ashtanga yoga postures
February 17th, 2010 10:03 amYoga with its mystical enigma and allure proves to be a rather difficult subject to discuss in today’s modern world. The real meaning of this ancient concept has been inundated by the quick-fix approach mentality of the modern day globalization. Most people choose to describe yoga as a simple concept rather than a complex philosophy in order to help people understand better. In fact, the western civilization might find the full contents of yoga to be a rather difficult subject to relate to. In order to be viewed as a person of wisdom, some people who have been exposed to this ancient art have invested their time to learn a little more, only to gain a superficial understanding of the real essence of yoga and then proceed to talk about it as though they are the recognized experts. Due to the lack of a deeper understanding, most westerners view yoga as a physical activity. Yoga has been cherished as a form of physical activity that has some beneficial effects on the mind in creating peace and serenity.
In reality, yoga practice is a very sacred journey that has roots buried deep within the scriptures of an ancient Holy book. Indians understand that is not a mere physical activity, but yoga is part of a spiritual development that is realized through a systematic and disciplined physical approach. The westerner’s viewpoint that yoga is a physical activity is very wrong and distorted. The strange symbols related to the yoga practice have created some awareness among the westerners that there is more to yoga than the physical aspects, but they are often misunderstood. It is practiced as a popular sport. The allure of yoga as an effective way to gain inner peace and balance has beckoned many to embrace this activity as well.
People are fascinated by the claims made by the yoga masters who often come with these promises. The numerous amount of fatal errors found in the practice of yoga outside of India shows that this art has been widely misunderstood at large. The culture and structure of each different group influenced how yoga is being practiced. It appears that the west is not prepared to pay the price necessary to gain a deeper understanding of this philosophy. Most Americans do not possess the time to spend moments in meaningful sessions of quiet meditation, which is essential for success when embracing this practice. The Hindus have a different set of value system that is very different from the west, and places low importance in the mere accumulation of physical wealth. Perhaps the western man shall never reach the peaks of wisdom according to the parameters set by the Hindu religion and culture. One crucial aspect essential for a successful meditative session is time and patience. Obviously, the people from the west have no endurance to fulfill such demands.
Yoga has been accepted as a fashion. There are plenty of materials promoting it as a form of sports; you can practice yoga anywhere and anytime you want. Even the famous people who are fake yoga gurus have garnered a lot of support from their disciples. Obedient disciples of this distorted form of yoga have become agents of growth of this unhealthy philosophy.
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