I read the link you put about "what is yoga" and agree, but please understand that in the west the most known part of yoga is the postures, thereby, everybody understand yoga for that. What is needed is education about the whole concept of yoga.
how about orange flavoured gangajal? or Gucci or Prada branded saffron clothes for aspiring sanyasis? this is the level to which yoga has fallen! pretty sickening!! the sanctity and purity of yoga is lost. i feel that if you can't follow the real yoga, then at least do not degrade it. stick to what you know the best. if westeners cannot respect something so good, then they have no right to play with it. i know many westeners better than indian hindus, but sadly most are nuts!
To tocs6792, I am a hindu myself and i disagree with your point that yoga can only be taught by hindus and real hindus are only in india. All that a teacher of Yoga needs is the knowledge and experience. As for hinduism, even non-hindus who follows the path to spirituality are unknowingly hindus in their right. Yoga is classic example of how we exchange benefits of each other's civilizations without getting into conversions. Spread the philosophies not religions.
Although "Hinduism" is not the theme of this video, please note that the terms "Hindu" and "Hinduism" are fairly recent, becoming popular in the last couple hundred years. Yoga is of Yoga, usually referred to as one of six (or seven) Indian philosophies. Or, if one wishes, it is of Sanatana Dharma. Please see swamijdotcom slash hindu-worddothtm for lots of references to this. Or google "the word Hinduism".
what tocs6792 has written that " the real teachers would first have to be Hindus" is wrong and i believe Hindus made the Yoga and real Yogis are only in India and i respect all the Rishis who made yoga thousands of years ago.
yea.. and all those Rishis were Indiana and followers of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)! I too am turned off of these so called "yoga teachers" who don't know the difference between Yoga & asanas.. it's really pathetic.. Vivekananda, Yogananda, Mahesh Yogi, etc. should not have thrown pearl before swine; in other words they should NOT have brought Hinduism and its tenets to the west
Of course, one has to consider how this phony yoga stuff came into being. It all started with the denial of the truth that all aspects of Yoga are all about the Hindu religion. With this truth, the real teachers would first have to be Hindus. Second, as in all religions, there would be no charge for instruction. If the "closest Hindus" and others had adhered to the truth of Yoga/Hinduism, then all this non-sense in the name of Yoga would not have happened.
it's funny as I look at the thumbnials of "related videos" I see things like " Power Yoga Dance on the 'Yoga-Gym-Swing'", "Indi-Hop with Veena and Neena", and " Sex Chakra Yoga for Reproducing Wealth and Babies"
I'm convinced that anyone who needs to get what your saying won't get the cryptic and oblique way you are making your point.
You may be preaching to the converted as it were. I can understand your frustration and perhaps sense of Isolation. Comercialised 'Yoga' is only getting bigger at a faster and faster rate. With more and more flavours the next better than the Last.
I don't have any answers swami and I wish you all the best in your search for answers.
For those seeking answers to how to find the deeper meaning of Yoga, there are people around to help. I've extensively written on my website, including the link shown at the end of the video, and the main site, SwamiJdotcom. Two traditional texts about Yoga are the Yoga Sutras and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which clearly explains that Hatha Yoga is about Kundalini, Raja Yoga, and attaining the experience of Samadhi.
On the other hand, while this ad does commercialize Yoga, it also shows how mainstream the awareness is. The woman in the middle isn't in that pose by accident. Plus, since the ad tells me (it wouldn't have been published if not true) a large consumer base is aware of and striving to "unleash their inner om" that there are countless members of the masses unhappy with conventional, mainstream Western methods and are looking for answers. Bless Swami J for being willing to help on our search.
My concern is that folks wantign to find the true teachings end up with some galmour yoga teacher who is posing as someone with a depth of experience and knowledge. Its a sort of false advertising. the yoga alliance had set standards for yoga but it seems now even the sleekest and dummied down-est are qualifying.
Despite this view still, precious few find their way to the core and truth of Yoga, and precious few of those will pursue this path to fruition. So for those precious few all of this is worth it.
