Patanjali's yoga sutras

विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम्
viparyayo mithyā-jñānam-atadrūpa pratiṣṭham

viparyayo विपर्यय – misconception
mithyā मिथ्या – false
jñānam ज्ञान – knowledge 
atadrūpa तद्रूप – not of the same quality
pratiṣṭham प्रतीष्टम् – based on

Misconceptions arise from mistaking one thing for something completely different.

Human systems of hierarchy and separation divide us in countless ways, but the truth is, we are one.

Think of someone you love who says or does something that you’re sure is wrong. You love them anyway. You might argue with them, but your love is transcendent of your differences and when you can come to a place of compassionate understanding and forgiveness, or at least agree to disagree while maintaining respect for one another, love wins.

Now think of someone you have no attachment to who holds a belief or perspective that is so different from your own–or does something you think is so awful–that you are sure they can only be stupid or evil.

Can you see that they are struggling along the same path to higher consciousness that you are?

Can you find enough love in your heart to see their oneness with the Loving Awareness that animates and organizes the universe?

Make it your constant practice to do this.

The only misconceptions that are important in yoga are the ones that will be listed by Patanjali in sutra 2.5, mistaking the temporary for the eternal, the impure for the pure, pain for pleasure, and the ego for the Self.