action 1:01:02 - Generational Burnout 1:05:00 - Rest in Retreat 1:08:59 - Fast Connection 1:13:00 - Gong Meditation & Close Subscribe ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠ Work With Me ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 15m
  7. 05/05/2025

    Understanding Yoga Exclusion, Fatphobia + Racial Trauma | Leah Saliter

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Leah Saliter (she/her). Leah is a Death Doula, Digital Creator, Yoga enthusiast, and certified Yoga-Asana instructor who teaches Yoga as a source of healing for Black and Brown, abundant bodies. She is the founder of Unity in Healing, an organization that creates safe spaces where folks can experience the power of healing in community through movement practice, tarot, divination work, and ancestral practices. Leah's mission is to create accessible healing communities that support the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exploration of self. Find Leah https://www.joywork.online https://www.instagram.com/leahlaughed 00:00 - Intro 01:17 - Meeting Leah Saliter 02:52 - What Yoga Means to Leah 04:02 - The Importance of Safety in Community 07:46 - Profit-Driven Wellness Spaces vs. Authentic Healing 10:04 - Reducing Yoga to Fitness 13:27 - Discovering Yoga as a Path to Survival and Peace 17:03 - Teaching Tools and Encouragement for Students 20:02 - Reconnecting to Accessibility in Yoga 24:05 - Teaching Restorative Yoga Amid Studio Resistance 29:00 - Letting Go of Capitalist Measures of Success in Yoga 33:00 - Body Acceptance and Embracing What Is 37:42 - The Violence of Beauty Standards 40:54 - Practising Ahimsa (Nonviolence) with Ourselves 43:04 - Speaking Kindly to Ourselves 47:04 - More Ways Fatphobia Shows Up in Yoga 49:01 - Disordered Eating "Perfect" Bodies 52:30 - Yoga as Stillness, Listening, and Deep Work 56:01 - The Challenge and Rewards of the Inner Work 01:02:51 - What Led Leah to Reach Out 01:08:56 - Working Together in Community, Not Hierarchy 01:10:49 - How to Connect with Leah and Unity & Healing 01:12:29 - Outro Subscribe https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1 Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online https://www.harpindermann.com https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga Liberating Yoga Book https://www.harpindermann.com/book Work With Me https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 13m
  8. 05/05/2025

    Yoga vs. Commercialization: Can We Reclaim It? | Susanna Barkataki

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Yoga Teacher & Social Justice Advocate Susanna Barkataki. Today’s mainstream yoga culture is steeped in capitalism, exclusivity, and cultural appropriation. How did we get here, and how can we protect the wholeness of the practice for future generations? In this episode we discuss the nuances of yoga’s history, accountability for yoga professionals, and decolonization in practice. 00:00 - Intro 01:25 - What Yoga Means to Us 03:17 - Interconnectedness in Yoga and Daily Life 05:58 - Moving Beyond the Mat: Everyday Practice of Yoga 07:14 - Harmful Norms in Modern/Postural Yoga 10:00 - How Oppressive Systems Show Up in Yoga Spaces 13:07 - Hierarchy in Yoga Studios 15:04 - Yoga’s Resilience and Power Despite Appropriation 16:03 - The “At Least They’re Moving” Narrative 20:07 - Teachers' Responsibility to Go Deeper 25:04 - Internalised Oppression 27:06 - Desire to Learn and Practice with Respect 29:00 - The Emotional Toll of Appropriation 31:01 - Capitalism and Commercialisation in Yoga 34:59 - Historical Context of Yoga 37:02 - Modern-Day Capitalist Exploitation in Yoga 40:00 - Teachers Navigating Capitalism with Integrity 42:27 - Representation, Reparations, and Platform Inequity 48:03 - Mutual Support vs. Competition 52:23 - Humanizing the Experience: Healing Through Yoga 55:11 - Importance of Internal Validation 56:56 - How to Begin the Work of Decolonizing Yoga 58:59 - Move Slowly and Consistently with the Work 01:00:03 - Building Relationships with Stewards 01:03:04 - Ask Hard Questions to Institutions 01:05:47 - Reflections on Slowing Down 01:08:05 - Be Yoga, Not Just Do Yoga 01:10:01 - Uplifting Each Other 01:12:39 - Outro Subscribe ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠⁠ Work With Me ⁠⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 13m
  9. 05/05/2025

    Reconnecting to the Traditional Yogic Ecosystem | Prasad Rangnekar

    Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. In this first episode, I'm in conversation with Yoga & Resilience Educator Prasad Rangnekar. In this episode, we discuss yoga’s many definitions and margas while unpacking all that is lost in a society that narrows its abundance down to a commercialised brand of asana. We also explore the differences between traditional yoga and the version that is popular today, and why the commodification of yoga strips its rich ecosystem of vital history, ethical frameworks, and cultural roots. 00:00 - Intro 01:31 - Meeting Prasad Rangnekar 05:01 - Yoga as a Life Skill 07:00 - Traditional Goals of Yoga 10:00 - Beyond Asana: Acknowledging Yoga’s Full Scope 13:00 - Cultural Roots of Yoga 16:00 - The Complexity of Yoga’s History 20:27 - You Don’t Have to Know Everything 24:00 - Problem of Overconsumption in Yoga Education 27:48 - Traditional vs. Popular Yoga: Key Differences 36:08 - Responsibilities of Practitioners 40:25 - Lack of History & Philosophy in Modern Yoga 43:07 - Vastness of Yogic History 47:02 - The Eight Limbs Are Not the Whole of Yoga 51:01 - What Makes a Sincere Yoga Student or Teacher? 54:04 - Performing Yoga vs. Living Yoga 56:56 - Different Margas (Paths) of Yoga & Their Relevance 01:03:04 - Raja Yoga: Symbolism and Mental Refinement 01:07:05 - Refinement of the Mind 01:12:10 - Letting Go & The Path to Freedom 01:17:05 - Uncovering the Self Through Shedding Layers 01:20:02 - Importance of Critical Thinking 01:27:04 - Reconciling Science and Spirituality in Yoga 01:33:05 - Yoga Sutra: Beyond Yama and Niyama 01:37:27 - Outro Subscribe ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1⁠ Resources Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Online ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga ⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder ⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga⁠ Liberating Yoga Book ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/book ⁠ Work With Me ⁠https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me⁠ #yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration

    1h 38m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Liberating Yoga podcast. A space to explore yoga as a practice and path of healing, resistance, and deep connection. If yoga is a rich body of experiential knowledge rooted in South Asia, how did we end up with a mainstream yoga culture in the United States focused on promoting physical fitness and selling polyester “yoga pants” with pockets? Join Harpinder Kaur Mann, Punjabi Yoga Asana, Pranayama, & Meditation Teacher, on a journey of yoga’s history, philosophy, and contemporary culture to uncover its true nature as a path toward deep self-inquiry and collective liberation.