| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17931 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
 Posted: 31-01-2006 17:19 Post subject: Yoga |
 |
|
|
| Quote: | Yoga Day USA And The Distortion Of Yoga In America
28 Jan 2006
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=36747#
For thousands of years Yoga referred to the realization through direct experience of the preexisting union between Atman and Brahman, Jivatman and Paramatman, and Shiva and Shakti, or the realization of Purusha standing alone as separate from Prakriti. If you are not familiar with these or other such terms, and yet think you are familiar with Yoga, it may be because you have heard little of the more authentic meanings, goals and practices of Yoga, while also having heard little of the true roots of Yoga.
To see the distortion of Yoga in America over recent decades, one need go no further than Yoga Day USA, which is scheduled for January 28, 2006. In their website (www.YogaDayUSA.org) and press release the promoters state that the “Top 10 Reasons to Try Yoga” or “to ‘Make the Connection'” with Yoga are stress relief, pain relief, better breathing, flexibility, increased strength, weight management, improved circulation, cardiovascular conditioning, better body alignment, and focus on the present for health reasons. The authentic reasons for Yoga seem to be not even worthy of mention in their Top 10 Reasons for Yoga.
Yoga Alliance, the sponsor of Yoga Day describes itself on the www.YogaDayUSA.org website as “the leader in setting educational standards for yoga schools and teachers.” However, while they claim this authority, they do not see fit to acknowledge or include in their Yoga Day promotions the fact that the roots of Yoga come from the ancient tradition of Sanatana Dharma, out of which has grown Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and other traditions. Interestingly, while the Yoga Day promotions do not acknowledge the root of Yoga, many religious leaders in America who are opposed to Yoga for religious reasons are very quick to point out the authentic roots of Yoga, effectively reversing the roles of promoters and opponents.
To counterbalance the recent distortion of Yoga in America, there is a slowly increasing presence of scholars, teachers, religious leaders, teaching institutions and organizations that are speaking out about the true nature of Yoga and its goals. Individual seekers and media who are interested in knowing more about authentic Yoga can easily find these organizations and their spokespeople.
http://www.swamij.com/ancientyoga.htm |
Edit: changing title to "Yoga".
Last edited by ramonmercado on 27-01-2009 15:11; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
| gncxx King-Size Canary
Great Old One Joined: 25 Aug 2001 Total posts: 13561 Location: Eh? Gender: Male |
| Posted: 31-01-2006 20:07 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| Anyone remember Naked Yoga on late night TV in the eighties? Channel 4, of course. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| graylien Great Old One Location: Norwich - home of the Puppet Man! Age: 42 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 31-01-2006 22:58 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| I'm not so sure about Yoga day, but there should definitely be a Yoda Day. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| sunsplash1 Fortean and Proud
cognitively purposefuly I Joined: 09 Jan 2004 Total posts: 2074 Location: The Hills, overlooking a smallish antipodean city in South Australia Gender: Unknown |
| Posted: 01-02-2006 04:03 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| Forgive me, but didn't yoda practice yoga anyway? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| rynner Location: Still above sea level Gender: Male |
| Posted: 01-02-2006 07:13 Post subject: |
|
|
|
And there was me, thinking that yoga was the plural of yoghurt...  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17931 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
| Posted: 27-01-2009 15:12 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| Quote: | Indonesian clerics issue yoga ban
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7850079.stm
Some aspects of yoga contain Hindu devotional mantras
The top Islamic body in Indonesia has issued a fatwa banning Muslims from practising some aspects of yoga.
The Council of Ulemas (MUI) said exercises containing Hindu elements such as chanting were forbidden and could weaken the faith of Muslims.
The move follows a similar ruling by the religious authorities in Malaysia last year.
Such religious edicts are not legally binding in Indonesia, but most Muslims consider it a sin to ignore them.
Maruf Amin, chairman of the MUI, said some yoga exercises involved the reciting of Hindu religious mantras, something which is forbidden, or "haram", in Islam.
"Muslims should not practise other religious rituals as it will erode and weaken their Islamic faith," he told AFP.
But he said yoga could still be practised if it was purely as a sport or a means of exercise.
Indonesia is officially a secular state but about 90% of the country's 235 million people are Muslim.
Mr Amin said that if any Indonesian Muslims refused to follow the fatwa, they would be committing a sin.
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| BeatrixKiddo Silly Rabbit
Great Old One Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Total posts: 137 Location: Apartment 5B Gender: Female |
| Posted: 28-01-2009 11:16 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| Quote: | The Council of Ulemas (MUI) said exercises containing Hindu elements such as chanting were forbidden and could weaken the faith of Muslims.
|
A Jehoveh Witness colleague of mine wouldn't practise Yoga because of the same reason. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| zarathustraspake Great Old One Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Total posts: 405 Location: Cardiff Age: 37 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 31-01-2009 15:03 Post subject: |
|
|
|
I'm very much enjoying the yoga programme that come with the Wii Fit.
This is possibly the most boring comment I have ever made on any FT thread. I think I'll shut up now. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17931 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
| Posted: 31-01-2009 21:39 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| zarathustraspake wrote: | I'm very much enjoying the yoga programme that come with the Wii Fit.