I read the link you put about "what is yoga" and agree, but please understand that in the west the most known part of yoga is the postures, thereby, everybody understand yoga for that. What is needed is education about the whole concept of yoga.
superCatia 2 years ago
how about orange flavoured gangajal? or Gucci or Prada branded saffron clothes for aspiring sanyasis? this is the level to which yoga has fallen! pretty sickening!! the sanctity and purity of yoga is lost. i feel that if you can't follow the real yoga, then at least do not degrade it. stick to what you know the best. if westeners cannot respect something so good, then they have no right to play with it. i know many westeners better than indian hindus, but sadly most are nuts!
krohit99 3 years ago
To tocs6792, I am a hindu myself and i disagree with your point that yoga can only be taught by hindus and real hindus are only in india. All that a teacher of Yoga needs is the knowledge and experience. As for hinduism, even non-hindus who follows the path to spirituality are unknowingly hindus in their right. Yoga is classic example of how we exchange benefits of each other's civilizations without getting into conversions. Spread the philosophies not religions.
dbca999 3 years ago
Although "Hinduism" is not the theme of this video, please note that the terms "Hindu" and "Hinduism" are fairly recent, becoming popular in the last couple hundred years. Yoga is of Yoga, usually referred to as one of six (or seven) Indian philosophies. Or, if one wishes, it is of Sanatana Dharma. Please see swamijdotcom slash hindu-worddothtm for lots of references to this. Or google "the word Hinduism".
yogabindu 3 years ago
what tocs6792 has written that " the real teachers would first have to be Hindus" is wrong and i believe Hindus made the Yoga and real Yogis are only in India and i respect all the Rishis who made yoga thousands of years ago.
May Yoga bless all humanity
vermacbz 3 years ago
yea.. and all those Rishis were Indiana and followers of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)! I too am turned off of these so called "yoga teachers" who don't know the difference between Yoga & asanas.. it's really pathetic.. Vivekananda, Yogananda, Mahesh Yogi, etc. should not have thrown pearl before swine; in other words they should NOT have brought Hinduism and its tenets to the west
Ooga001 3 years ago
Of course, one has to consider how this phony yoga stuff came into being. It all started with the denial of the truth that all aspects of Yoga are all about the Hindu religion. With this truth, the real teachers would first have to be Hindus. Second, as in all religions, there would be no charge for instruction. If the "closest Hindus" and others had adhered to the truth of Yoga/Hinduism, then all this non-sense in the name of Yoga would not have happened.
Swami Param
tocs6792 4 years ago
it's funny as I look at the thumbnials of "related videos" I see things like " Power Yoga Dance on the 'Yoga-Gym-Swing'", "Indi-Hop with Veena and Neena", and " Sex Chakra Yoga for Reproducing Wealth and Babies"
adamhaley 4 years ago
With Respect Swami.
I'm convinced that anyone who needs to get what your saying won't get the cryptic and oblique way you are making your point.
You may be preaching to the converted as it were. I can understand your frustration and perhaps sense of Isolation. Comercialised 'Yoga' is only getting bigger at a faster and faster rate. With more and more flavours the next better than the Last.
I don't have any answers swami and I wish you all the best in your search for answers.
wickie2222 4 years ago
For those seeking answers to how to find the deeper meaning of Yoga, there are people around to help. I've extensively written on my website, including the link shown at the end of the video, and the main site, SwamiJdotcom. Two traditional texts about Yoga are the Yoga Sutras and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which clearly explains that Hatha Yoga is about Kundalini, Raja Yoga, and attaining the experience of Samadhi.
yogabindu 4 years ago
Thank You Swami for your reply.
wickie2222 4 years ago
On the other hand, while this ad does commercialize Yoga, it also shows how mainstream the awareness is. The woman in the middle isn't in that pose by accident. Plus, since the ad tells me (it wouldn't have been published if not true) a large consumer base is aware of and striving to "unleash their inner om" that there are countless members of the masses unhappy with conventional, mainstream Western methods and are looking for answers. Bless Swami J for being willing to help on our search.
shalimarray 4 years ago
My concern is that folks wantign to find the true teachings end up with some galmour yoga teacher who is posing as someone with a depth of experience and knowledge. Its a sort of false advertising. the yoga alliance had set standards for yoga but it seems now even the sleekest and dummied down-est are qualifying.
topboy160 4 years ago
Despite this view still, precious few find their way to the core and truth of Yoga, and precious few of those will pursue this path to fruition. So for those precious few all of this is worth it.
What995 4 years ago 2
great video---from spiritual technology to just another marking gimmick.
kmc2525 4 years ago 2
God Bless SwamiJ and anyone willing to stand in the materialistic bulldozer.
topboy160 4 years ago