Dear Jeyamohan,
I noticed that yoga and meditation are included as part of your training programmes. It made me reflect on one of the central challenges involved in teaching yoga today: the need to present it from a scientific and rational perspective.
At its core, yoga is a refined system of physical exercise that gently conditions not only the muscles but also the internal organs and the body’s physiological processes. What distinguishes it from ordinary exercise is not any supernatural quality, but the manner in which it is practised. Yoga demands complete attentiveness. Instead of moving the body mechanically, one consciously involves the mind in every posture, every movement, and every breath. This attentive participation creates a profound coordination between body and mind.
Ordinarily, the human mind functions as though it is detached from the body. We often remain unaware of our own physical existence until pain or illness forces our attention towards it. Yoga gradually dissolves this separation. Through continuous practice, it repeatedly brings the mind back to the body, cultivating an awareness that the two are inseparable aspects of a single living reality. The greatest achievement of yoga lies in restoring this forgotten unity between the inner self and the body.
Beyond this, however, I do not believe yoga should be presented as a miraculous therapy capable of curing every disease. Such claims have little scientific foundation and often create unrealistic expectations. While yoga undoubtedly contributes to physical well-being, flexibility, balance, emotional composure, and overall health, it cannot be honestly described as a universal cure for illness.
If this is the spirit in which yoga is taught in your classes—free from exaggeration, grounded in reason, and respectful of both science and tradition—I believe it would be an immensely valuable public service. Today, much of what is conducted in the name of yoga has unfortunately taken the form of miracle-healing camps, where extraordinary promises overshadow genuine understanding. In such an atmosphere, presenting yoga with intellectual honesty and scientific clarity is not merely educational; it is a cultural responsibility.
With regards,
M. Rajendran
