Is Yoga Demonic?

[isshinwhat]

According to *her* research, yoga postures mimic prayer posters to eastern/Hindu gods.

People have worshipped their gods in so many ways throughout the ages that it would be difficult to do almost anything without mimicing some sort of divine worship from some far off place. It is my personal opinion that as long as you are praying to a Hindu god through your stretching and excercising, then you are a-OK.

God Bless,

Neal

 

[healthwoman]

I do yoga every day to some tapes I have with Rodney Yee. (he's the best I've found so far) The only yoga I am sure is demonic is Kundalini yoga. This yoga is said to awaken the serpent at the base of your spine. They caution people to prepare specifically for this by using certain breathing techniques along with some very specific massage, and if not prepared you can go quite insane. Stay away from that one!!!

 

[Susan]

20th February 2003 at 10:17 AM isshinwhat said this in Post #61

People have worshipped their gods in so many ways throughout the ages that it would be difficult to do almost anything without mimicing some sort of divine worship from some far off place. It is my personal opinion that as long as you are praying to a Hindu god through your stretching and excercising, then you are a-OK.

God Bless,

Neal

I think you meant to say as long "as you are NOT praying to a Hindu god. . ."

 

[seebs]

Today at 03:59 PM healthwoman said this in Post #62 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=673554#post673554)

I do yoga every day to some tapes I have with Rodney Yee. (he's the best I've found so far) The only yoga I am sure is demonic is Kundalini yoga. This yoga is said to awaken the serpent at the base of your spine. They caution people to prepare specifically for this by using certain breathing techniques along with some very specific massage, and if not prepared you can go quite insane. Stay away from that one!!!

Curiously, I once read a novel based on this idea, but I'm not sure it's particularly closely tied to the "real" thing. Always hard to tell.

 

[MakgpBirds]

I just came across this Thread. As I had tried to consider the Isometrics for having good and healthy exercising, I have found Yoga to mean the same which does more in putting peace, heighten stimulation for our blood and muscles and nurturing good health for our bodies and mental thinking. In my opinion it seems that such has been the fears of anyone wanting to being indepenent of social controls as I see it. But as I started reading this thread I learned a new word: "Hatha". So that is just the physical. That is good to know Fine with me. I do not think anything from this Yoga stuff is "Demonic" or closer to some "God" is going to happen. I don't feel it right to follow some myths of man made rules on what is good for our bodies. I find that we have to find our good reasons from those that keep wanting to taboo what makes things go for the good of us in better situations then what not.

 

[blondie122189]

Yoga definetly isn't demonic. I take yoga classes, and it isn't even remotly religious. It helps to calm your mind as well as to stretch and excersice your body.

 

[LanceA]

Is Yoga Demonic? If you want to make it demonic then it is. It is that way for anything in life. I have studied martial arts for almost 20 years and have done many stretches. Since Martial Arts started in some other country other then America should I quit it? The answer is NO. I go into it with the attitude that this is excercise physically and mentally. I will also meditate. I am not meditating on some sort of deity, just what I worked on that day. It helps you keep in what you have learned.

Now for Susan, if you believe it is demonic then it will be for you. I go out with the Armor of God so I have nothing to fear. And sometimes while meditating I'll ask God for his help on certain issues. I had an Aunt tell my Father once that the Native American pictures he had up on his walls carried demons in them. I find that hard to believe since we prayed over the house before she mentioned that. Christians need to quit walking around in Fear and trust God to guide and protect us. Demons have no power over us unless you let them.

Lance

 

[vajradhara]

Namaste all,

wow.. some interesting thoughts regarding yoga here.

first let me say this... yoga, like many things, has many forms and uses. needless to say, these can be secular or religious in nature, the yoga, in and of itself, is neither secular or religous, it just is.

secondly, as there are many types of people, there are many types of yoga. the technique of resting mind on breath is by far the most common technique amongst meditators and yoga practiconers.

thirdly, if one is not fully aware of what something is, it would not be correct to condem it. in this instance i'm speaking of Tantric yoga. as you might imagine, it's possible for people to take anything, no matter how benign, and corrupt it and use it for a negative purpose. yoga and tantric yoga are no different. however, tantric yoga is a highly specalized practice and not really used for exercise or physical fitness in any fashion and really should only be practiced by people that have trained to do so.

~compassionately~

 

[spinto]

Hmmm Lance A,

I get what you're saying and I do agree that you should have faith and count on that faith.

But, as to everyone who automatically assumes that yoga and its Hindu origins or affiliations automatically render it DEMONIC, that is very closed minded.

