I know religion is a sensitive subject, but when it comes to yoga it’s worth discussing!
The truth is, recently I’ve been asked questions about the religious aspect of yoga, and I feel it’s important to write and post about. So, here goes… after all, you and your students may have questions too!
IS YOGA A RELIGIOUS PRACTICE?
The short answer to this question is NO, yoga is not a religious practice. But, it CAN be. And it can be a profoundly spiritual practice. Read on to know if you are going against your religion when you practice yoga.
We’ll start with a VERY brief history of yoga and its definition.
ORIGINS OF YOGA
Yoga was first documented in the Vedas (ancient Indian texts written in Sanskrit) around 1500 BCE. Prior to this time, stone carvings had been discovered which depicted yogis in meditation. You may have heard of other spiritual texts referring to yoga called the Upanishads. These are also from Vedic times and according to Yoga Basics, refer to four main teachings which include yoga practices of meditation.
The Bhagavad Gita is a well-known Hindu text, written in the third or fourth century BCE, which continues to provide spiritual guidance to many people around the world today. Commonly known as The Gita, the story imparts wisdom about living your life’s purpose (Dharma), through a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and his charioteer and friend, Krishna (an incarnation of the Hindu deity, Vishnu).
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Gita, are two of the most commonly known yoga texts. Patanjali, a sage in India, composed The Sutras, (written around 200 BCE – 200 CE), which are intended to guide us to live a life of yoga through 196 aphorisms, separated into four padas, or chapters. It is in the Yoga Sutras we learn about the 8 Limbs of Yoga, including the Yamas and Niyamas, which are known as guidelines to live a meaningful life (sometimes compared to the 10 commandments). The very first pada, defines Yoga. Read also: Teaching the Yamas in Today’s World and Teaching the Niyamas Naturally
THE DEFINITION OF YOGA
The Sanskrit word Yoga means to “yoke” or to “unite.” What are we uniting? We are uniting mind, body, and spirit, through Asana (3rd limb of yoga, physical postures). Yoga means the union of mind, body, and spirit.
“There is truly no other exercise than yoga that is a mind, body, and spirit practice.”
~ Youaligned https://youaligned.com/yoga-helped-find-my-light/
Sutra 1:2 defines the goal of yoga as chitta vritti nirodhah translated to mean: “the restraint of the modification of the mind-stuff is Yoga.” The English translation of chitta vritti is “mind-chatter.” So, in other words, yoga is the quieting of the mind.
The Sutras further define the 8 Limbs, as the path of Yoga. Ahimsa (non-harming) is taught as the first of the Yamas (1st limb), and is a foundational philosophy of yoga weaving it’s way through all of the eight limbs. Attainment of the 8th limb, Samadhi, is bliss, or enlightenment, where we become one with the Divine.
YOGA AS RELIGION
Yoga predates most religions. Teachers today sometimes choose to include themes and teachings around Hindu and Buddhist philosophy, mythology, and deities, because those religions incorporate yoga – in particular, meditation and the path to enlightenment – as part of their beliefs. In addition, the Bible refers to meditation many times in its pages. All religions practice forms of meditation. What you meditate on is your choice. What you believe in is your choice. Yoga is open-minded.
While some mudras, mantras, chants, etc., used in classes may have religious roots, you can:
- choose not to engage in that part of the practice
- choose to change its meaning to align with your spiritual beliefs
Yoga is a philosophy. Yoga is about ACCEPTANCE. It’s nonsectarian, i.e., NOT limited to a specific religion. It’s Universal.
To me, it’s a spiritual path that leads you to your higher Self. It’s about connecting to that spark of Divinity within you (whatever YOU believe Divinity to be!). That same spark that exists in you exists in me, every animal, plant, flower, tree, mountain, ocean, the sun, the moon, and the earth. We are ALL connected. And yoga is a way to strengthen that connection.
We are pure consciousness.
The source of all creation is pure consciousness . . . pure potentiality seeking expression from the unmanifest to the manifest.
And when we realize that our true Self is one of pure potentiality, we align with the power that manifests everything in the universe.
In the beginning There was neither existence nor non-existence, All this world was unmanifest energy . . .
The One breathed, without breath, by Its own power Nothing else was there . . .
~ Hymn of Creation, The Rig Veda (from Deepak Chopra’s Seven Spiritual Laws of Success)
