Bugs on the Windshield: An Exploration of Samkhya Philosophy

A few weeks ago, my therapist asked, “How have things been lately?” 
The same question that kicks off pretty much every session.

I started sharing how hard life’s been - personally, yes, but also collectively (because... the world). She asked what I was doing to navigate the ups, the downs, and all the stress in between. As a small business owner and mom to a 9-year-old, there’s a lot to hold.

And then I remembered something I teach in every round of teacher training:
Bugs on the windshield.
Sounds gross, I know, but stick with me.

Here’s the gist…

The philosophy of yoga includes many darshanas (lenses) - or ways of seeing. One of the foundational darshanas we explore in our 200-hour teacher training is Samkhya philosophy.

Samkhya philosophy views reality as made up of two independent principles (it’s a dualistic philosophy)

🌀 Prakriti = matter. The stuff of the world - thoughts, emotions, bodies, circumstances. Always changing.
💫 Purusha = Self with a capital S. Not your mood, your resume, or even your “best self.” This is your pure consciousness. Steady, unchanging, always witnessing.

So What Do Bugs Have to Do With It?

My yoga teacher explained samkhya philosophy like this: 

Imagine you’re moving through the world (prakriti) in your car; you’re on a long road trip, and the destination is the Self (purusha). Just like any road trip, your windshield starts to get covered in bugs…

Bugs = Life

As humans in this wild, ever-changing world, we deal with a lot:
Insomnia? bugs
Money stress? bugs
Career stress, family tension, getting cut off on the way to class? Yep - bugs!

They cloud your vision. They distort what’s real. They pile up so fast, you can’t even see where you’re headed anymore.

But You’ve Got Wipers!

But here’s the thing: you’ve got a strong set of windshield wipers. And top-tier wiper fluid.

That’s yoga.

The practice of Yoga doesn’t stop the bugs… you’re still a human living in a bug filled world. 

But it does help you see through the mess. It clears your vision and it reminds you:
You are not the bug.
You are not the windshield.
You are not the chaos of the road.

You’re the one inside the car: calm, witnessing, present.
That’s Purusha.

The Practice = The Clarity

Every time you roll out your mat - every breath, every (one) down dog, every pause… you’re flipping on those wipers. You’re remembering who you are underneath the mess. You’re letting the bugs be bugs, without letting them take over your identity like in some sort of horror movie.

And it’s not just during your asana practice, it’s the lengthening of your exhale when someone walks too slow in front of you at Costco, it’s turning off your phone for a few hours of peace, it’s filling your gas tank before the light comes on, it’s connecting with friends - it’s all of the little things that reconnect you to yourself and allow for moments of ease in the effort of being a human in this world.

So, what did I commit to doing after my therapy session?

Here’s my list:

• Move my body every day in some way - whether that’s a long walk with my dog, a class at ODD, lifting weights, or a solo dance party in my room
• Spend more time outside
• No more doom scrolling; in fact, maybe no scrolling at all!
• Set myself up for restful sleep (and no, I’m definitely not writing this at 1am… more on this in another post)

There are more tools that I know help clear the bugs, but I have to start somewhere - and this list feels doable!

What About You?

What works for you?

Make a list. Take action. Form a new habit that fills your cup. We’re in this together! 

So the next time life splats a bug on your windshield (because it will), remember:

You’ve got the tools.
You’ve got the clarity.
And you’ve always, always been the driver.

I love you, keep going.

🖤

Jessica Rosen