I mean, I am not Christian, yet some stories in the bible and even some quotes, are very interesting and truth telling. I really don't like the Christian religion on a whole but, if there is something that is interesting about it, I don't deem it EVIL or DEMONIC in accordance to MY beliefs... I just don't understand that way of thinking.

So yeah, have faith and know that it will protect you. But Hindu, and related yoga would hardly hurt you--even if you participate in it. If you don't believe in that religion, just do what makes you comfortable. If you learn something about it, you may come about an idea that would strengthen your own faith or at very least broaden your mind... That can’t happen if one renders another philosophy DEMONIC simply because it does not coincide with your own.

 

[RichST]

Many of the Buddist traditions and principals were incorporated into what was taught by Christ. Some believe he was influenced by the Buddhist's belief system. While that may or may not be true, it is interesting that they match so well. Since they match so well, to call one demonic is to admit the other is demonic as well. So if Buddha taught to do unto others as you would have done unto you and Christ taught this very same concept 500 years later, which one would be the demonic imitator of the two?

I believe that a truth is a truth whether Christ uttered it or Buddha uttered it. And a falsehood is a falsehood under the same circumstances.

 

[daughter of the king]

NO yoga is not ok to do as a christian. I know people say you can just do it for the exicise BUT it still is giving the devil a foot hold and still is linked spiritually i don't think you can completly sperate it from the spiritual side of things.

 

[Jet Black]

NO yoga is not ok to do as a christian. I know people say you can just do it for the exicise BUT it still is giving the devil a foot hold and still is linked spiritually i don't think you can completly sperate it from the spiritual side of things.

stretching your muscles and relaxing is bad for you?

 

[Rhonda75]

I once tried Yoga with Denise Austin...I couldn't tell you all the positions becuase I can't remember them. One of the whatever you call them was like "something to the sun god" so I stopped after that. Compromising is the issue here. If you are involved in Yoga classes where they teach half and half then you are certaintly opening yourself up, but let's just for safety's sake investigate before you invest your time in an activity that could cause some damage. You're supposed to meditate on God's word not your inner being. You can't do anything in your strength alone. Also, I do not believe Pilates are evil, they mostly concentrate on strengtening exercises. I could be wrong though I will have to investigate that....

 

[vajradhara]

I once tried Yoga with Denise Austin...I couldn't tell you all the positions becuase I can't remember them. One of the whatever you call them was like "something to the sun god" so I stopped after that.

"sun god"? that's very interesting to me.. as an active yoga practicioner i've never come across a reference to a sun god of any sort.. and i practice a lot of different yogas perhaps, it was a name that was given to a particular posture by Mrs. Austin (or whomever taught her yoga).

generally speaking, the postures are animal and geological feautres to sort of denote the general posture, like downward dog, mountain, reclining mountain and so forth..

 

[Rhonda75]

I once tried Yoga with Denise Austin...I couldn't tell you all the positions becuase I can't remember them. One of the whatever you call them was like "something to the sun god" so I stopped after that.

"sun god"? that's very interesting to me.. as an active yoga practicioner i've never come across a reference to a sun god of any sort.. and i practice a lot of different yogas perhaps, it was a name that was given to a particular posture by Mrs. Austin (or whomever taught her yoga).

generally speaking, the postures are animal and geological feautres to sort of denote the general posture, like downward dog, mountain, reclining mountain and so forth..[/QUOT

I read your post and decided to do a little research and you would be surprised at what I found. Yes Yoga's Origin is very demonic and like I said compromising is the issue here. Just because something gets prettied up does not mean that it is okay. And yes there are positions in yoga that do praises to the gods, this including the one I did. In any event unless you are chrisitian you would understand that God is not a respecter of man he is a respecter of principle and the principle here is that yoga's origin is demonic, and just becuase it has evolved into something that appears to not be, do not be easily fooled, for that is the true battle. For we battle not with flesh but spiritual principality. And one more thing, when you are doing yoga, what are you meditating on, yourself and your inner being? Does yoga tell you to become one with the earth, and not God? Why aren't any of the positions called raising your hands to the Lord, praises to God himself, meditating on God's word instead of our inner being, you are supposed to worship the creator and not the creation. So I am totally against yoga, but I am not against stretching your muscels and learning to breath correctly, strengthning your body or any other fitness regiman, I am simply saying before you invest your time in an activity that causes spiritual damage investigate.

 

[vajradhara]

I once tried Yoga with Denise Austin...I couldn't tell you all the positions becuase I can't remember them. One of the whatever you call them was like "something to the sun god" so I stopped after that.

