June 21st is International Yoga Day. It is a day of joy, but also a day of caution. It is a matter of joy that the entire world has realized the benefits of a magnificent Indian knowledge system. However, in the rush to universalize Yoga, its original essence is being forgotten, and various distortions are gaining prominence, which is a matter of serious reflection.
The ‘international’ dimension and monetization opportunities that Yoga has acquired are overshadowing the fact that “Yoga is a knowledge system originating from India; a discovery of Sanatana Dharma.” Many ‘new-age’ gurus are floating the illusion that “Yoga has no religion, it transcends religion.” Market forces are propagating the argument that “Yoga belongs to no one, it is secular, and it is not spiritual at all.” An illusion is growing that Yoga means merely performing asanas (postures). There are also market forces claiming, “We have improved the asanas; recognize this enhanced process as our own invention and grant us a patent.” This is a matter of grave concern.
As described in the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Vasistha, and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, achieving oneness with your true self—that is, spirituality—is the ultimate goal of Yoga practices. For this, Sage Patanjali has given the eight limbs (Ashtanga): Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. The first two, Yama and Niyama, are completely related to lifestyle and life values. As part of them come non-violence (Ahimsa), compassion towards all beings, cleanliness, a Sattvic vegetarian diet, celibacy (Brahmacharya), non-stealing (Asteya), and non-possessiveness (Aparigraha).
After the text ‘Hatha Yoga Pradipika’ became popular, it was widely realized that asanas could also be practiced separately to achieve good health. Now, priority is given only to asanas. Some have also realized the importance of Pranayama alongside it. ‘Secular’ meditation, which focuses merely on breathing, is also growing. In the eyes of many, this is all Yoga is. This has been developed into an industry. According to 2023 statistics, ‘secular yoga’ is now a $107 billion global industry, and it is expected to reach $288 billion by 2034.
Yoga was once famous as a process that required no money to keep the senses, mind, and intellect in equilibrium and connect them with a dimension beyond. Now, a situation has been created where there is no Yoga without money. Yoga pants, yoga mats, yoga accessories, yoga institutes, yoga clubs, expensive yoga resorts for tourists, yoga retreats on hills, and celebrity ‘yoga guru direct guidance’ packages for those who pay hefty fees—thus, everything has been thoroughly commercialized.
The main reason market forces happily accepted the concept of ‘having a dedicated day for Yoga’ is the calculation that such a celebration would further boost business opportunities. Having achieved the ‘enlightenment’ of questioning, “Why should we stay quiet when market forces are earning so much?”, many ‘yoga gurus’ have also started making handsome amounts of money! They are promising, “Not just asanas and pranayama, we also cleanse the nadis and chakras, and awaken the Kundalini.” Their marketing has grown to the extent that they claim to deliver spiritual experiences proportional to the fee paid. It is understandable that everything cannot be provided to everyone for free. But how right is it, in all matters and contexts, to believe that money is the basis of everything, and nothing exists without it? When it comes to the ancient process of Yoga, how ideal is it for anyone to have money-driven corporate goals like ‘annual turnover’?
Opening yoga centers to teach asanas, training yoga instructors, and adopting it as a profession to make a living through good work cannot be termed wrong. When observing the stages of Yoga, the non-spiritual, preliminary stages offer health and other benefits. It is not wrong to look to Yoga (asanas, simple pranayama, and simple meditation) solely for physical-mental health and peace of mind. If these stages of Yoga are made compulsory in every school, a healthy society can be built. It would also save money spent by governments and families on healthcare. It is not wrong for our youth to adopt this as a livelihood and perform good deeds.
However, even here, the dimension of social responsibility should not be forgotten. Self-glorification such as calling oneself a ‘Yoga Guru’ or ‘Guruji’ is incorrect. Nowadays, even astrologers and Vastu consultants have started calling themselves ‘Guruji’. The fact that Sage Patanjali or Sage Parashara never put up such nameboards should serve as an ideal for everyone. The excessive commercialization of traditional knowledge systems and the extreme glorification of those who learn them only sow and cultivate misconceptions in society.
Yoga practices, which help in keeping the mind and intellect under control and in restraint, are now being degraded to the level of sensory desire in some places. In some parts of Western countries, there are disgusting ‘nude yoga clubs’. Beauty pageants showcasing a ‘Yogic-body’ are being held. This is the absolute misuse of Yoga.
The primary purpose of Yoga is not bodily exhibition. By practicing the correct asanas in the right manner, physical fitness, agility, pure blood circulation, equilibrium of the three humors (Vata-Pitta-Kapha), an unagitated and calm mind, stress relief, and control over external senses and the mind become possible. That is the true purpose of asanas. The genuine objective of Yogic practices is to develop insight and introspection. Multiple limbs of Yoga help you gain an inner vision that transcends the limitations of the body, mind, and senses. Drawing your external vision and experiences inward to unite with your internal existence is precisely what is called ‘Yoga’ (union).
Sages were revered in our culture precisely because they revealed the ultimate truth: that one can discover universal truth through one’s own efforts, without depending on any ‘holy’ book, without becoming a slave to any ‘beliefs’, or a servant to any system. The spiritual practices undertaken by oneself were called ‘Tapas’ (austerity). Austerities at physical, verbal, and mental levels were expounded.
If all of that is discarded, and a specific ‘religion’ conquers the whole world, making everyone on Earth a follower of a single faith, then no one will have the freedom of self-discovery. There will be no free room for scientific thinking either. Spiritual inquiry will be prohibited. The world will be trapped within a predetermined framework. Those in power within that framework will behave like guard serpents, preventing anyone from stepping out of the box. Stepping out will be deemed a capital crime. In stark contrast to such restrictive systems, the process of Yoga is a magnificent path that grants everyone absolute intellectual, spiritual, thought, and expression freedom. It must not be misused; it must be preserved in its rightful manner.
The moment absolute freedom is mentioned, it is natural for the notion to arise that ‘Yoga is a secular practice.’ If one correctly understands that ‘Dharma’ is not the same as ‘Religion’, there will be no confusion in this matter. Yoga has no religion, but it has Dharma. Once it is realized that Dharma has no brand-name limitations, confusion will not trouble us.
Among the eight limbs of Yoga, it does not matter if one lacks an awareness of God or Dharma for the first four limbs. For those who perform asanas purely for good health, the absence of religious or dharmic awareness is perfectly fine. However, for those practicing Chakra meditation and spiritual sadhana, core Beeja Mantras, the worship of presiding deities, and the practice of Tantras become essential. At that stage, the dimension of Sanatana Dharma’s philosophies in Yoga cannot be denied. In the rush to secularize even this, saying “Let’s include Gabriel along with Ganesha in the Muladhara Chakra” becomes laughable.
Perceiving things exactly as they are is the true knowledge of Yoga; it cannot be changed according to individual whims. The methods of Yoga are not our inventions; they are supreme truths discovered and imparted by ancient sages. Their moral ‘copyright’ or ‘patent’ belongs to those respective sages. When chanting Vedic mantras, there is a moral rule to mention the seer (Drashta Rishi) who envisioned it and its specific meter (Chhandas), because they are mantras gifted by those specific sages. Long before the modern concept of patents came into existence, India possessed a wonderful moral consciousness that always recognized and respected the original discoverers. Sidelining the sages in the name of an ‘international’ dimension while allowing market forces to reign supreme is the ultimate misuse of Yoga.
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