Misconceptions of Yoga

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There are various misconceptions of yoga which most common men believe. One such misconceptions of yoga is that it is a healing science that has a positive impact on health. However yoga as a healing science does not only affect the physical health but has a profound effect on mental health as well. According to Patanjali, yoga is the ability to control the modifications of the mind with ones will-power. Regulating the fluctuations of the mind is not a casual pursuit, and is only achieved through constant practice and with the spirit of renunciation. Misconceptions of Yoga often result in the yogic practitioner neglecting to concentrate and completely utilize the power of mind —as a result he fails to achieve the desired result.

Even though the mental faculty undergoes a state of stillness at times, this cannot be called yoga and this indeed is one of the common misconceptions of yoga that most people have. Such a physical state may resemble sleep. Fainting fits, catalepsy and hysteria also bring about a similar state of mental inactivity. People affected by such conditions are not conscious of anything, and are not practicing yoga. In fact misconceptions of yoga often cause people to be confused between yogic and non yogic practices; therefore it is a must to take help of trained practitioners to dispel the misconceptions of yoga.

• Some people naturally have, and some acquire through practice, the power of stopping the circulation of blood, obstructing a heavily-loaded truck or going without food for an extended period of time. None of these acts is yoga.
• Holding the breath for a given period of time in a particular posture is not yoga.
• Staying under or floating on the surface of water is not yoga.
• Walking through fire, lying on a bed of nails or standing under the blazing sun for a long time is not yoga.
• Attaining complex and complicated physical postures alone is not yoga.
• Breaking iron plates or bending stout metal rods is not yoga.
• Remaining underground for days or weeks, stopping ones heartbeat for a period of time or reading another persons mind is not yoga.

The power of concentrating the mind is not a necessary condition in such feats.