Take Back Yoga Campaign… Misdirected fervor!
The recent campaign by the Hindu American Foundation wanting to TAKE BACK YOGA has caused quite the stir in the media. They feel the practice that have evolved into what most people know to be yoga these days, is too far removed from its roots of Hinduism.
According to a statement from the group: “From asanas named after Hindu Gods to the shared goal of moksha to the common pluralistic philosophy, the Hindu roots of yoga seem difficult to deny. Yet, more often than not, many Western yoga practitioners are aghast at the very suggestion that the cherished “spiritual practice” of yoga is firmly grounded in Hindu philosophy.”
Apparently, Hindu scholar Aseem Shukla and “New Age” mega-guru Deepak Chopra have been engaging in a Great Yoga Debate on the Washington Post’s On Faith Blog about whether it is legit to practice yoga without acknowledging the practice’s Hinduism.
Shukla writes: “Hinduism, as a faith tradition, stands at this pass a victim of overt intellectual property theft, absence of trademark protections and the facile complicity of generations of Hindu yogis, gurus, swamis and others that offered up a religion’s spiritual wealth at the altar of crass commercialism.”
Chopra fires back: “If you strip away his sour mood and questionable assumptions, I think Shukla’s real lament is like that of Jews who see the young fleeing from the old ways and Christians sitting in half-empty churches. To him it could be said what is often said to these other religionists. Maybe it’s you who haven’t found a way to keep the temples, synagogues, and churches full. That’s a very different matter form the millions who are finding a spiritual path on their own, outside organized religion.”
WHOA GUYS. CHILL.
Honestly, for whatever reasons it is that someone finds yoga, I think it would be most appropriate for them at that given time. If they want to lose weight, so be it. If they want to exercise, so be it. If its a last ditch effort to find peace and quiet within themselves, so be it. Whatever the reason, whatever the season, nobody should be cut off from Yoga.
Without having to mention names on who ‘patented’ Yoga moves, isn’t this campaign by the American Hindu Foundation running along parallel lines of what was done? You want to cut off the excess ‘fat’ on Yoga, but over time, this ‘fat’ could very well turn into muscle. And who are we to judge their reasons for doing yoga?
I do believe there is a time and place for the Hindu philosophy. In fact, I would say that when we practice yoga with the philosophy in mind, it adds so much more richness and texture to the fabric of yoga which we choose to wrap ourselves in.
All In Good Time.
Yoga believes in non-harm. By inference, yoga wants to do good. If doing yoga can help someone, versus NOT doing yoga and having the person either not get better/get worse, wouldn’t it be harming someone if we stopped someone from doing yoga? I believe that Yoga is good for EVERYONE. Its just a matter of finding the right yoga to suit your condition at each phase of one’s life. Restorative, pre-natal, post-natal, ashtanga, hathaa, yin, pranayama…. the list could go on if I start adding the more modern additions such as power yoga, dynamic yoga, yoga balance, gentle yoga……
Many roads lead to Rome, we need to open our arms and hearts to accepting that differences aren’t always a bad thing.
Is there even any need to debate this ?
Of course, Yoga is very much a part of Hinduism. Yoga is born of Hinduism. Who did you think Patanjali was ? Patanjali was an ancient HINDU sage, who compiled the science of Yoga in a systematic manner.
Asking if Yoga has to do with Hinduism is like asking if I can receive a Baptism and Holy-Communion, but still avoid getting involved with Catholicism. Do you understand ?
The physical Yoga-Asanas are but a first step in the Vedic Hindu tradition of disciplining the body, and thence, the mind, as a pre-cursor to the attainment of Enlightenment by the Yoga-practitioner.
So, all practitioners of Yoga are getting initiated into Hinduism, like it or not. If your Evangelical Church has a problem with your getting involved with the Heathen religion of Hinduism, drop out of the Yoga class.
Also, Yoga requires its practitioners to be VEGETARIAN. So, if you are practising Yoga-asanas, but are still eating animal-flesh, you are already in violation of the Yogic principles. Does that make you a bad person ? Well, it definitely makes you an incomplete Yogi or Yogini.
Americans can call it Power-Yoga, or any other kind of fancy name, but bear in mind, that you owe it all to Hinduism.
Also know this, that before Christianity swept over Europe, ancient Europe was actually Hindu. In other words, Hinduism is not entirely alien to the White Man. ( Hitler got it partly right ! )
Alexander the Greek invaded India, but ended up becoming conquered by Hinduism and Buddhism. Alexander’s Greek Generals took back with them to Europe Hinduism and Buddhism.
It’s amazing that Americans are ever so willing to attribute pretty much any ancient knowledge to the Chinese. Thus, Americans will gladly announce that they are practising Kung-fu, an ancient Chinese art. But even this is factually incorrect. For even Kung-fu was invented by an ancient Indian monk, who traveled to China, and taught Kung-fu to the peasants of China. The Chinese word “Chen”, and the Japanese equivalent “Zen” are both derived from the Sanskrit word “Dhyan”, which means a combination of concentration and meditation.
Gautama Buddha was born a Hindu prince, who went on to establish Buddhism.
From India, Buddhism traveled East to China.
I am perfectly happy to be thanking those great Americans, the Wright Brothers Orville and Wilbur, every time that I step onto an aircraft to take a flight. So, why can’t Americans similarly be gracious enough to give credit where credit is due, and thank Hinduism every time that they step onto their Yoga-mats ?
Yoga came from Hinduism and deserves acknowledgement.