By Sadhguru – Founder, Isha Foundation

The United Nations declaration of June 21 as International Day of Yoga is a momentous one. But there has been so much misinterpretation over the years that it is more relevant now to look first at what yoga is not, so we know exactly what we are celebrating.

Is yoga a system of physical exercise? Is it a religion? Is it belief in god? Is it about becoming a good or moral person? These are common questions. The answer to all of them is no.

Standing on your head, twisting your body into all sorts of postures, is not yoga. Yes, there are yogic practices that involve the body. But fundamentally, ‘yoga’ means union. It means you have begun to experience the universality of who you are.

Modern science proves to you beyond doubt that the whole existence is just one energy manifesting in various forms. If this scientific fact becomes a living reality for you, if you begin to experience everything as one, you are in yoga.

Yoga is a science, not a religion. Just as there is a physical science for external well-being, yoga is a science for inner well-being. Because this science evolved in this civilisation — in the land between the Himalayas and the Indu Sagara (the Indian Ocean) — it was identified over time as Hindu. But terming it Hindu is akin to saying the theory of relativity is Jewish! Yoga has nothing to do with any creed or faith.

Does it entail a belief in god? No. Devotion can be a powerful and effective stepping-stone to your ultimate well-being. But devotion works only if you are a very childlike person.

If yours is a questioning mind, don’t waste your time on devotion. If you happen to arrive at an overwhelming inner experience where your logic falls apart, that is different. Then devotion is natural and it can be explosive. But don’t try to practice devotion. It won’t work.

The question is, are you looking for solace or for a solution to your life? If you want solace, belief in anything is fine; it will settle you psychologically. If you want a solution, it’s a different game. Yoga is a solution. No belief system is involved. It’s about simply doing what works.

Does it entail a value system? No. If you experience yourself as one with everything, you don’t need any values. That is the beauty of yoga. It is an experiential system.

If you experience everyone as a part of you, I don’t have to instruct you: ‘Be good to all.’ Once inclusion happens, nobody needs to teach you any morals. When you are in yoga, the need to be good has itself disappeared!

This is also the difference between morality and spirituality. Spirituality is not about trying to fix or prescribe any values or morals. Prescribing will never work in the long run. Only that which is free will live totally and inclusively. Only that which is free will last.

After my own life-changing experience in 1982, I realised a state of freedom and joy is the birthright of every human being. When I saw that everyone is capable of this, I wanted to transform the world. We have touched a few million people since then. Some think that’s a huge achievement. I don’t.

For the first time we have the kind of information technology that allows us to reach the whole world. In this sense, we are more empowered than Adiyogi, Gautama Buddha or Patanjali!

In such times, we can inspire an entire planet of 7.2 billion to turn to this profound science of inner well-being. All those who have been touched and benefited by it should stand up and make this happen.

[Ranked amongst the fifty most influential people in India, Sadhguru is a yogi, mystic, visionary and best-selling author. Sadhguru has been conferred the “Padma Vibhushan,” India’s highest annual civilian award, by the Government of India in 2017, for  exceptional and distinguished service.]