Is Yoga a Religion?

Recommend (0) Comments (0)

Theism, which in our society is most commonly associated with the monotheistic, personal all-powerful God, has been part and parcel of the Western view of religion. It is hard for us to think about religion without the central presence of such a deity – the God who is transcendent. It is not that other aspects of God are absent in most recognized religions, but the transcendent element is salient and stands out in Western literature and practice.

There is theism in Yoga and it is historically closely linked to the deities of Hinduism, which is a soft polytheism that views the gods as being subsumed into a greater whole. We may however reject the connection because our discomfort with theism or with anything that is not acutely monotheistic.

Yoga emphasizes the imminent aspect of God. Yoga holds great teachings and wisdom to help us understand, comprehend, and experience the sacred within the self and in everyday life. The imminent God is not absent from monotheistic religions, but is veiled in their mystical practices that are not readily available for seekers. It is therefore hard for many of us to see Yoga as a religion when it lacks a transcendent God, the one we idealize as firm, controlling, and unreachable being. Notwithstanding, Yoga teachings in the West remain accessible and meaningful to many people in connecting to divinity, community, and self, suggesting that an imminent God is a better fit for some at this time of history.

Yoga models may also be attractive because they focus on the individual and are more democratic in nature – at least they appear to be from their presentation here in the West. These models may provide a more internal passageway to divinity, more freedom and spontaneity, and be experienced as more embracing and non-threatening portal to mystical experiences.