7 myths about yoga 1

7 myths about Yoga-1
Acharya Girish Jha, MS, BS, DIY, NDDY, BCCP
Authentic Yoga, Meditation, Tantra Master, Blogger, Writer n Life
Coach

East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
www.girishjha.org
1

www.Satyamayi.com
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©Acharya Girish Jha and Authentic Yoga Tradition

please visit www.girishjha.org for disclaimer, copyright and permission to use

What is a myth

2

Myth is misrepresentation of the truth
or an idealized conception and a
fallacy. Know the myths we carry
when we begin or are doing yoga
practice.


3

Myth-1 yoga is a physical exercise /
practice/culture
Origin:
Yoga originated more than 6000 years ago
have more than 3000 teachers lived before
300BC and more than 1000 texts.
No definition of yoga as physical culture
Nowhere in any text or by any master,
yoga is defined, referred or explained as
physical culture, exercise or practices.


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practice/culture
Truth
Lord Shiva mentions that there are 8.4
million references. But one can
achieve highest state of yoga by the
practice of single most important
asana or posture known as Siddha
Asana (perfect pose) which is a
meditative posture.

practice/culture

5

Based on the temperament of an
individual practicing yoga, one may /
should practice 32 or more postures
but progressively reduce the numbers
in order to give time and space for
other higher practices.


6

practice/culture
It goes exactly against common
understanding of physical exercise system
where set of practices are gradually
increased but in yoga for the sake of
physical practice, the advanced
practitioner like Buddha reduced the
number of posture to one in which he
could sit for hours for meditation.


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practice/culture
Truth
The physical practice in yoga is a part of
whole yoga that aims at awakening,
realization and transformation.
Therefore, it is difficult to say a man practicing
part of yoga (physical practices alone) can be
said that he/she is practicing yoga. Like right
arm is only a part of body not the whole body.


Myth-2 Hatha Yoga means physical exercise

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The greatest myth is that Hatha means
force, or physical exercise. When I started
doing yoga long back in 1980‟s, being
Indian, I also considered Hatha Yoga as
doing physical by force until I become
flexible



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False and real meaning of the word ‘hatha’
The literal meaning of „hatha‟ is „force‟ but real
meaning of „Hatha‟ when one adds yoga is
different. Later when I read Upanishad under the
guidance of my master. I came across the real
meaning of the word, „hatha‟.
The word „Hatha‟ in yoga is made of two
alphabets, “Ha‟ in Hatha represents „sun flow‟ or
„ male principle or energy‟ and “Tha” represents
„moon flow‟ or “female principle or energy”.


Do you practice Hatha Yoga

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When you practice all seven groups of
practices, then only it can be said that
you are practicing Hatha Yoga. However,
a single group of practice i.e. practice of
physical practices cannot be said that
you practice Hatha Yoga



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Truth
Hatha Yoga practice does not mean, physical
practice alone as is commonly understood. The
other groups of practices are – Sat Karma (Six
purificatory practices), Asana (Physical
Practices), Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses),
Pranayama (breathing regulation), Mudra
(physical and breathing practices are done in
combination not hand gestures), Dharana,
Dhyan and Samadhi.

Myth-3 Meditation is different or
separate from yoga

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It is very common myth that meditation
and yoga are separate, independent
and different from each other. If physical
practices of yoga is compared to your
legs then meditation is your head or
brain. How legs can be separated from
head or brain.

separate from yoga

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When you practice physical practices
of yoga, you always use your brain and
the mind. But you use it with awareness
on the body, it becomes physical yoga.
Hence we cannot separate brain and
mind from even physical practices

separate from yoga

14

Yoga aims at discovery of the higher
states of consciousness beyond body, life
and the mind through meditation. Physical
practices is and may be preparatory step of
ultimate goal of yoga. But one thing is sure
and certain that meditation is essential and
mandatory step while physical practices are
not.

Myth-3 Meditation is different or separate
from yoga

15

Truth
Physical practice/s is/are optional but
meditation is mandatory and essential to all
practices of yoga. If you practice physical with
awareness of stretching, sensation, feeling in the
body, it may help you to raise your awareness
level and support your meditation practice. My
master says that physical practices of yoga aims
at awakening to physical consciousness- a term
we normally use in meditation.


