Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Yoga and Religion

The whole question of Yoga being religious or not always comes up. Some people vote that Yoga is more spiritual than religious but what does that really mean? I say it all the time... "I'm Spiritual not Religious". So to me it means...I don't subscribe to any one religion but I believe there is a higher power of things and I believe in things like Karma and treating people the way I want to be treated.  I believe in respecting my own family and their beliefs and where it all came from and I also DO NOT believe I should school people on their beliefs or believe that one way of thinking is more superior than the other.

Is Yoga religious? To tell you the truth I think it can get pretty religious. I have been in classes and workshops where the instructor is really trying to get me to subscribe to their way of thinking. Judging me for eating meat or wanting to have attachments. Maybe that is not everyone's idea of religion but it gets culty. It can get culty. And what exactly are they asking me to chant? Do they know themselves? OK so it may be my lack of knowledge, or it can also depend on a persons idea of religion. In the West we seem to think Religion is something specific. But in other cultures the lines are more blurred, there are family and ancestral traditions which I don't consider religious, but could be thought of that way by someone else. Also, there is the idea that Religion is part of a persons culture, where in the West there seems to be this idea that sometimes you can choose your religion by converting.

Whatever the case may be, you decide for yourself. I personally don't chant in classes except for OMs or if my friend Carol is teaching. (Only because she is my friend. ) In the meantime, check out these articles.

Yoga and Christianity

Yoga and Judaism

I may admit that it could seem religious, but I will have to say that...Yoga is NOT demonic...don't take it to the next level, now!

No comments:

Post a Comment