“Master, if yoga is the science of healing, why do some practitioners still suffer pain?”

Long ago, a young disciple asked his Guru, “Master, if yoga is the science of healing, why do some practitioners still suffer pain?”

The Guru smiled and replied, “Because the posture of the body is easy to correct, but the posture of the mind is more subtle. A body misaligned bends a joint, but a mind misaligned bends destiny. Healing must be complete — body, mind, and spirit.”

This wisdom echoes deeply in the modern world of yoga. At the Medical Yoga Centre, we see daily how practitioners —teachers and students alike— often mistake effort for progress. A shoulder pushed beyond its range, a foot placed without awareness, or a breath held with inner resistance — all these sow the seeds of injury. We must remember that yoga is not about conquering the body, it is about listening to it. And I always teach this to every student and patient: “Listen and respond to the signals of your body.”

In this edition, we explore these truths. That the body is a mystery still to be understood. Those emotional injuries must be addressed because no healer can guide unless first healed within. Those common mistakes of behind-rotator-cuff tears, of foot misalignments, and the occupational hazards faced by yoga teachers can be prevented if only Awareness leads the way. You will observe that this is the common sutra (thread) in all the articles:
bringing in deep Awareness, i.e., Vijnana (awareness, cognisance, or knowing), Draṣṭṛtva (witnessing awareness) and Svasaṃvedana (self-awareness). 

Above all, this issue is about spiritual responsibility. A teacher who is careless with their own health cannot illuminate the path for others. A practitioner who ignores the whispers of pain misses the higher teaching hidden within discomfort.

When wisdom, compassion, and precision come together, yoga transcends practice and it becomes a sacred dialogue between the body and the Self. May this edition remind you that every injury avoided, every posture corrected, and every emotion healed is a step closer to freedom.

Shubham Bhavatu!


— Dr Sachdev
Medical Yoga Centre