India, Aug. 29 -- You may have started yoga for flexibility, strength or simply a break from a busy day. But after years on the mat, you may also find yourself asking a different question: Has yoga changed your inner life?

One Reddit user recently raised that question after about 10 years of practising yoga. In a post on the r/yoga community, the practitioner reflected on years of physical practices, including Ashtanga, Rocket and Power Yoga. They said meditation, kirtan and chanting now feel more connected to their spiritual search than asana alone.

The experience raises a larger question about modern yoga: Is the practice on the mat the same thing as the spiritual path described in traditional yoga philosophy?

If you know yoga mainly...