That depends on whether you practice yoga, how you plan to use the proceeds, and what your intention is, now doesn’t it? It cannot be taken only at face value - just as Bikram or Amrit Desai cannot.
Trying to sell people yoga is prob. a bit of a lost cause i tend to feel.Living as an example or inspiration is a decent enough ad though…Folk can & will take and disregard whatever they like; anything & everything is’nt obligatory.Those that are curious will explore. Choice is always available…Where that may lead is anyone’s guess.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;40704]Thomas,
how about if we find some ways to keep the religious thread in the appropriate section of the forum? I wonder if it’s respectful to the OP to shift their post, either mindfully or mindlessly, in the direction of religion.
Living from integrity, truth, honesty, love…this does not require religion.[/QUOTE]
Thanks IA.
Yoga is used as the new ‘feel good’ treat - the miracle drug that will cure the fat and abused. But, like aerobics, jogging, and pilates before it most of the new ‘converts’ will quickly drop off, or discover the next treat or shortcut.
What I anticipate with ‘yoga as value-added selling feature’ is the other shoe to drop - i.e. the backlash, which is already happening. There are many studios that have popped up on virtually every corner here in my city. Without the interest they will begin to fail and a lot of hopes will be dashed. I don’t mean to paint a doomsday scenario, but because yoga practice has entered the realm of fad, as with all fads historically, interest will fade, although there doesn’t seem to be much likelihood of this in the short term.
The positive side of all this is that people that otherwise would never have been exposed to yoga (like myself and a number of friends in my age group), having been ‘pushed’ into it by whatever circumstances will come to feel that difference from the other exercises and crave more. As IA put it; living from integrity, truth, honesty, love…
So, in a way, it’s all good and I support the use of yoga as selling feature for that reason alone.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;40704]Thomas,
how about if we find some ways to keep the religious thread in the appropriate section of the forum? I wonder if it’s respectful to the OP to shift their post, either mindfully or mindlessly, in the direction of religion.
Living from integrity, truth, honesty, love…this does not require religion.[/QUOTE]
You were the one who shifted it to a “religious” discussion by bringing up “the soul.”
My points were relevant because they had to do with the business aspect of yoga, which the OP was about, and my opinions of how I would appoach it to appeal to a broader base, by stripping it of religion and appearances of religion.
I would appreciate if henceforth you would not attempt to moderate me or control my posting. If you find my posts inappropriate, please complain to the admin and not in the threads.
[QUOTE=FlexPenguin;40564]That was my business plan. Not to take the ‘yoga’ from ‘yoga’, but to create ease-of-entry for those who have heard about yoga and it’s benefits, but are intimidated by the ‘religious’ associations. My thought is that if I were able to use the asanas as a springboard to discover the other, fuller aspects of yoga and benefit from that, maybe there are people out there who would as well.[/QUOTE]
My last comment if you want me out of this thread…
I don’t see why you can’t just stop right there.
There a myriad of ways to accomplish those other things without full-blown yoga, and again, they may already be doing them and don’t need any new preaching, philosophy, or religion.
well…it sounds good to me Flex…Id just call it EASY YOGA…
and if people want to extend it further…your not stopping them are you.
charlidharma is right Buddha not want to be worshiped…the reason people bow to him is to help reduce the ego via humility and respect…couldnt go any smaller
[QUOTE=thomas;40715]My last comment if you want me out of this thread…
I don’t see why you can’t just stop right there.
There a myriad of ways to accomplish those other things without full-blown yoga, and again, they may already be doing them and don’t need any new preaching, philosophy, or religion.[/QUOTE]
You are correct in that there are many ways to accomplish fitness goals outside yoga. Why then are you drawn to yoga practice and this forum? I do not ask out of a desire to give offence. I truly would like your insight.
[QUOTE=FlexPenguin;40719]You are correct in that there are many ways to accomplish fitness goals outside yoga. Why then are you drawn to yoga practice and this forum? I do not ask out of a desire to give offence. I truly would like your insight.[/QUOTE]
I’ll be back with a more thorough explaination, but I think there has been some misunderstanding by you of me, or by me of you, or both…
I think the asana part of yoga is an excellent form of exercise and fitness. I was referring to the other “limbs” of yoga, which are somewhat redundant or obsolete for someone who already embraces a particular faith, and also there are some elements that could be contrary to that faith, which is why I would rather that yoga be “packaged” as “religion neutral.”
I know the claim is that it is not a religion, but no matter where I go online and in real life, somehow there seems to always be the trappings of religion associated with it, even by those who are adamant that it is not a religion. They will say so, and then the next sentence talk about karma and someone’s next incarnation, as if this is a natural part of yoga, and if it is, then that’s religion.
I am drawn to yoga because of the physical benefits. I always saw an importance in being limber and stretching, and in being “in shape,” and found that the asana practice seems to be a perfect combination of strength, cardio, and flexibility. I am not drawn to any spiritual aspects of yoga, as that is of religion, and I already have a religion.
Like you, I see the immense benefit yoga could be to “the masses,” and I thought we were on the same page in our thinking when you mentioned “sport yoga.”
And I think it would be more appealing to a greater number of people if it were entirely separated from anything that smacks of religion, mysticism, or anything that some would see as “woo woo.”