"sun god"? that's very interesting to me.. as an active yoga practicioner i've never come across a reference to a sun god of any sort.. and i practice a lot of different yogas perhaps, it was a name that was given to a particular posture by Mrs. Austin (or whomever taught her yoga).

generally speaking, the postures are animal and geological feautres to sort of denote the general posture, like downward dog, mountain, reclining mountain and so forth..[/QUOT

I read your post and decided to do a little research and you would be surprised at what I found. Yes Yoga's Origin is very demonic and like I said compromising is the issue here. Just because something gets prettied up does not mean that it is okay. And yes there are positions in yoga that do praises to the gods, this including the one I did. In any event unless you are chrisitian you would understand that God is not a respecter of man he is a respecter of principle and the principle here is that yoga's origin is demonic, and just becuase it has evolved into something that appears to not be, do not be easily fooled, for that is the true battle. For we battle not with flesh but spiritual principality. And one more thing, when you are doing yoga, what are you meditating on, yourself and your inner being? Does yoga tell you to become one with the earth, and not God? Why aren't any of the positions called raising your hands to the Lord, praises to God himself, meditating on God's word instead of our inner being, you are supposed to worship the creator and not the creation. So I am totally against yoga, but I am not against stretching your muscels and learning to breath correctly, strengthning your body or any other fitness regiman, I am simply saying before you invest your time in an activity that causes spiritual damage investigate.

generally speaking, one concentrates on the breath to still the mind of it's discusive thoughts which run rampant through it like a drunken elephant.

i'd be interested to review what you've check out, presuming it's on the web somewhere...

actually, yoga doesn't tell you to "become one" with anything really. needless to say, there are various forms of yoga and it would be incorrect to say that they are all religious in nature. of course, there are many that are! in fact, most of them are however that does not mean that they all are.

would you be willing to stipulate to the fact that, within the Indian paradigm the term "demonic" is not used? as such, it is only from a certain perspective that one can call it demonic, and that would be from a few theistic positions.

naturally, from my view, yoga does in fact, strengthen my view of course we view it a bit differently than a "spiritual" practice, per se. rather, it is used for training in the view of emptiness and for ridding the mind of discusive thought.

without question, yoga is not for everyone and generally speaking most people would only get marginal benefits should they attempt most of the advanced yogic practices.

 

[Rhonda75]

If you have aol here is how I did it...

go to keyword and enter origin of yoga....have fun....and come back and tell me what you find. I can not define demonic, because you are not a Christian and would not believe me if I explained it to you. We can butt heads all day long on this subject and you know what happens....we leave with a bunch of bruises. What I said was compromising is the issue. Anything that practices the worship of gods other than the one true God is demonic. Until you have become a born again Christian and have experienced true demonic attacks and what they can do to your spirit and body will understand. They are called demonic because demons insite them. Don't get the heebie jeebies on me, what I say is the truth. Demonic forces are not known to the world, because we are born of the world and are so blinded to the truth. Yoga is an open invitation to that...believe it or not. By the way, when you listen to certain types of music, what are the thoughts that run through your mind? You see if you don't protect yourself by avoiding certain things, you open the doors for a alot of things.

 

[vajradhara]

If you have aol here is how I did it...

go to keyword and enter origin of yoga....have fun....and come back and tell me what you find. I can not define demonic, because you are not a Christian and would not believe me if I explained it to you. We can butt heads all day long on this subject and you know what happens....we leave with a bunch of bruises. What I said was compromising is the issue. Anything that practices the worship of gods other than the one true God is demonic. Until you have become a born again Christian and have experienced true demonic attacks and what they can do to your spirit and body will understand. They are called demonic because demons insite them. Don't get the heebie jeebies on me, what I say is the truth. Demonic forces are not known to the world, because we are born of the world and are so blinded to the truth. Yoga is an open invitation to that...believe it or not. By the way, when you listen to certain types of music, what are the thoughts that run through your mind? You see if you don't protect yourself by avoiding certain things, you open the doors for a alot of things.

actually, i don't have AOL, but i'll do as you suggest.

i was, at one time, a born again Chrisitan, and i'm very well versed in Christian Theology.. and i don't get the "heebie jeebies" any longer

here's the thing though.. there isn't *one* thing called yoga, there are many things called yoga. i am curious as to which site you investigated, it would make it much easier for us to actually be referencing the same information wouldn't you agree?

here's a cogent and clear explanation of yoga for beginners:

Yoga is one of the most ancient cultural heritages of India. The word yoga in Sanskrit means "to unite", and so yoga can be said to connote a unitive discipline. In this sense it is an exercise in moral and mental cultivation that generates good health (arogya), contributes to longevity (chirayu), and the total intrinsic discipline culminates into positive and perennial happiness and peace. Therefore, yoga is the said to be indispensable of the ultimate accomplishment in life. It is a science that affects not only the conscious self but the subconscious as well. It is a practical physiological training (kriya yoga), which if practiced can exalt man to the 'supra mundane level'.

