Is Yoga a Religion?

... to you

But would you agree that yoga could be viewed as a religious practice to another? If, in fact, others view their yoga practice as a religion , do you believe them wrong to view it that way? Why? How would your view of their practice be more relevant than their own view?

As you say, "the goal of yoga is to get in touch with one's inner self". As it happens, the root meaning of "religion" is to "connect or re-connect". Wouldn't the claim that one is "getting in touch with self" during yoga practice suggest the usage of the term "religion" if one chooses to do so? As an atheist similar to yourself, I discount the idea of a "supernatural", but I absolutely claim a need of the word "religion" in that I have deeply held beliefs and values which I use as the motivation for things I do on a consistent basis which greatly satisfy me spiritually (again, a naturalistic spirituality). When I was younger, all sorts of physical exercises were deeply meaningful to me and I practiced them consistently and with vigor. Many would not have called what I was doing a "religion". I see why they would not, however, I would and did think of it in that way. I don't believe I was wrong to do so and thus I don't believe it wrong to think of your own yoga practice as a "religion" if you choose to do so. I don't think there's disputing that the experience of many individuals with yoga or with many other consistent practices is spiritual and religious in nature. It think it appropriate if they choose to call what they believe and do a "religion". Of course, it's wrong of them to press their own views of their personal experience and practice onto the choices of others and vice versa.

As I've point out before, many people call themselves "buddhist", " muslim ", "christian", "jew", "taoist", "wiccan", "witch", "druid", "pagan", on and on, but no two individuals using any of these labels, or any other labels you might wish to add to the list, harbor precisely the same beliefs and values or precisely practice in the same ways. This makes every individual a religion of one. No matter how many commonalities exist between two or more individuals, no two can or will share every single experience, understanding, value, goal or practice. Because no two are the same, I think it safe to say one individual cannot define what is or is not a "religion" for another.

Nevertheless, let me be clear: although what one believes, values and practices, how one wishes to define them and what one chooses to call them are matters of choice, it is the properties of nature itself that determine whether or not one's beliefs, values and practices are correct or incorrect.