As the world rolls out its yoga mats to celebrate International Yoga Day, there is great merit in pausing to reflect not just on the practice, but on the profound philosophy and purpose behind yoga. In the sea of postures, playlists, and power flows, Sadhguru — yogi, mystic, and visionary — offers a compelling reminder: Yoga is not what most people think it is.
Yoga is Not Twisting into Impossible Postures
“For many, yoga has become synonymous with extreme body contortions,” says Sadhguru. “But that is not yoga. Yoga is about being in perfect tune — where your body, mind, emotions, and energies are in complete harmony.”
When we are joyful, we function at our best. Yoga is that science — not of pushing limits externally, but of tuning your inner system so finely that energy, clarity, and vitality naturally arise. The most advanced yoga is not about pushing boundaries of flexibility — it is about dissolving boundaries of limitation. 
Yoga is Not Just an Exercise Regime
Perhaps the biggest misconception: equating yoga with fitness. While improved health and mental balance are common effects of regular practice, they are not its ultimate aim.
“Yoga is not an exercise. It is a subtle technology for inner transformation,” says Sadhguru. “It is a way of shaping your system into a vessel for the Divine. Physical fitness is a side effect — not the goal.”
In today’s world, much of what is branded as yoga is merely physical conditioning. But the ancient yogic sciences aim at something deeper — transcending the limitations of body and mind to access a higher state of consciousness and perception.
Yoga Does Not Need Background Music
In many modern studios, yoga is paired with curated playlists — from calming instrumentals to pulsing beats. But Sadhguru cautions against this trend.
“Yogasanas are not aerobics. They are a subtle process. There is a certain level of awareness that must accompany the practice, otherwise it’s just body-bending,” he asserts. “Music distracts. Yoga requires your total attention.”
Yoga, in its truest form, is an inward journey — not a performance set to music, but a meditative process of realignment.
Yoga is Not Just a Morning or Evening Practice
Contrary to popular belief, yoga isn’t confined to a 60-minute morning session or evening wind-down.
“Yoga is not something you do — it is something you become,” says Sadhguru. “It must touch every aspect of your life — the way you walk, the way you breathe, the way you exist.”
True yoga is lived — not performed. It is the art of conscious living, where every action, every breath becomes a means of union within and without.
Yoga is About Inner Engineering
At its core, yoga is the inner technology that empowers us to take charge of our own inner state. No longer reactive to the world outside, the yogi becomes a garden unto himself — peaceful, joyful, and fully alive.
“If you take care of what you call ‘myself’ well, flowers will bloom,” Sadhguru shares. “Being joyful is not dependent on anything outside. Yoga is the tool to make this your lived reality.”
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