This is possibly the most boring comment I have ever made on any FT thread. I think I'll shut up now. |
Its notboring after all.The boringness of the comment suggests that the yoga prog is controlling your mind. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| Blinko_Glick slightly warm
Great Old One Joined: 07 Apr 2009 Total posts: 312 Location: Sitting on the porch of insanity with a nice Pimms don't you know? Age: 46 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 19-05-2009 13:25 Post subject: |
|
|
|
Before I damaged one of my left sesamoid bones in a drunken stumble, I praticed Hatha Yoga.
It was a genuinely amazing experience, quite physical at times, a lot of stretching, but the most amazing thing was the Pranyama or breathing exercise.
It became quite clear to me why the latin for breath is spirit.
Energising your body by breathing correctly as opposed to the shallow breathing that most of us do everyday is simple, yet extremely effective.
The relaxation exercise (or horizontal guided meditation) was possibly the most relaxing experience of my life.
I miss it, but sadly can't squat down or put much strain on my left foot, so I have to make do with self guided meditation and breathing exercises.
If you've never tried yoga, have a go.
It truly is amezzin.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| Ginando Great Old One Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Total posts: 323 Location: Somewhere other than where I really want to be Gender: Male |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17931 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
| Posted: 22-01-2010 14:12 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| Quote: |
India inmates take yoga to reduce their jail sentences
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8472762.stm
Many successful inmates go on to become yoga instructors
Prisoners in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh are being freed early if they complete yoga courses.
For every three months spent practising posture, balance and breathing the inmates can cut their jail time by 15 days.
The authorities say the lessons help to improve the prisoners' self-control and reduce aggression.
Some 4,000 inmates across the state are benefiting from the scheme, and many go on to become yoga instructors.
'Angry thoughts'
The state's inspector general of prisons, Sanjay Mane, said: "Yoga is good for maintaining fitness, calming the behaviour, controlling anger and reducing stress.
"When a prisoner attends yoga sessions and fulfils some other conditions, he will be considered for a remission if his jail superintendent recommends his case."
Prisoners can also gain credit for attending adult literacy courses or studying for degrees.
An inmate at Gwalior central jail, Narayan Sharma - who has now moved on to become an instructor - says it helps to banish the "angry thoughts" in his mind.
"It was these thoughts that made me commit crimes," he said.
"I hope that after we are released, we can use what we have learned and promote yoga in society so that people no longer commit crime."
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17931 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
| Posted: 15-11-2010 19:30 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| Quote: | Yoga's Ability To Improve Mood And Lessen Anxiety Is Linked To Increased Levels Of A Critical Brain Chemical
15 Nov 2010
Yoga has a greater positive effect on a person's mood and anxiety level than walking and other forms of exercise, which may be due to higher levels of the brain chemical GABA according to an article in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available free online.
Yoga has been shown to increase the level of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, a chemical in the brain that helps to regulate nerve activity. GABA activity is reduced in people with mood and anxiety disorders, and drugs that increase GABA activity are commonly prescribed to improve mood and decrease anxiety.
Tying all of these observations together, the study by Chris Streeter, MD, from Boston University School of Medicine (Massachusetts) and colleagues demonstrates that increased GABA levels measured after a session of yoga postures are associated with improved mood and decreased anxiety. Their findings establish a new link between yoga, higher levels of GABA in the thalamus, and improvements in mood and anxiety based on psychological assessments. The authors suggest that the practice of yoga stimulates specific brain areas, thereby giving rise to changes in endogenous antidepressant neurotransmitters such as GABA.
"This is important work that establishes some objective bases for the effects that highly trained practitioners of yoga therapy throughout the world see on a daily basis. What is important now is that these findings are further investigated in long-term studies to establish just how sustainable such changes can be in the search for safe non-drug treatments for depression," says Kim A. Jobst, MA, DM, MRCP, MFHom, DipAc, Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
Source:
Vicki Cohn
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/207739.php |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| McAvennie_ OBE Joined: 13 Mar 2003 Total posts: 2678 Location: Paris, France Age: 34 Gender: Male |
| Posted: 15-11-2010 19:33 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| gncxx wrote: | | Anyone remember Naked Yoga on late night TV in the eighties? Channel 4, of course. |
 
See, I knew I was right to think TV was better in the olden days!
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
| gncxx King-Size Canary
Great Old One Joined: 25 Aug 2001 Total posts: 13561 Location: Eh? Gender: Male |
| Posted: 15-11-2010 19:56 Post subject: |
|
|
|
| McAvennie_ wrote: | | gncxx wrote: | | Anyone remember Naked Yoga on late night TV in the eighties? Channel 4, of course. |
See, I knew I was right to think TV was better in the olden days!
|
It wasn't a series, it was a short film. I was staying up to watch Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex and when it finished, this Naked Yoga thing came on. Being a teenager, it was like all my Christmasses at once! It's listed on IMDB, but I don't know how scientific its methods were. Lynn Marshall would not have approved, I suspect. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
