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By some estimates there are more than 10,000 different religions in the world today. Could yoga be one of them? Countless books and DVDs espouse the spiritual benefits of yoga practice, and there are certainly some enthusiasts who find it to be a religious experience. Others though, insist that yoga is no more a religion than jogging. What does yoga truly represent?
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Yoga is Religion
Speak for yourself ...
Of course, your definitions can only really be your own. Others must be free to define religion for themselves, to define "spirit" and "spirituality" for themselves, to define "yoga" or "hinduism" for themselves. You might lay claim to the right to impose your definitions on others, however, there is little doubt you have no genuine power to decide for anyone what definitions they will and will not use.
I say all of this because your posting very much gives the impression of insisting your definitions are the ones that MUST be used rather than definitions the individual CAN use if they choose. One thing a genuine "religion" is not is a dictatorship. Unfortunately, there are millions of human beings who treat religion in precisely that manner. Any genuine religion is discovered and created by the individual, not imposed on them by others.
Yoga IS a religion if one wants it to be, or NOT if one doesn't. What is the real point of "yoga" - its definition or whether or not this practice or that practice is of benefit to individual human health, happiness and prosperity? Does the definition of yoga as a "religion" really change any of that? Questions relating to "yoga" ought to generally be scientific questions - is it or is it not of benefit to human life? Call it a "religion" or a "philosophy" or "a tuna sandwich" if you like. Such is generally irrelevant to the fundamental questions of benefit.
- Naumadd
February 21, 2009 8:59PM
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Tuna Sandwich Studio
Following Naumadd's advice, I am opening a Tuna Sandwhich Studio. Of course we will feature fish pose. Now (that is) Mad. Hiding behind irrationality is like closing one's eyes and pretending no one sees you.
The facts are that all of real Yoga is Hinduism--look it up.
- classyoga
February 23, 2009 7:49AM
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Response to Naumadd
It appears that you may not have read my other comments in this question of “Is Yoga a Religion?” If you had, you would have seen that I wrote a section entitled “It Depends on One's Definition of Religion.” It was the OpposingView.com people who chose the way of wording their question. Because of this, one of the first things I acknowledged is that “It Depends on One's Definition of Religion.” Because of the wording of their question, there was no choice other than to say "yes" or "no" and then explain from that standpoint. They provided no other options.
- Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati September 3, 2009 3:22PM
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Human Invention
No matter what you wish to to call what you do and why you do it, it is, after all, human invention which only supports my point. The question is "Is yoga a religion ?" As I mentioned, and because all religion is human invention based on each individual's experiences, understanding, wants, needs, values, etc., "yoga" can be a religion if one practices it as such. As I define "religion", if I establish a certain set of values surrounding physical and mental fitness and harmony and establish certain consistent practices based on those values, I've established a religion which may or may not be a portion of my overall personal religion encompassing all aspects of my own life. I understand this isn't how others define "religion" for themselves. They need not agree with my definition to respect it, and neither need I agree with their own in order to respect them. In my mind, no personal definition of "religion" is incorrect in and of itself but could be deemed "correct" or "incorrect" according to the subjective opinions of others. That others consider your personal definition "wrong" doesn't make it so and, in matters "religious", I believe that to be particularly true.
In any event, the question as it is posed by OpposingViews.com is overly simplistic and, I believe, worded in such a way as to create a false situation of dispute. I disagree that there is no choice but to answer "yes" or "no". To say that this is a false dispute isn't noncommital - it's committing to the position this is a non-dispute based on the fact "yoga" and "religion" are just words and one can define and use them according to one's own needs. The answer to the question can rightly be yes, no AND uncommitted. Persons can bicker all they like about whether or not "yoga" is a religion. In my view, the are both right to call whatever they practice and the reasons for it whatever they wish to call it. It's all human invention.
As I said, call it "religion", a "game", an exercise or a "tuna sandwich". What's most profoundly relevant is whether one has sound reasons for one's practices and whether or not they are of benefit to your physical and mental fitness and harmony. The words, the labels, are just that and no more.
Everything we human beings do could be construed as a "spiritual" practice. The question is, are you aware enough of the complex and dynamic aspects of your own life as a whole to see it in that way?
- Naumadd
September 3, 2009 7:31PM
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Response to Naumadd
I have already responded about the wording of the question by OpposingViews.com that “It Depends on One's Definition of Religion.” It was a part of my original reponse to their question. My point is the same as yours where you say the question is "worded in such a way as to create a false situation of dispute" However, I totally disagree with you that "there is no choice but to answer 'yes' or no'." In this regard, you obviously do not know what you are talking about. The OpposingView.com people wrote to me and asked me to comment as an "expert" (their term, not mine) on the question "Is Yoga a Religion?" They did NOT ask me if Yoga was an exercise , a game or a tuna sandwich. I agreed to respond to the question that they did ask. However, the ONLY choices they gave me were "yes" or "no". They did NOT provide a third choice of "Uncommitted" or any other choice (they DO give you the option of "Uncommitted" in your opinions). In light of their offering only "yes" or "no" options, I responded on the basis of the most accurate statement between those two. Once again, in case you have not yet noticed it, I said in my original responsese “It Depends on One's Definition of Religion.”
- Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati September 3, 2009 11:13PM
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The rare
coherent and polite comment.
- quantummechanik
September 4, 2009 1:20AM
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