If you listen closely, you will hear people misuse terms related to Yoga because of lack of knowledge or by bending and twisting a definition to suit their needs. An example of this would be when a student claims a teacher who charges for classes does not have a "Yogic attitude."

In general, Yoga teachers tend to be charitable with their time, money, and possessions, but when one chooses to teach, there is no vow of poverty. Many Yoga instructors have families, and do not live in monasteries and ashrams. Let's take a look at Yogic terms, which are commonly misused, misunderstood, or misrepresented.

Yoga: The Sanskrit word for "union" or "unity." There are many forms of Yoga. The nine main forms of Indian Yoga are: Raja, Bhakti, Jnana, Karma, Hatha, Tantra, Kundalini, Mantra, and Yantra. Notice that Hatha, which basically means "union through physical mastery," is only one of the nine main styles of Yoga.

After absorption of the above-mentioned definition, religious fundamentalists of all kinds often question the concept of union or unity. This leads to questions, such as: "What is this idea of Unity?" To a fundamentalist, the concept of harmony in mind, body, and spirit, within each individual, is a threat.

A fundamentalist, of any kind, practices sectarianism, which is bigotry, discrimination, and intolerance in its purest form. The hatred, arising from attaching importance to differences between people, is the primary objective.

Yogic: A technique, philosophy, or behavior which should be a reflection of Yoga practice. It should be understood that, unless we are perfect, any one of us can behave in a Yogic and a non-Yogic fashion within the same day.

When you leave a Yoga session, is your mind filled with bliss for the rest of the day? When you commute home, are you filled with joy and happiness? Do you feel the same way when an oblivious car driver cuts you off the road and does his or her best to send you into the "after life?" If you felt a slight bit of rage - welcome to the human race. It is hard to be perfect, but we can do our best each day.

Mindfulness: Many people think mindfulness is "only a Buddhist principle." However, mindfulness means: To be careful and aware in our thoughts, words, actions, and non-actions; which is a universal principle within many philosophies and religions.

In Sanskrit, the word "Smrti" means, "that which is remembered." Have you ever heard someone say: "It's not what you said, it's the way you said it." People may forget your words, but they will always remember the way you said the words.

You might have good intentions, but you have to check your tone carefully. With that said, we must avoid talking before thinking. In Yoga practice, we should develop inner and outer awareness, full presence in practice, and an intention at the beginning of practice. These principles should stay with us throughout the day.