If I were to open a yoga studio, there would be no OMs, no pictures of Buddha, no statues of gods or people with eight arms, (no pictures of Jesus or Mary, either), no incense, no preaching by the teachers, no looking out through a “third eye,” no talk about auras or chakras–just the physical part that can be seen and experienced. I would leave religious and belief-system choices up to the individual to work out on their own.
Just like for a year or so I adopted the vegetarian diet of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, without becoming or embracing anything about Seventh Day Adventism, so I would strive to present the physical aspect of yoga, without teaching any of the other parts.
I’m trying to reach some clarity and understanding about yoga and religion so that I can share yoga with others and explain it in a way so they can understand it does not have to conflict with their faith, which is the reason why I am on this forum, besides to get tips about how to do handstands and headstands.
There is most definately a perception that yoga is a religion and that yoga could conflict with a faith, especially a Christian faith, and I’m just trying to sort this all out.
I intend to explore this a little further, and if you’re interested in discussing it further, I will be making a post in the religious forum about it.
Anyway, I didn’t see that my previous posts were diverting the topic to religion and that was not my intention. My intention was only to make a point that I think a good approach to making yoga (the physical part) more appealing to all would be to take religion and appearance of religion out of it.
Fair enough. I am on the same page as you in many respects, except this one:
[QUOTE=thomas;40723] I am not drawn to any spiritual aspects of yoga, as that is of religion, and I already have a religion.[/QUOTE]
I do not adhere to the notion that spirituality is the dominion of religion. I do not believe in god - bearded, blue, or otherwise. Nor am I an adherent to any religion. I do, however, seek to grow and nuture my spirituality in many ways.
[QUOTE=FlexPenguin;40726]Fair enough. I am on the same page as you in many respects, except this one:
I do not adhere to the notion that spirituality is the dominion of religion. I do not believe in god - bearded, blue, or otherwise. Nor am I an adherent to any religion. I do, however, seek to grow and nuture my spirituality in many ways.[/QUOTE]
I thought you said you were a practicing Catholic. Do I have you confused with someone else?
[QUOTE=thomas;40728]I thought you said you were a practicing Catholic. Do I have you confused with someone else?[/QUOTE]
I was raised roman catholic. My kids go to rc school. I am a ‘plasma universalist’. (I just made that up. I like it :))
Unlike most people I know who have left the church, I hold no grudges. In many ways I am still a practicing catholic, but defined by my own terms. I learne a ton of good stuff as a catholic that I keep as part of my spiritual self. Like you I am offended when some trash the church because of the sins of a few.
I was looking at some statistics. You could see there are at least 15.8 million people in USA practising yoga. Some estimates are even going as high as 30 millions.
In India the statistics I could see were unreliable, placing the number of yoga practitioneers under 6 millions.
Obviously I do not think that the figures above are near to exact, but still give a very rough indication.
It looks now that yoga is more American than Indian. The situations is similar to football
(named soccer in America). Football originated in England, but the most and best practioneers are in Brazil.
Thomas, Flex,
Thank you for providing us with an interesting thread.
Yesterday I watched a documentary which was filmed a couple of years ago…
[I]It is of a Christian Vicar who is dissatisfied with some aspects of his faith, he feels that the Church of England is too much a faith of the head, and not enough a faith of the soul, the heart or even the body. So he decides to set off on three extreme pilgrimages, one of which takes place in [B]India[/B][/I].
I urge you to watch it as I think you both might find it worthwhile. It’s 1hr long but worth taking the time to watch. I found it very interesting and humbling.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5018047224011169949#
I’m a third of the way through this interesting video.
I’m at tha part where the vicar was invited to smoke hashish and is now quite stoned.
Is smoking dope an integral part of a yogi’s devotion, or is dope smoking restricted to certain sects?
[quote=oak333;41790]I was looking at some statistics. There are 837 people in the USA practicing yoga. There at least 15.8 million people in USA who think they are practising yoga but are just doing aerobics. Some estimates are even going as high as 30 millions.
In India the statistics I could see were unreliable, placing the number of yoga practitioneers under 6 millions.[/quote]
Fixed.
I’m half way through the video. I never expected to see so many naked bearded Hindus smoking dope. They seem to be having a great time on their pilgrimage, but I’m at a loss to understand why the drugs. Also, this pilgrimage seems to be exclusive to men.
[QUOTE=David;41939]Fixed.[/QUOTE]
How did you come with the figure of 837 people practising yoga in America ?
Well, we definitely understand that the practitioneers in America are not all so dedicated to advanced spiritual practices, but even asanas and meditation could probably qualify them as yoga practitioneers.
It all depends on the standards. Like in football (soccer) not every player is a Pele, Maradona, or Zidane. But they are still football players.
It was yanked from the dark, sarcastic, aching confines of my bowels.
[quote=oak333;41954]Well, we definitely understand that the practitioneers in America are not all so dedicated to advanced spiritual practices, but even asanas and meditation could probably qualify them as yoga practitioneers.
It all depends on the standards. Like in football (soccer) not every player is a Pele, Maradona, or Zidane. But they are still football players.[/quote]
True enough. I admittedly have become rather cynical about the “yoga” because taught here in the USA by most “teachers”. I may be projecting though 