What Yoga Is Not
There are too many misconceptions clouding the science of Yoga. People perceive it to be some kind of black or white magic, sorcery, physical or mental debauchery through which miraculous feats can be performed. For some it is an extremely dangerous practice which should be limited to only those who have renounced the world. Few others think it to be a kind of mental and physical acrobatism that is compatible only to a Hindu mind.

What Yoga Really Is
Yoga is an all-embracing way of life, a science of self-culture and mental discipline that ensures the purgation of the ignoble in man and brings forth what is most noble in him. It is pertinent to all people irrespective of his caste, creed, sex, and religion. It can be beneficial to all - the good and the bad, the sick and the healthy, the believer and the non-believer, the literate and the ignorant, the young and the old. A person may begin at any age and can go on reaping its benefits.

The Origin of Yoga
Yoga had its genesis in the wandering ascetics who sought the solitude of the forests to practice this ancient science and then imparted their knowledge to the ardent students (mumuksu) who lived in their ashrams. The ancient yogins were possessive about this art form and did not make any effort to popularize yoga. The yogic postures and the subsequent stages of yoga were handed down only to the deserving students. Hence, this science remained limited to the confines of the forests or remote caves.Very little was known about this Vedic practice until the Yoga Institute of Santa Cruz, Mumbai was founded in 1918, which became India's oldest technical institute on Yoga.

 

[Rhonda75]

Yoga is one of the most ancient cultural heritages of India. The word yoga in Sanskrit means "to unite", and so yoga can be said to connote a unitive discipline. In this sense it is an exercise in moral and mental cultivation that generates good health (arogya), contributes to longevity (chirayu), and the total intrinsic discipline culminates into positive and perennial happiness and peace. Therefore, yoga is the said to be indispensable of the ultimate accomplishment in life. It is a science that affects not only the conscious self but the subconscious as well. It is a practical physiological training (kriya yoga), which if practiced can exalt man to the 'supra mundane level'.

What Yoga Is Not
There are too many misconceptions clouding the science of Yoga. People perceive it to be some kind of black or white magic, sorcery, physical or mental debauchery through which miraculous feats can be performed. For some it is an extremely dangerous practice which should be limited to only those who have renounced the world. Few others think it to be a kind of mental and physical acrobatism that is compatible only to a Hindu mind.

What Yoga Really Is
Yoga is an all-embracing way of life, a science of self-culture and mental discipline that ensures the purgation of the ignoble in man and brings forth what is most noble in him. It is pertinent to all people irrespective of his caste, creed, sex, and religion. It can be beneficial to all - the good and the bad, the sick and the healthy, the believer and the non-believer, the literate and the ignorant, the young and the old. A person may begin at any age and can go on reaping its benefits.

The Origin of Yoga
Yoga had its genesis in the wandering ascetics who sought the solitude of the forests to practice this ancient science and then imparted their knowledge to the ardent students (mumuksu) who lived in their ashrams. The ancient yogins were possessive about this art form and did not make any effort to popularize yoga. The yogic postures and the subsequent stages of yoga were handed down only to the deserving students. Hence, this science remained limited to the confines of the forests or remote caves.Very little was known about this Vedic practice until the Yoga Institute of Santa Cruz, Mumbai was founded in 1918, which became India's oldest technical institute on Yoga.[/QUOTE]
Origin of Yoga
TheWealth of India, YOGA, is also one of the greatest gifts of India to the world. Part of daily routine for the Indians of yore, today yoga has become one of the most popular systems of health and healing, all over the world. It is also a spiritual pursuit for many seekers of truth.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF YOGA ?
Yoga has its origin in the Vedas, texts that were heard by ancient sages in their state of meditation, and hence are known as srutis. The great sage Vyasa organized the Vedas in a systematic manner. Hence he is known as Veda Vyasa. What cannot be known otherwise, can be known through the Vedas. The word Veda comes from the root vid - to know. The Vedas speak of what is to be known, how to know an the experience o t e highest, the creator. There are many references to the word yoga in the Vedas. In fact there are many Upanishads that deal only with yoga

A great sage Patanjali, collected all the teachings of yoga from the Vedas and presented in a simple and systematic manner, through what is known as the Yoga Sutra.

