Santosha - is this in line with Christianity

[Belinda Cooper]

A friend started a Yoga studio and Santosha is mentioned all over the place. I myself don't do yoga or know much about the vocabulary. Can you help me by telling me if this yoga is against God's teaching?

 

[sandman]

Yoga is what you make it....it can (and many do) get into some very (subtle) spiritual things (spiritual as in a form of occultism)....that may not be the right word, but it's pretty close

Santosha, I believe just means contentment, but it is related to the 8 limbs of yoga.
It is hard to separate the Niyamas from yoga and that is where things can get interesting....not in a good way.
Do some searching on your own regarding this as there are several forms of yoga.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Most Americans do "Gym Yoga," that is, the physical exercises themselves.
I did them this morning and have been doing them for 25 years, off and on.


Call it what you want but reading Santosha for me in this thread was the first time I ever heard of it. I had to google it to learn what it is.
What I read, is the same as taught in Christianity which would be the detachment
from disordered appetites which St John of the Cross described.

Being content with what God has giving you and seeking nothing more, nor being
jealous of what others have, is Christian virtue. Using a term from Hinduism, seems to make it purer, but it's just a different name for the same thing.

Bottom line is, if you're going to do Yoga, do Gym Yoga and remain Christ Centered, when doing it. Your Christian spirituality will give you what God wants you to have and remove the anxiety of desiring anything else.

 

[Aussie Pete]

A friend started a Yoga studio and Santosha is mentioned all over the place. I myself don't do yoga or know much about the vocabulary. Can you help me by telling me if this yoga is against God's teaching?

Fundamentally, Yoga and Eastern mysticism teach that you can find complete fulfillment and satisfaction in yourself. "Santosha" is what we would call being content. Nothing wrong with that, but it leaves God out of the picture. Personally, I stay away from anything that is tainted with Hinduism or Buddhism. There are other forms of exercise that have no (wrong) spiritual basis. Martial arts are also shot through with false religion.

 

[Belinda Cooper]

Fundamentally, Yoga and Eastern mysticism teach that you can find complete fulfillment and satisfaction in yourself. "Santosha" is what we would call being content. Nothing wrong with that, but it leaves God out of the picture. Personally, I stay away from anything that is tainted with Hinduism or Buddhism. There are other forms of exercise that have no (wrong) spiritual basis. Martial arts are also shot through with false religion.

i agree with you. I don't do yoga and I am not planning on doing yoga. The friend is a lady that has joined my Bible Study and I immediately felt that this is excluding God and I can not help her promote it as she would like.

 

[Aussie Pete]

i agree with you. I don't do yoga and I am not planning on doing yoga. The friend is a lady that has joined my Bible Study and I immediately felt that this is excluding God and I can not help her promote it as she would like.

I knew a young man who was a black belt in karate. He was about 18. He got born again and immediately quit karate. His conscience would not let him continue.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I knew a young man who was a black belt in karate. He was about 18. He got born again and immediately quit karate. His conscience would not let him continue.

Where I took Karate years back, my instructor was a Christian and held Bible Studies,
for anyone who wanted to attend.

Karate has little to do with spiritual practices, unless you want to bring your own
spirituality into it.

That being said, if you take up Karate as an adult, you're pretty much wasting your money and time. There are cheaper better ways to exercise.

 

[Aussie Pete]

Where I took Karate years back, my instructor was a Christian and held Bible Studies,
for anyone who wanted to attend.

Karate has little to do with spiritual practices, unless you want to bring your own
spirituality into it.

That being said, if you take up Karate as an adult, you're pretty much wasting your money and time. There are cheaper better ways to exercise.

It's a bit like yoga in that there is a (wrong) spiritual basis for it. Maybe it is possible to eliminate the eastern mystic element from it. Personally, I'd avoid it.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

It's a bit like yoga in that there is a (wrong) spiritual basis for it. Maybe it is possible to eliminate the eastern mystic element from it. Personally, I'd avoid it.

Then avoid it.

However, don't tell other's they're wrong when practicing Yoga exercises or taking
Karate classes.

 

[Belinda Cooper]

Then avoid it.

However, don't tell other's they're wrong when practicing Yoga exercises or taking
Karate classes.

I believe that is exactly what was stated. "Personally"

it seems like you are taking this personally. The whole purpose here is to give our thoughts, I asked and her or she answers honestly.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I believe that is exactly what was stated. "Personally"

it seems like you are taking this personally. The whole purpose here is to give our thoughts, I asked and her or she answers honestly.

I stand corrected, so you personally will avoid it.

Fine!