Does anyone have any comments about the opinion that the spiritual side of yoga is for for gullible, naive fools (not my opinion by the way)?
All thoughts and comments will be appreciated, thanks.
Is the spiritual aspect of yoga for fools? Could very well be. This very thought has come to mind recently with me as well. Spiritual practice most likely is a waste of time,energy and effort as there probably is no reason to engage in it.
The only thing that matters is the here and now.
at least Anusara yoga is for naive, gullible fools. :rolleyes:
Haha maybe so, but what’s not spiritual about the here and now? I never acknowledged the positive side of religions until I came at them from the idea of santosha or content, and being thankful. It feels so great to be thankful, thankful of anything, life, nature, rama, christ, shiva, whatever comes natural, just this. Not to say religions and spirituality are interchangeable. I like the stories about neem karoli baba not talking about anything spiritual, he was just here, and people were fed.
Spiritual practice most likely is a waste of time,energy and effort as there probably is no reason to engage in it.
The only thing that matters is the here and now
If I say, ‘here and now’ is not matter and is not real, it will be non-sense to many. So, it is for the hopeless fools to deny what surrounds, to reject the obvious, to try to see the unseen, to pursue a moving target called ultimate truth. What is said above about the spiritual practice is absolutely true. If one is not fool enough, spiritual yoga is not the calling.
Is yoga for fools?
Yes. Yoga is for everyone.
if you base your opinion about spirituality on foolish things you’ve seen, then my question are:
why do you base your opinions on what others do, rather than on your own experience?
do you see that fools need compassion in the form of guidance rather than condemnation?
what has prevented you from having personal insightful spiritual experiences?
these questions will lead you to your answer.
[QUOTE=FlexPenguin;71131]Is yoga for fools?
Yes. Yoga is for everyone.[/QUOTE]
This is a great answer!
Thanks, Flex.
For fools…? I don’t know, but it works.
Prana is real, Chakras are real, Kundalini is real.
Thanks for all the comments.
I asked the question as my partner condemns the spiritual side of yoga. He accepts that it can be good for flexibility and relaxation but says that anything more than that is rubbish.
Of course he is entitled to his opinion, as everyone with that opinion is. I am new to yoga and have a lot to learn, but I feel that there is more to it than just stretching and deep breathing. I feel there is a spirituality about it and that it is a whole way of life that I wish to pursue.
“Condemn” implies a disapproval. However here it sounds more like a denial. Is the BF saying a spiritual connection is unavailable or is he saying he doesn’t approve of the spiritual connection offered?
There are two basic directional movements for human living. That which takes the human being toward light (self, soul, spirit, mission, path, wholesome) and that which takes the human being away. You can see this for yourself in every decision you make - right now. This correlates with spirit and ego, harmony and disharmony, health and illness.
Yoga doesn’t heal. It provides the support for healing. In the same way, Yoga provides an available avenue for connecting with one’s soul. However there has to be in intent for such a thing, guidance, and patience. This is where the five requisites of a yoga student enter; urge to grow, willingness to change, effort, sound guidance, and patience.
A person dead-set on not having a spiritual experience can walk head first into the most profoundly spiritual experience and come away with a yawn. Similarly, a person intent on making a connection to themselves can do so in a casino - though it is energetically very difficult.
Yoga is simply a very, very, very good set of tools for paving a highway. There’s just no point in paving a highway for a person lacking the desire to rise from their lounge chair.
I’m not sure what the “spirtual side” is. I have faith and I’m saved by grace. Fool? Perhaps. Do I pray and have spiritual meditation when I do my personal yoga? You bet.
If you listen to fools the mob rules.
As for Yoga, I don’t know, I do yoga, and I have been called a fool more than once in my life… so If I say yes it is for fools and I am a fool but then why would you take the word of a fool
maybe it’s just me but the Anusara yoga crisis is just proof that Westerners can’t do ashtanga yoga (small ‘a’) very well. It could very well be “power yoga” or “vinyasa yoga for burn” but it’s not Yoga, it’s asana.
