Misconception and Misuse of Yoga by the west

[Raghu]

Dear all,


I have watched many Yoga programs conducted in the west (USA/UK) by westerners , they are really pathetic, they do not learn the essence of Yoga properly, they pick up various techniques from Yoga, which beautifies the body, than the purification of the mind by understanding the Brahman!

They treat this as a body enhancing exercises, they don’t teach the essence of bhakthi Yoga, Gnana yoga and karma yoga! Has any one noticed such misconception?

And shall we discuss the purpose of Bhakthi Yoga, Gnana Yoga and Karma Yoga in Great details, please?

Thanks
Raghu

[sivajayan]

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[lordstanher]

I have watched many Yoga programs conducted in the west (USA/UK) by westerners , they are really pathetic, they do not learn the essence of Yoga properly, they pick up various techniques from Yoga, which beautifies the body, than the purification of the mind.......They treat this as a body enhancing exercises, they don’t teach the essence of bhakthi Yoga, Gnana yoga and karma yoga! Has any one noticed such misconception?

Yes, I see loads of videos/CDs/books on Yoga lessons on sale in Western markets.......it seems to be turning more of a commercial thing there......but then, they're like, foreigners so I guess we cudn't expect much understanding of Yoga from them.....!
Not just Yoga but I bet the only/main thing abt Indian culture itself tat most Westerners today know thoroughly is Kamasutra! And of course its our own ppl. who r responsible for giving them tat perception!
(ok 'nuff digression )

But I daresay many of the present gen. even in India looking at Yoga in the same way, as just sum kind of 'cool' excercise for occasional relaxation rather than spiritual purification.....?

And shall we discuss the purpose of Bhakthi Yoga, Gnana Yoga and Karma Yoga in Great details, please?

Sure, tat'd be welcome!
I'm int'd to know these details as I've begun attending Yoga classes every Sunday at the local Ramakrishna Mission (I prefer to learn it there for better understanding rather than from sum 'commercial' institute!)

[madhuk]

Raghu said:
"I have watched many Yoga programs conducted in the west ... they pick up various techniques from Yoga, which beautifies the body, than the purification of the mind by understanding the Brahman!"

When I read your words 'understanding of Brahman', it just reminded me Rampuri, the 18 year old affluent white drug addict left his family in 1969 to live in India and live the way people lived 1000 years ago. He published a book 'Baba : Autobiography of a Blue-Eyed Yogi'.
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Yoga's primary role is execsize and breethig to keep body and mind in shape.
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[ssanjinika]

Madhuk
Bashing a particular sect or putting down a religion is sure way of starting ugly fights in a public forum.Why do something like that???

[madhuk]

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[Rohit]

Yes Madhuk, it would completely nullify your stand; and your views would be more divisive of Indians if you go after a specific social group who were falsely classified as they were only due to the ignorance of contemporary religious fanatics. Today, most sensible and reasonable Indians would look down on such heedlessness and nonsense of social segregation based on primitive caste system, I hope.

Yes, of course, there are far more ignorant, unthinking and blinded Indians then there are intelligent, aware, judicious and rational Indians. The wisdom of wise lies in spotting the corrupt, polluted and dishonest people and their views by thoroughly condemning and rejecting them to strengthen more of the judicious and rational temperaments.

[Surya]

Dear all,


I have watched many Yoga programs conducted in the west (USA/UK) by westerners , they are really pathetic, they do not learn the essence of Yoga properly, they pick up various techniques from Yoga, which beautifies the body, than the purification of the mind by understanding the Brahman!

They treat this as a body enhancing exercises, they don’t teach the essence of bhakthi Yoga, Gnana yoga and karma yoga! Has any one noticed such misconception?

And shall we discuss the purpose of Bhakthi Yoga, Gnana Yoga and Karma Yoga in Great details, please?

Thanks
Raghu

Excellent TOPIC!! I have felt that many times also! They have no IDEA about the Kundalini, they have no clue about the Gnana that can be attained by it. "The Essence" As u have discribed it in the poll is slipping away from the western minds, in that case, Eastern minds also!

Sure!! Bring on the discussion on Gnyana Yogam, Bhakthi Yogam, and Kundalini Yogam also!

[lordstanher]

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[aravindhan]

AdiShankara was born 1000 years after Buddha and yet, he failed to incorporate equality at birth and use tamil instead of sanslkrit in his preaching.

Ramanuja tried to do both. He succeeded partially, in that Tamil is still used as a liturgical language in Aiyyangar temples (although along with Sanskrit), and some Aiyyangars still believe that the Tamil songs of the Azhwars are of higher sanctity than the Sanskrit vedas, as he appears to have taught. Some of the purest Tamil of the mediaeval period is contained in religious texts written by tenkalai Aiyyangars. As far as equality at birth goes, if I remember correctly, one of his disciples records him as saying that asking a person of his birth was about as abominable as asking to examine "peRRa thayin yoni". Here, though, he was a spectacular failure, as his followers within two generations returned to the casteist practices which he had urged them to eschew.