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Myth-4 Age, gender flexibility are important for
practice of yoga
Everyone has his/her own opinion about the
age, gender, state of body to practice yoga.
The myth comes from our own understanding of
yoga. If we consider and understand yoga as
physical practice, then, our criteria of practicing
yoga at tender age does not arise at all. Other
consider yoga as mental change, hence, can
be practiced even at a tender age. Still others,
consider, yoga cannot or should not be
practiced when there is illness etc.
.

Myth-4 Age, gender flexibility are
important for practice of yoga

17

All myths above are based on our
perception about yoga. But what about
perception of masters who founded yoga. It is
said, Astavakra learnt yoga in the womb of
mother. Prahalad was hardly 10 years old when
he meditated upon god. Shankar, another great
master who started yoga at the age of 11-12
years and became one of the great masters.

.

Myth-4 Age, gender flexibility are important
for practice of yoga

18

My masters used to say that „self-awareness is the
beginning and end of yoga.‟ Sri Aurobindo says,
“Self-conscious finding is yoga”.
Understanding the entire spectrum of yoga
We grow into awareness after birth and begin
responding to outer environment, conditions, and
also inner feelings specially pain and sufferings even
when we do not „name‟ them. There is practice
done before birth of a child that induces positive
impressions in the mind of a child in womb. That too is
practice of yoga.

Myth-4 Age, gender flexibility are
important for practice of yoga

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Hence, yoga can begin at any age. I have
taught yoga to thousands of kids just after 11months. When my son was hardly 3 months old, I
started chanting long OM and other single
syllable mantras for an hour every day for about
six months. I was amazed that first word he
uttered, was „om‟ and other mantras.


Myth-4 Age, gender flexibility are important
for practice of yoga

20

My son was hardly 3 years old when my family
visited great master Swami Gitananda, Founder of
Rishi Culture Yoga in south India. He was very happy
to hear the „long chanting‟ from my son and said,
„you have implanted a very strong mental attitude in
him. He will always fights the odds of the world,
wisely.‟ Yes, I see the same attitude in him as he is
now 26 year old.
The same is true of gender as any one irrespective of
gender can practice yoga.

Myth-4 Age, gender flexibility are important for
practice of yoga
Truth

21

The yoga is all about change of consciousness, evolution and
self-discovery. It can start at any age provided we should be
aware of hundreds of groups of practices that can be given
at particular age.
There are subtle, simple, easy practices if given at tender
age, can bring about tremendous change in child‟s
consciousness.
Physical practice which is a part of yoga, not the whole of
yoga, can not set any criteria for age or gender or illness.
It is better to ask a master what practices can be given to a
person of any age, gender based on his/her state, conditions
and level of consciousness.


22

Myth-5 I am ill and suffering, I cannot
practice yoga
This myth is totally unfounded and without
any basis. Yoga declares we are ill as long as
we do not awaken to our „real-self‟ or
„highest state of consciousness‟ or
awakened. Secondly, anyone ill may be
severely, can at least practice relaxation
practice or meditation that is passive and
simply directs the mind inward. Anyone
suffering can surely practice to induce
relaxation.


23

practice yoga
I have been advocating and supporting
people, suffering in the hospital due to
severe illness like heart attack. There are
others who are suffering from Parkinson,
Muscular dystrophy, psychological
illnesses, I introduced simple, easy and
effective practices aimed at minimizing
the impact of illnesses, relieving the
symptoms.


24

practice yoga
I was amazed at the relief of symptoms in
Parkinson patient in NYC by long practice of
passive meditation practice. She always
started walking normally after meditation
session. And one day, she became
extremely happy over the result and she
drove me to Penn Station to drop me there
from her home which was about 12 miles
from her home. Rather I was scared to allow
her drive to Penn Station in NYC, New York.

practice yoga

25

Truth
Any illness has two main components – one purely
physical and other emotional and mental. The emotional
and mental brings sufferings, guided by fear, doubts and
unknown perception. Yoga can work at its best to
alleviate the sufferings in any illness. And the best practice
is the relaxation and meditation supported by eternal
principle of separating the physical, mental and emotional
with the higher principle , termed as „real-self‟ will go a
long way in helping person suffering from any illnesses. I
would always recommend people must practice
relaxation, meditation, preferably passive to speedy
recovery, minimize the impact of illness, rehabilitation etc.