I do believe the Indians are more spiritually developed. I don’t think we are, no matter what we say.
The West has corrupted, marketed, pr’ed yoga into a barely recognizable form of $15/hour “move your heel 5 degrees” form that I don’t get. Funny how “alignment” isn’t so serious a topic for the vast majority of Indians who do asana.
I’ve been to the local studio, and despite the attempts at diversification, coming together, acceptance, OM, some people refuse to sit nearby, even with that passive-aggressive smile on their Midwestern face. It’s all a big farce, but perhaps hard to blame others, after it’s in our culture. We’re just not ready for it and no amount of Yoga Journals or newly published books will help.
[QUOTE=Chitta Control;71149]maybe it’s just me but the Anusara yoga crisis is just proof that Westerners can’t do ashtanga yoga (small ‘a’) very well. It could very well be “power yoga” or “vinyasa yoga for burn” but it’s not Yoga, it’s asana.
I do believe the Indians are more spiritually developed. I don’t think we are, no matter what we say.[/QUOTE]
I see you haven’t read our teacher training forum.
[QUOTE=Chitta Control;71149]
I do believe the Indians are more spiritually developed. I don’t think we are, no matter what we say.
The West has corrupted, marketed, pr’ed yoga into a barely recognizable form of $15/hour “move your heel 5 degrees” form that I don’t get. Funny how “alignment” isn’t so serious a topic for the vast majority of Indians who do asana.
[/QUOTE]
Indians, at present, are not that spiritually developed as one might think from a distance. In fact, in my opinion, a person may aspire to be developed spiritually only after having material welfare first. A lot majority of Indians are just worried about material advancement(for hunger, shelter and clothing). One cannot have spiritual focus, if one’s stomach is empty and body is not healthy.
The corruption of Yoga is present even in India, if one views corruption in a particular fashion. There are a number of restrictions placed on a seeker of Yoga, so much so that one gets to think that all of Yoga is meaning-less.
[QUOTE=yaram;71156]Indians, at present, are not that spiritually developed as one might think from a distance. In fact, in my opinion, a person may aspire to be developed spiritually only after having material welfare first. A lot majority of Indians are just worried about material advancement(for hunger, shelter and clothing). One cannot have spiritual focus, if one’s stomach is empty and body is not healthy.
The corruption of Yoga is present even in India, if one views corruption in a particular fashion. There are a number of restrictions placed on a seeker of Yoga, so much so that one gets to think that all of Yoga is meaning-less.[/QUOTE]
[I]n fact, in my opinion, a person may aspire to be developed spiritually only after having material welfare first.[/I]
worked for Gandhi, and all those Buddhist monks who’ve taken a vow of poverty. this is a very ironic comment from someone who claims to practice yoga. In fact, it’s precisely the material things that can get in the way of the yogic and spiritual path. Have you not heard of that?
[I]A lot majority of Indians are just worried about material advancement([/I]
well, their country is going thru an economic boom, much like America did after WWII, this doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten their religion, esp. a religion that’s lived every day by the individual like Hinduism is much more than Christianity. Ironic that a Westerner and most likely an american is accusing some people in a very poor country of being money obsessed. We wrote the book on “keeping up with the jones”
when an Indian looks at the sunrise, or a river there’s a much bigger connection to it and an acknowledgement of something greater than them, you don’t have too many people in america like that. When was the last time in America you saw someone ritually bathing in a lake or river and saying prayers? When was the last time you saw someone prostrating at the sunrise? This happens everyday, all over India.
how in the world can you say Indians aren’t more spiritually aware?
[I]The corruption of Yoga is present even in India[/I]
but not nearly as much as in america, is this even debatable? The commercialization of yoga in the west is a uniquely american thing.
[QUOTE=David;71155]I see you haven’t read our teacher training forum.[/QUOTE]
do I need to pay $15/hour to read it?
Do I need to wear special $70 forum reading yoga-pants to get the most out of it?
Shall I obsess about my form while in my computer chair, being ever so mindful of the long-term damage I may do if I don’t read your teachers forum with perfect “alignment”? 