THE MYTH BEHIND PATANJALI. The ancient sages believed that Patanjali was an incarnation of Adisesha, the serpent lord, who holds the universe on his head and is also the bed for lord Vishnu. Vyasa glorifies this in the following sloga

Yastyaktva rupamadyam prabhavatijagatah anekada anugrahaya I

Praksina klesa rosih vi'sama visadharah anekovaktrah subhogi 11​

Sarva jnana prosutih bhujaga parikarah pritaye yasya nityam I​

Devohisah savovyat sita vimala tanuh; yegado yoga yukt-ah 11​

The essence of this is that, Patanjali gave up his true form (that of a snake) to come down to the earth, and offer different solutions for the different problems faced by people at that time. He is unaffected by the causes of suffering, and is pleasant looking. He is the source of all knowledge, and is surrounded by many snakes, who are there to please him, for he is their leader. He is pleasant, and without any defects. He is the giver of yoga and to be like him is the goal of Yoga.[/justify]

WHAT IS YOGA?
The word Yoga has many meanings. The Amara kosa which is probably the world's first dictionary defines Yoga as Yogah sannahana upayah dhyana sangati. yuktisu Yoga is a protection, a path, a state of meditation, a union of two things, and a special intelligence that is able to differentiate what appears similar. Great Acharyas, in their commentaries on the Upanishads, have defined yoga as Apraptasya praptihih yogah. Yoga is to achieve what was previously unachievable. Patanjali's definition of Yoga is the most global and it encompasses all other definitions. He defines Yoga as Yogah citta vrttinirodhah Yoga is that state of mind where one is able to stay focused on one particular direction only, without distractions. The essence of this is that, Patanjali gave up his true form (that of a snake) to come down to the earth, and offer different solutions for the different problems faced by people at that time. He is unaffected by the causes of suffering, and is pleasant looking. He is the source of all knowledge, and is surrounded by many snakes, who are there to please him, for he is their leader. He is pleasant, and without any defects. He is the giver of yoga and to be like him is the goal of Yoga.

GEE I WONDER WHO THE SNAKE IS.....CAN YOU GUESS? He has been given many names and many origins but I like to refer to him as the Father of confusion, Prince of Darkness, Father of Lies, Leader of the demonic pack, etc. He is also very pleasent looking, as a matter of fact he's breathtaking in appearance, he was created by God. Once again, what I am going to say is compromising is the issue here. Let me go through my Bible and see if I can come with anything else. God's word is the only thing that will actuall win here. Rhonda​

 

[Rhonda75]

Okay, found this, does this explain anything remotely close to what we are talking about. The issue is still compromise. Correct me if I am wrong.


What Is Yoga?

In an ancient language of India known as Sanskrit, the noun yoga comes from the verb yuj — to yoke, to join. When placed in the context of spiritual philosophy, yoga means “union; a process or path of discipline leading to oneness with the Divine or oneself” (John Grimes, A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy [Albany: Sate University of New York Press, 1989] 410).
What many Westerners do not know is that there are many types of Yoga. For example, we have Jñana Yoga (union with God through knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (union through devotion to a deity), and Karma Yoga (union through selfless action). By far the most popular form of Yoga in the West is Hatha Yoga.
What is Hatha Yoga?
Hatha is comprised of two Sanskrit words — Ha means the sun, and Tha means the moon (Usharbudh Arya, Philosophy of Hatha Yoga [Honesdale, Pa.: Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA, 1985] 2). As one’s consciousness begins to rise, sun and moon are no longer simply associated with objects that illumine our days and nights, but are associated with spiritual truths of the body as it relates to the universe (ibid.). Through different postures (asanas) and breath control (pranayama) the serpent power (kundalini) that is the “sleeping spiritual force in every human being [and] lies coiled at the base of the spine” is awakened as it rises through several energy centers (chakras) in the body (The Encyclopedia of Eastern Religion and Philosophy [Boston: Shambhala, 1989] 190, 58). The goal, then, of Hatha Yoga is “to transform the human body to make it a worthy vehicle for Self-realization” (Georg Feuerstein, Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga [New York: Paragon House, 1990] 133). Self-realization is not to be defined through western lenses, but rather through the lenses of various Indian philosophies. Generally speaking, the “Self” is the Divine or God within us all. Through Hatha Yoga we can realize that we are God or one with God.