Can yoga be Christian?

[Valjean]

My sister played lacrosse and one day woke up a Cherokee. We couldn't understand a word she said.

 

[Jainarayan]

Well, there goes my example.

 

[Onkara]

. or emanated from Himself

Yes, of course. Different people address it differently, don't they? How do you address it?

I do by recognising that different people (or souls) need different actions or reasons to spur them onward towards becoming better humans. Although ultimately everyone is of the same essence, people all vibrate differently, just as they all smell differently, perceive differently, etc. Nature and nurture both play a role in that end result called a human. God, in his wisdom, put forth a wide variety of faiths and systems and non-systems, so everyone has a place to go.

Think of a massive multicultural buffet....(cut for space).

I agree and like your explanation, religious tolerance is required.

I hope you don't think I was singling you out there, I should have addressed it to all The question of so many religions, sects and names/forms for God is often one I find myself addressing, i.e. how can so much variety exist?

The variety I see as God's will, his evolution and expansion at the level of mind-body-intellect. His will to experience Himself as many. Diversity is the spice of life. The way this is created is through covering Himself, i.e. through ignorance or maya (it matters not once the Lord is known as all.

I also like k.Venugopal's respone, as it makes it an individual destiny, free from dogma and religious rules. It is due to Christian doctrine which requires Yoga to be Christinan-ised imho:

Yoga is all about integrating our personality. So not only should everyone do yoga, but everyone should become Yogis!

 

[SageTree]

Mods, if this is out of line, I tried my best to stay inline, so do what you have to if this is out of place, many apologies. I'm not so good at this DIR biz sometimes.

I'd appreciate any feed back from DIR members as well if need be....

So here we go.....

I mean no disrespect at all when I ask this, I hope you are all open and okay with me asking this:

To play on the Yoga/Yoking translation, what do you make of this?

Matthew 11: 29-30

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

This is in the interest of talking and not an assertion to say 'It is all the same thing' or anything of the like, but am not opposed to hear from those who see or can imagine a similarity.

For instance...

What is the Yoke of Jesus?
What is His 'Yoga', if you will?
If you feel He has one, in your opinion, which of the traditional Sanatan Dharma Yogas would it be?

I don't mean to debate or anything.... I just saw 'yoking/yoga' in a post above and thought of this piece of scripture.

In other words, I'm not hoping or stepping in to rabble-rouse, this is a serious question since it seems semi-relevant to the topic.




:namaste
SageTree

 

[Onkara]

Here is a link with the overview of the 6 main Yoga systems. I haven't read it fully and cannot vouch for its validity, but it will help answer your questions, SageTree

Six Yoga Systems: Hatha, Raja, Bhakti, Jnana, Kriya, Karma

There are more yogas by the way. I would say that Jesus uses each depending on the situation or answer. I would also say that, in my opinion, it isn't wrong to mix yoga either.

Just for the record. I don't see any problem with your question on Jesus, after all it is the purpose of the thread. I personally see no real need to compare Jesus unless it is helpful for the aspirant to remove spiritual ignorance (avidyA) which leads to the divine.

 

[SageTree]

Here is a link with the overview of the 6 main Yoga systems. I haven't read it fully and cannot vouch for its validity, but it will help answer your questions, SageTree

Six Yoga Systems: Hatha, Raja, Bhakti, Jnana, Kriya, Karma

There are more yogas by the way. I would say that Jesus uses each depending on the situation or answer. I would also say that, in my opinion, it isn't wrong to mix yoga either.

Just for the record. I don't see any problem with your question on Jesus, after all it is the purpose of the thread. I personally see no real need to compare Jesus unless it is helpful for the aspirant to remove spiritual ignorance (avidyA) which leads to the divine.

Thanks for the link and reply Onkara.

I was always under the impression that even though the yogas have separate labels, that isn't to imply that all the rest still aren't present to some degree, when one aspect or yoga in mostly in the spot light, understand what I mean?

That is to say, I thought they were ALL a mix to some degree and certain aspects were focused on by the aspirant.

I put the disclaimer up because I've gotten into some hot water with my unwillingness to choose a label that fits the DIR schema... I think you know me well enough by now to know that much about me eh?

Well... yea.. so just wanted to make it as nice and fluffy as I could, even though I feel I DO belong in here in an 'official' sense, know what I mean?

I agree there is no need to compare or say 'better/worse' or anything like that.
Perhaps contrasting his yoke in light of yogic knowledge, might have been more correct to say?

Thank you
:namaste
SageTree

 

[Onkara]

Thanks for the link and reply Onkara.

I was always under the impression that even though the yogas have separate labels, that isn't to imply that all the rest still aren't present to some degree, when one aspect or yoga in mostly in the spot light, understand what I mean?

Yes. I know what you mean

I put the disclaimer up because I've gotten into some hot water with my unwillingness to choose a label that fits the DIR schema... I think you know me well enough by now to know that much about me eh?

Well... yea.. so just wanted to make it as nice and fluffy as I could, even though I feel I DO belong in here in an 'official' sense, know what I mean?

