Process or Goal - What is more important?

Yoga Sutra of Patanjali

अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः॥१२॥
Abhyāsavairāgyābhyāṁ tannirodhaḥ||12||

Goal likened to destination- here vairagyam (renunciation)

Process likened to practice- here abhyasam (yogic practices- the 8 angas)

What is more important?

Goal is the target ie. Raga or desire reduced or gone.

Process is the journey toward it, “abhi” is to be there in whatever I am doing/be present, sow seeds of change and give it a chance to grow.

Knowing the goal is necessary to give a sense of direction

Practice is movement towards goal.

While ABHYASAM gives strength to the VAIRAGYAM

VAIRAGYAM is a way of evaluating your ABHYASAM.

The golden rule -  Abhyasam should help Vairagyam, otherwise the practice is wrong.

A check and balance- so that we do not get carried away!

They need each other, like the two wheels of a bicycle.

They spiral you towards higher thinking

So neither is more important than the other!!

All said and done,

But it is not easy to directly have “Vairagyam”

It is easier to have an “Abhyasam” to start off with.

SO ABHYASAM IS THE FIRST AMONG EQUALS