Benefit of Yoga - The Christian Viewpoint

The benefit of yoga is twofold - increased health and unification from the spirit using the body. It‘s accomplished through the usage of a variety of aspects, but mainly with the mixture of Asanas, or postures, and breathing / meditation practices.

This raises many question inside the Christian community. Inside my research for that article, I‘d been very surprised in the viewpoint from the Christian apologists, and the take on yoga and it is practice. I‘ve hesitated on writing this post due to that viewpoint. However, I kinda feel that this and also the stance from the Christian community warrants reflection upon the subject.

Yoga includes a history dating back over five thousand years, to the start of the civilization of man. Little is basically known about Yoga. It‘s believed to possess originated in Mehrgarh, a neolithic settlement in What‘s now Afghanistan. Scholars believe It‘s grown from Stone Age Shamanism. During this early period of civilization's beginnings, Yoga would be a community resource, due to its attempts to work out cosmic order through inner vision, and apply it to daily living. In later years, yoga evolved into an inner dialogue by which the Yogis sought to develop their very own salvation and enlightenment.

Archaeological evidence from the existence of Yoga first appeared in stone seals excavated coming from the Indus valley. It depicted figures in several Yogic Asanas, or postures, and officially put Yoga inside the period of time of approximately 3000 B. C. Of greater import, additionally linked yoga to the good Indus-Sarasvati Civilization, a period in time which was a considered modern and efficient.

Coming from the Indus-Sarasvati civilization came the traditional texts referred to as Vedas, the oldest scriptures in the planet. The Vedas really certainly can be a collection of hymns that praise a better power and contains the oldest recorded history of Yoga teachings. The Vedas required the practitioner to transcend human limitations, and reach a better spiritual plane. In later years, texts referred to as Brahmanas were written to elucidate the rituals and also the hymns from the Vedas. Following this came the Aranyakas texts, which outlined the practice of Yogis living inside the seclusion from the forest. This resulted in the start of India's medical tradition, referred to as Ayurveda. Altogether, Yoga transformed into your practice of health, harmony from the spirit, and also a method of life.

The Christian viewpoint is thus - if a person opens the mind to clearer thinking and inner vision, they open the spirit to demonic possession. It‘s felt that Yoga practice borders on occultism, which opening one's mind and spirit towards the benefit of yoga is both dangerous and against everything Christianity preaches. Christians think that studying yoga is akin to practicing Hinduism, you cannot separate the philosophy of Hinduism from their Christian beliefs, whatever the health benefit of yoga.

Like a practicing Buddhist, I take issue using this viewpoint. To me, this smacks of tunnel vision and narrowmindedness. A Christian is predicted to open their heart and minds to Jesus, and to provide in towards the spirit from the Lord. They‘re expected to depend on blind faith, and also to accept the term of God like the only truth in the planet. A thinking person would find this hypocritical, for upon the one hand Christians preach that Yoga should be avoided because opening the mind to clearer vision encourages the potential of demonic possession, yet however preaches that certain must open the mind and heart to accept Jesus to their lives. Opening one's heart and thoughts are exactly that - be it to seem into one's self, or to accept Jesus to their lives. If, as Christians preach, We‘re open to demonic possession if we look inside ourselves and open the mind to all of the possibilities, how then can we safely open our hearts to the idea of Christianity? Can there be a gatekeeper who makes this decision once we do to ensure that determines what path We‘re to follow? I believe not...

To the record, I‘d been raised inside a Christian household. My father was the deacon of a little Baptist church inside the farming community where we lived. My mother, who taught us children to question everything, moved coming from the Baptist community towards the Assembly of God churches, and was ostracized by my father. I believe that to her dying day, she resented my father for that narrowmindedness. Life is really a make a difference of preference, and my mother believed that many of us aren‘t needed to operate beneath the illusion of blind faith, but to carry out what is true to us as a private. And it‘s why I walk the Noble 8 Folded Path. It is just a make a difference of preference, and questioning everything during this universe.

I think the practice of yoga is an effective thing. It provides us with great health advantages, clearer vision, and harmony in your souls. And during this era, what else can there be? Whether we be Christians, Muslims, or Buddhists, we should not disrespect the feelings and thoughts of others, their rights to practice as they simply wish, or attempt to push our views down other people's throats. To reside in harmony is exactly that...