Do not fall for miracles
Patanjali yoga sutras has four sections : Samadhi Pada, Sadhana Pada, Vibhuti Pada, Kailbalya Pada. In the third Pada Patanjali describes various magical powers one can obtain by the use of yoga.
But it comes with lots of warnings. Siddhis or the power to perform miracles has high chance of making one stray from the aim of yoga which is Samadhi and the ultimate aim of getting one released from the cycle of birth and death.
Performing miracles may also come at the expense of losing one’s spiritual merit. There is this story about Ramakrishan Paramahansa. Once a person came to him and told him about another yogi who could perform miracles like crossing the Hoogly river by walking on its water. Ramakrishna Paramahansa laughed and said, “What a stupid person he is. If one cross the river by paying to the boatman two paise, why spend the priceless merit of spiritual powers gained after years of practice”.
Patanjali discusses about various magical powers because he knows about them. He does not deny that there are magical powers associated with the practice of yoga. However he warns explicitly:
ते समाधावुपसर्गा व्युत्थाने सिद्धयः
te samadhatupasarga byuthana siddhayah
siddhis create obstacle in the path towards samadhi //Patanjali Yogasutras 3:37//
Self learning is self harming
In the Chapter on Learning from a Guru I have highlighted the importance of learning from a master. If you want to pursue yoga seriously there is no alternate. It is like the field of medicine. For minor ailments sometimes we do self medication and it is not that harmful. But if the ailment is serious, you have to go to a specialist doctor.
Of course there are exception. It is said that some people in this birth already come with sanskara from the previous birth. So without the help of a master in this life they become advances yogis. But everyone may not have the same background. In case you bring that merit from a past birth you would not know. If you don’t just for the sake of ego, do not take up serious yoga without the help of a yoga master.
One of my acquaintances was fond of yoga. But his learning came from watching TV shows. One day he had severe chest pain. He was taken to hospital. There it was found that he actually did not have any serious issues. He himself realised that this was because of his not doing the yoga postures correctly.
Some people also develop problems because of doing pranayama wrongly. In one of the earlier chapters I have talked about various chakras in the body. I have also come across a person who was dilly dallying with meditations involving chakras. He was doing so by reading some ancient manuals. He developed serious mental issues and subsequently when he was taken to a master things became alright.
Do not be too eager to start teaching
It is human nature to be eager to help others. We know the story of someone who was a good swimmer. So he jumped into the water to save a drowning person. But instead of helping the drowning person, both drowned.
You have learnt yoga from a master. Things are going well for you. That does not mean you will be able to help someone else. Unless you are authorised by your guru to teach, do not teach. Teaching requires a different level of experience and expertise. Something worked for you, does not mean those exact things will work for others. Examine your level of expertise without bias. Just out of eagerness to help others or, to show off your learning or, to make some quick bucks out of your half baked expertise, please do not start teaching. It is possible that you will drown along with your disciples. Or your disciples will be as shallow as yourself even after years of yoga practice.
This post is a part of Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2026
This year my theme is – Yoga A2Z
PEBBLES AND WAVES 