I agree there is no need to compare or say 'better/worse' or anything like that.
Perhaps contrasting his yoke in light of yogic knowledge, might have been more correct to say?

Thank you
:namaste
SageTree

It is difficult to find a correct label or religion as we are not following a creed or system that restricts us from other religions. This is why I think universalism or traditionalism become next step solutions in Dharmic religions. It seems we can either embrace what we like in all religions or we try to limit ourselves to tradition and scripture in a certain religion to benefit most. Sometimes it is easier to say "All religions lead to the truth" than to try and explain why some religions might not.

 

[IsmailaGodHasHeard]

Guns don't kill people; people kill people. Asanas don't turn you into a Hindu from a Christian; you turn you into a Hindu from a Christian. Just because part of a discipline originated in another belief system, does not mean you have to adhere to that entire original belief system, or are adhering to it. It's how you approach it and what you do with it.

Lacrosse was invented by Native Americans. Playing lacrosse does not make you Oglala Sioux. Lacrosse is a game. Yoga postures are exercises. It's how far you take the discipline. Meditating on Om is Hindu; meditating on "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner" is pretty damn Christian to me.

When I do japa Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya or Om Sri Krishnaya namaha, that's Hindu; if I do japa on the "Jesus prayer", that's Christian and a deviation from my faith. Eastern Orthodox Christians do the same prostrations to venerate icons (been there, done that) as Muslims do in prayers at mosque. The EOC is far older than Islam. Do those prostrations in mosque make Muslims any less Muslim, and more Christian?

Oh, okay. I will keep that in mind.

 

[Songbird]

***Mod Post***

Reminder: This is in the Hinduism DIR and is not intended for debate.​

 

[Gaura Priya]

Yoga, the watered down kind, is not religious in any way, shape or form... even if the origin did come from our system of hatha yoga.

However, Christianity has many saints and many deep, meditative techniques given by the Quakers, by many Catholic saints such as St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa of Avila, and Eastern Orthodox literature. Don't forget the meditative form of Bible reading, or Lectio Divina. A Christian does not need to go beyond eir own faith tradition in order to discover the amounts of meditative wealth and treasure; in the truer definition of the term, this to me is 'Christian yoga'.

 

[K.Venugopal]

... we are not following a creed or system that restricts us from other religions.

This is probably the hallmark of Hinduism.

 

[Valjean]

Yoga, the watered down kind, is not religious in any way, shape or form... even if the origin did come from our system of hatha yoga.

However, Christianity has many saints and many deep, meditative techniques given by the Quakers, by many Catholic saints such as St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa of Avila, and Eastern Orthodox literature. Don't forget the meditative form of Bible reading, or Lectio Divina. A Christian does not need to go beyond eir own faith tradition in order to discover the amounts of meditative wealth and treasure; in the truer definition of the term, this to me is 'Christian yoga'.

Agreed. Altered consciousness is a universal phenomenon. Yoga is just one traditional method of achieving it. It doesn't exclude other methods or traditions.

 

[Akhilesh]

It is total hindu yoga is the sanskrit hindu word.we can see in wikipedia about yoga.it cannot be christian thanks

 

[zenzero]

Friends,
Personal understanding is that YOGA is beyond all paths and is not under any *ism* to be contained by and so followers of any paths are also following or practicing YOGA in their own way.
The *namaj* or the prayers that followers of islam undertake has all the moves of hath yoga so yoga is not restricted by any path.
The way one sits, sleeps, eats, etc are all parts of yoga.
One needs to free the mind from such bondage to be free!
and to be free only one practices religion.

Love & rgds

 

[SageTree]

^ +1 to that.

 

[nameless]

Friends,
Personal understanding is that YOGA is beyond all paths and is not under any *ism* to be contained by and so followers of any paths are also following or practicing YOGA in their own way.

agree, but the philosophy behind yoga is dharmic. It is from the dharmic understanding of the body, mind and the soul, the yoga came into being. Yes, anyone can practice yoga accepting the dharmic philosophies without leaving current beliefs whatever it be. Should also keep in mind that the founders of yoga were all (dharmic)saints and not 'gym masters'.

 

[zenzero]

Friend nameless,

Dharma means LAWS of existence and whatever one does in life are ways of life and so dharmic!

Love & rgds

 

[zenzero]

Friend ST,

"Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu, Buddhist....."
Only Breath

Yes, should we could also say:
Yoga = consciousness + breath.

Love &rgds

 

[Valjean]

It's an orthodox denomination of Hinduism. No way can it be Christian.

 

[zenzero]

Friend nameless,

Should also keep in mind that the founders of yoga were all (dharmic)saints and not 'gym masters'.

dharma is not restricted by any *ism* it is existential for all beings alike.
Kindly understand that one attains to that state of being /enlightenment/etc. after taking forms countless numbers of times and only following gym master in one life still results in greater understanding in the next; evolution is another way where one reaches to that peak of oneness.

Love & rgds