Is Yoga your religion?

I think religion is so weird in this country. We try to act like its something we can separate. But people who are truly religious know that its a part of their culture. We say things like "I'm spiritual, not religious" because sometimes being religious is viewed as a person with unbending, conservative views who goes to church or mosque on a consistent basis. I find that people who are not American tend to view their religion as part of their culture, ethnicity or race. For example I have a Jewish friend who doesn't believe in changing his religion. He believes its not even something he has the ability to change -he is always Jewish by race/ethnicity, how can you really just "convert" or change that?

But not everyone views their religion in this way. In the US we can choose our religion. There are plenty of us who want to choose what we believe in, not follow what we were born into. We can decide to convert or just not practice what our family is practicing. And sometimes we turn something from a subculture into our religion. The Yoga we practice, the music we follow, the life style we try to live, the Martial Arts we train in. The list can go on. This can be great, we are practicing what we believe in as if its our culture, as if its something we are truly connected to. The not so great part of this is when people become evangelical about it. When people start preaching about how their Yoga is better than everyone elses. When people start putting down others for following not following a Vegan diet or training in a different kind of Martial Arts then they are. Ultimately we come to the same place...which is, to realize that we're all different, from different cultures with different stories and different body constitutions. If we were all doing the same thing, following the same religion wouldn't that make the world kind of boring?

There is something to be said about the differentiation of the world. The uniqueness of the individual. At the same time, I also believe in being able to connect to the rest of the world and relating to it -finding sameness among us. Its important to not lose sight of the world we live in. We need to find that balance in order to live peacefully in this world together.

*Disclaimer -I'm not saying being religious is negative, nor is following a certain kind of Yoga is bad. I'm also not saying all Jewish people think or should think the way my friend does. Just putting the thoughts out there for people to contemplate on.

Yoga and Religion

The whole question of Yoga being religious or not always comes up. Some people vote that Yoga is more spiritual than religious but what does that really mean? I say it all the time... "I'm Spiritual not Religious". So to me it means...I don't subscribe to any one religion but I believe there is a higher power of things and I believe in things like Karma and treating people the way I want to be treated.  I believe in respecting my own family and their beliefs and where it all came from and I also DO NOT believe I should school people on their beliefs or believe that one way of thinking is more superior than the other.

Is Yoga religious? To tell you the truth I think it can get pretty religious. I have been in classes and workshops where the instructor is really trying to get me to subscribe to their way of thinking. Judging me for eating meat or wanting to have attachments. Maybe that is not everyone's idea of religion but it gets culty. It can get culty. And what exactly are they asking me to chant? Do they know themselves? OK so it may be my lack of knowledge, or it can also depend on a persons idea of religion. In the West we seem to think Religion is something specific. But in other cultures the lines are more blurred, there are family and ancestral traditions which I don't consider religious, but could be thought of that way by someone else. Also, there is the idea that Religion is part of a persons culture, where in the West there seems to be this idea that sometimes you can choose your religion by converting.

Whatever the case may be, you decide for yourself. I personally don't chant in classes except for OMs or if my friend Carol is teaching. (Only because she is my friend. ) In the meantime, check out these articles.

Yoga and Christianity

Yoga and Judaism

I may admit that it could seem religious, but I will have to say that...Yoga is NOT demonic...don't take it to the next level, now!