YOGA PER TUTTI?

"Everyone has a right to do yoga. Everyone — brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, sudra, gnani, strong, women, men, young, the old and very old, the sick, the weak, boys, girls, etcetera, all are entitled to yogabhyasa with no restrictions on age or caste. This is because yogabhyasa rapidly gives maximum visible benefits to all. It does not stop anybody from acquiring the visible results of practice, whatever their capabilities. Everyone is entitled, irrespective of caste, to follow the path of yogabhyasa even in order to obtain divine virtues and the resulting eight animadi siddhis, and, if one ignores these siddhis, to proceed further on the ultimate path. Whoever wishes to do yoga has the right to do it. But “Ruffians, those who eat wrong food, talk filth or use abusive language, those who speak ill of others, lie about others, are obsessed with food, those who are addicted to sensual pleasures, those who pretend to be good, those who destroy and cheat, carry aversion in the mind, those who are disrespectful of the vedas, are alcoholics, or have any such bad habits, these people, no matter what caste or religion, are not fit to practise yoga.” This is firmly stated by Gherandacarya. The reason for this is that although these people are capable of practising yoga, these practitioners with their cunning could cause problems and injuries to others in spite of the yogabhyasa being “pure”. There have been many examples to substantiate this in the Puranas and in our experience. For example, everybody knows that pure cow’s milk gives good health and happiness. Yet if it is poured in a cup made of pig’s skin or dog’s skin, it turns into poison and becomes harmful. Similarly if you teach the pure divine nectar of yoga to ruffians and cheats, it will only cause disaster. Like a king who entrusts his kingdom to a no-good useless son who destroys it instead of protecting it, a guru with good intentions may teach yoga to cheats and the latter will not know how to use it properly and will cause only destruction to the world." Sri T. Krishnamacharya - Yoga Makaranda