Why I Practice Yoga, Developing My Personal Practice

Satya?  Okay let us be honest, we always have the truth no matter how we hide from it.
I have duhka related to my personal yoga practice or guilt of “non-practice”.  I have mental obstacles mostly behavioral, such as I will not take time for myself unless everything else is taken care of first.  I need to practice opening not restricting.
For inspiration I read books written by well known yoga instructors and consider  emulating the authors reason for practicing, but realize taking on their actions and characteristics, is wrong.  I should not make their reasons for practicing yoga mine.
My mind sparked when I read these passages in “The Heart of Yoga, Developing a Personal Practice” by T.K.V. Desikachar “…to consider things greater than ourselves  puts ourselves into perspective” and “Any inquiry of interest can calm the mind”. How do I put myself and my practice into perspective? What am I searching for? Why do I practice?  My practice is based on respect for life.  All life.  I can see it, feel it, and hear it, this energy referred to as life (force).  I want to connect to this energy, this prana of creation.
I practice to feel compassion, to learn how to soften and surrender, allowing my body and mind to open, while gaining strength. During asana practice I feel my life and energy in my breath.  During pranayama I feel connected to life and energy beyond my own.
The purpose of my yoga practice is to respect and honor my life and all life.  To better understand myself and life as existence.