Yoga is an art of living and not a religious practice

[Guest guest]

>

> Question: We are devout Christians who are very uncomfortable with

> Hindu rituals, and see the same in Sahaja Yoga. Is there any way we

> can do without such rituals?

>

> Answer: Silence on Self

>

>

> Question: I do not want to meditate on anything non-Christian but

> agree that the Holy Spirit is feminine. How do I only worship the

> Holy Spirit but not the Adi Shakti?

>

> Answer: Silence on Self

>

>

> Question: I am a Muslim who absolutely am against worshipping of any

> idol or image. How then is Sahaja Yoga and Shri Mataji compatible

> with Islam?

>

> Answer: Silence on Self

>

>

> Question: I am a Sikh. I am completely against any Hindu ritual or

> worshipping of their idols and gods. Sikhism is completely against

> such practices. But Sahaja Yoga is also so full of such rituals and

> gods. What have you got to say, being a Sikh yourself?

>

> Answer: Silence on Self

>

>

> Question: I do not want to follow any religious organization or yoga

> teacher but still am interested in spirituality. You think that is

> possible?

>

> Answer: Silence on Self

>

 

 

Indian gurus condemn banning of Yoga by British churches

From our ANI Correspondent

 

Varanasi /Haridwar/New Delhi, Sep 1: Yoga teachers in India on

Saturday condemned the decision by two British churches to ban

teaching of yoga in church halls.

 

The yoga teachers say that the ancient physical and mental discipline

is an art of living and not a religious practice.

 

" This step has been taken by those who do not want Yoga to spread in

across the world or, those who believe there associate it with

propagation of Hinduism, says Acharaya Bal Kishan, general secretary

of Patanjali Yog Peet, established by renowned guru, Baba Ramdev.

 

" Though Yoga is born from Hinduism, it is not Hinduism, it is an art

of living which is important for humanity, " he adds.

 

Vicars banned Yoga classes for children in two local churches-the

Silver Street Baptist Church, and the St. James Angilican Church,

Somerset-calling the ancient Indian practice un-Christian.

 

According to church authorities, their premises can be used only by

people who fall in line with Christian ethos.

 

The UK churches' decision has not found much favour with the Catholic

Church in India.

 

" Across the board in all the countries, you will find some sections

that are liberal and some sections of people who are not so liberal.

It is applicable to Christianity as well, but I think in whole when

you look at the western countries which are predominantly Christian

in nature, they have been open to different philosophies, different

ways of thinking and living, " says father Babu Joseph, spokesperson

of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) in New Delhi.

 

Yoga is an ancient school of Hindu philosophy that prescribes

physical and mental disciplines for attaining oneness with

the 'Supreme Being.'

 

Over the years, Yoga - which literally means the union of body and

mind - has become hugely popular in the West and has been patronized

by many Hollywood celebrities.

 

Yoga has been practiced in India for thousands of years, but the

Government recently said it was becoming increasingly concerned that

people were trying to make money from what is a part of their

cultural heritage.

 

Indian gurus condemn banning of Yoga by British churches

www.dailyindia.com/ANI

 

 

 

Yoga is just a healthier way of life

The Times of India

Sep 4, 2007

Nicole Dastur

 

`There's no word called `God' in yoga'

 

Bhakti Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Kundalini Yoga,

Ashtanga Yoga, Mantra Yoga... the list goes on and on. For most

Indians (and for many in the West as well), the practice of yoga has

almost become a way of life. A healthier life.

 

Yet, two churches in Britain have recently banned a group from

conducting yoga classes, terming the ancient practice as `un-

Christian' and a `sham'.

 

Even though the practice did originate in India centuries ago (the

word `Yoga' is derived from the Sanskrit word `Yuj' which means

to `unite', the union being that of the individual with the Universal

Spirit, or God), does that make it more Hindu in ideology?

 

In other words, does it make it `un-Christian'? BT gets yoga

instructors and practitioners to stretch (pun intended) their

imagination on this issue.

 

Yoga guru and teacher to a host of celebrities, Bharat Thakur,

maintains that yoga is, in essence, simply a more holistic approach

to life and has no religious leanings. " Yoga is about attaining a

blissful state of being. Agree that it was invented by a Hindu, but

that was by default. Just because electricity was discovered by a

Christian, is it wrong for a Hindu to use it? For that matter, why

are we eating burgers when our indigenous food is the vada-pav? This

entire controversy questions the so-called `liberal' mind of the 21st

century, " says Bharat, further reiterating that yoga is a process,

not a dogma.

 

" Which is why yoga has not become a religion or a cult, despite its

popularity. In fact, in yoga, there is no word called `God', " said

Thakur.

 

Actress Vidya Malavade (goal-keeper in the film Chak De India ), who

is also a yoga instructor, is shocked at this ban. " Yoga has

absolutely no connection with religion. It's a way of life, a means

to finding a balance between the mind and the body. The

word `Yogacharya' itself means `a way of living'. Yes, it originated

from Sanskrit philosophy, but today, it's popular across the world

not because of its origins but because of its functionality. It's the

form, the technique that people want to learn, not necessarily its

philosophy! " Just like you don't need to learn Japanese to learn

karate, right?

 

Renowned spiritual leader, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, also

regrets the ban. In a statement issued, he said, " It is unfortunate

that even in the 21st century, superstition still prevails in some

churches. This reminds me of an imam who issued a fatwa against TV,

saying that Satan has entered television. Practices such as yoga

which promote health and happiness can never be against any true

religion. Yoga has been diluted by many and marketed as a mere

physical exercise. "

 

Staunch follower of yoga, actress Tisca Chopra, is also of the

opinion that only prejudiced minds can think this way and said, " Yoga

promotes good health, not religious propaganda. This is the

equivalent of saying lighting candles promotes Christianity! " Ami

Patel, Art of Living teacher said that to restrict yoga to a

particular religion is limited thinking. " Yoga goes beyond

boundaries, it is followed all over the world. It belongs to the

whole world — that is the kind of broad vision the practice of yoga

gives. Everybody leads a stressful life today, whether one is a

Hindu, Muslim or Christian. The benefits of yoga affect everyone, "

explained Ami.

 

Father Joe Pereira, who himself practices and teaches yoga since

1976, said that the Catholic church has nothing against yoga.

 

" It's the fundamentalist Protestants and the old-fashioned Christians

that think in such a backward manner. We are an inculturated church,

we have even integrated certain principles of Vedanta into the

church's theologies, " revealed Father Joe.

 

Yoga is just a healthier way of life

www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/