The path of yoga is subject to experimentation. You don’t have to accept it. You should use your reason. A lot of work has been done in yoga by scientists. The effects of yogasanas and pranayama have been exposed to scientific scrutiny and they have realized positive results. Experiments have been conducted on the effects of mantra. Experiments have been conducted on the result of yantra and they have discovered positive results.
Now they are working on the effects of meditation. How does it affect the brain? How does it influence all other systems of the body? All this is going on and the scientists have come to the conclusion that yoga is a beneficial and reliable science. In many countries they are working on scientific experiments. So, as far as scientific proof is concerned, you have to accept yoga.
So far as spiritual life is concerned, there is enough proof about yoga. Throughout history, yoga has produced people of enlightenment. From this you can understand that the path of yoga is the right path. There is no dogma in it, no sectarianism, no compulsion. If you want to practise raja yoga, do it. If you believe in God, practise bhakti yoga. If you believe in reason, practise jnana yoga. If you believe in mysticism, practise kundalini yoga. If you believe in humanitarianism, practise karma yoga. You have to choose the right path for yourself. The signboards are already there.
There are many people who do not want to practise bhakti yoga because they don’t believe in God. Many don’t want to practise raja yoga because they are not mystics. They don’t want to learn self-control, they want to contemplate. Let them practise jnana yoga. By a process of thinking also, you can come to realize the truth, but not everybody can do it. There are people who only like to do karma yoga. Therefore, the path of yoga is the right path because it keeps many doors open for everybody. If you do not believe in anything, then practise hatha yoga. At least it will give you good health. Practise pranayama, it will give you better oxygenation and remove carbon dioxide. So, you have to practise yoga after proper reasoning. You do not have to do it because I say it.
February 1983, Florence