Here’s why cherry-picking aspects of Yoga & amplifying them as the entirety of Yoga can cause confusion amongst sincere seekers
Cherry-picking parts of Yoga & amplifying them as the whole of Yoga can create an incomplete understanding, making students miss out on the depth & richness of the holistic nature of Yogic knowledge system
Eg: Narratives where one aspect gets projected as the whole in popular narrative, like – Yoga is asana, or Tantra is sexual practice has created a lot of confusion in popular narrative
Yoga is NOT uni-dimensional. A body of knowledge that has evolved over thousands of years needs to be understood in context. Cherry-picking can lead to misrepresentation and oversimplification. This can hinder seekers from knowing Yoga in its comprehensiveness
Eg: Topics like activism, morality, social responsibility etc. in the context of Yoga need to be understood in a larger frame work of consideration, no matter how much such topics may excite us. Without a well-rounded perspective such passionate topics lead to a stark binary creating a toxic us versus them divide
Yoga is a vast tapestry of practices (sadhana), philosophies (shastra), and paths (marga). Limiting its portrayal to a few aspects restricts seekers from exploring different dimensions that might resonate with them on a deeper level.
Eg: Projecting that Yoga has 8-limbs without giving a context ignores other Yogic systems that work with more or less limbs (anga)
Projecting & exaggerating only certain aspects can create unrealistic expectations. When seekers don’t find immediate results or resonate with those particular aspects, they might feel defeated, or assume Yoga isn’t for them, missing the broader potential for transformation
Eg: Stating that Yoga is union with ‘God’ may turn away someone who is atheist. Such definitions also ignore schools of Yogic thought that do not insist on a belief in ‘God’ (religious ‘God’)
Embracing Yoga as a whole requires authenticity and a willingness to explore all its dimensions, including study, practice & experience. Focusing solely on cherry-picked elements, especially the ones that are trending on social media, can lead to a superficial practice devoid of the deep-dive that Yoga encourages
Eg: Associating Yoga with physical athleticism can ignore the entire ethico-moral aspect of Yogic transformation
Commit to a long-term study & practice, rather than social media led temporary excitation. Patiently exploring Yoga’s entirety overtime with ‘your’ teacher allows you to discover the comprehensiveness of philosophies & practices that humble you, make you feel grateful, & smoothen the path to lasting inner peace