Myth -6 yoga is a religion/ cult, dogma
The confusion is validated by many world
famous dictionaries by defining yoga as
religion or religious system or discipline, cult,
dogma, belief etc.
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If yoga is related to religion at all, then, it can
be said that great master who founded their
religions had first undergone higher spiritual
experiences and realizations of what yoga
speaks of as an ultimate goal of human life.

Many masters choose to scribe, speak or
started the tradition based on their supra
mental experiences which after some
time, became religion.
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But yoga is neither a religion nor a cult nor
a dogma or belief system. It is „selfconscious finding‟ as great master Sri
Aurobindo puts it. It a „process of
compressing one‟s evolution in a single
year or few months or few hours of earthly
existence‟ as Swami Vivekananda
defines it. It is science or conscious
evolution and transformation aims at
bringing an end of sufferings in life.


29

Truth
I once said to a group who attended my lecture on
authentic yoga tradition.
If you are a Hindu and practice yoga, you become a
better Hindu. If you are a teacher and practice
yoga, you become a better teacher. If you are a
student and practice yoga, you become a better
student.
Yoga makes you a good – better-the best person. It
never makes you a religious person or follower of a
cult, dogma, belief. It brings face to face with the
truth that is hidden within all of us and makes us free
from dogma, belief and cult.

Myth-7 I have to perform rituals to
practice Yoga

30

Rites, ceremonies and services were done at
the time of origin of yoga to allow the mind to
settle in the practices, later when era of
Upanishad came, most of them have been
replaced by mental, physical, breathing and
other set of practices. One can do prayer
physically with many articles and replace it with
mental prayers without actually practicing
rituals. This transformation is unique in the
evolution of knowledge and practices of yoga.

practice Yoga

31

Yoga is basically a technology that needs to be
understood and applied in one‟s life. Adherence to
practices is a challenge and if one guides you to
perform certain sets of practices to inspire your whole
being for continuity, it is good and does well for you.
But if any rites and rituals are done to promote a cult,
dogma and belief, then, it is not yoga at all. It is
done to promote the cult, dogma and belief as
yoga tradition aims at freedom liberty, peace and
happiness and has no place for cult, dogma and
belief.

practice Yoga

32

If one says that they have to teach and create a
belief to practice yoga, then they are wrong and
their impetration is wrong too. Apple phone is a
technology, what sort of belief you need first before
you buy the phone. None at all, however, you need
to understand the applications, how to use it and
when and where to use it in life. The same way, yoga
also works, you tell your teacher about your goal of
learning yoga and also listen to him about the
ultimate goal of yoga. You begin the practice, follow
a discipline and you get benefit out of it.

Myth-7 I have to perform rituals
to practice Yoga
Truth

33

If you are believer in god or any cult you follow,
and open to yoga practice, fine. If you are
agnostic and aspire to evolve, it is fine. If you are
neither believer nor non- believer, it is still fine.


to practice Yoga
Truth

34

Yoga demands that you should believe in
yourself, your potential, your chance and choice
of evolution that can bring change in your
whole life. It does not begin with any outer belief
thrust upon you.


to practice Yoga

35

Truth
Well, the second point is very important is your
notion of peace, happiness, love, wisdom, truth
– all lies hidden within you. Whether you start
with the belief in them or disbelief in them,
regular and uninterrupted practice, one day,
surely awaken you to all of these traits of real-self
– peace, happiness, love, wisdom, truth and
more


36

Acharya Girish Jha, a master teacher, mentor, guide and life coach
holds MS (Physiology, Psychology, Yoga), BS, Dip. Yoga, nature cure,
Cert. in Research methodology, Magneto therapy and Board
Certified Professional Counselor (APA). He has the credit of teaching
over 100000 people during the last over 33 years, conducting over
1000 workshops, seminars, and talks, actively coordinating research
projects in Asthma, Diabetes, Stress Management, High Altitude
Sickness research, meditation and stress management, offered life
coaching (integral wisdom with customized practices) to more than
500 couples, conducted over 300 Radio talk shows, anchored over
30 TV serials on Yoga. He has experience of over 28000 hours of
teaching( 6000 hrs. of life coaching and spiritual counseling),
contributed over 200 articles/papers on yoga and yoga research,
developed specialized practices based on conscious evolution and
transformation , integrating higher , secret practices of Tantra,
authentic yoga, spirituality.


Thank you
Let us move from ignorance to
wisdom
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