Question: Is Yoga a religion, an art or a science?

Sri Chinmoy: Yoga is neither art, science nor religion. Art itself, from the strict spiritual point of view, is not yoga. Religion which is man-made and which is fighting against other religions, is also not yoga. Yoga is conscious aspiration for God. Yoga feels that to realise God is necessary. At the same time it is in religion, in science, and in art, but it is not like them. It is like a boat which is inside the water, but is not of the water. The boat is detached; it is not affected by water although it is in the water. Similarly when we paint something, draw something, and do it with our aspiration and our yogic concentration, that is wonderful. If we want to discover something scientific, if we can pay attention or concentrate for the purpose of scientific discovery, then that too is yoga. If instead of fighting each other, all religions meet together and say there is only one God, then that is yoga. So yoga is inside each study and at the same time, yoga transcends everything because yoga says, “The main thing is to realise God.” When we realise God, when we become one with God’s consciousness, then we see God’s presence in everything. Right now, theoretically we are saying that God is here. But can we feel it? No. But if you practice yoga, you will see in everybody, even in each material thing like this desk, the presence of God. So in that way, yoga exists in everything. Otherwise yoga transcends everything; it transcends art, science, religion and all.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Earth’s Cry Meets Heaven’s Smile, part 3, Aum Press, Puerto Rico, 1978
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/ech_3