Yecn Yoga

It takes mental toughness and patience to discuss yoga in this century. Globalization seems to have a devastating impact on this ancient concept. The whole philosophy of yoga has been reduced to a simpler concept to help people understand the concept better. The intricacies of this practice may not be easily understood by the western civilization. It is wrong to assume a position of authority on a particular subject when you have only grasped the basics of the matter. The West tends to focus on the physical aspects of yoga. The once respected and revered philosophy has been reduced to a mere speech of attaining inner balance and peace.

This unique practice is actually a religious journey, a representation of one of the Hindu schools of thought. 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. Most westerners would describe yoga as a physical practice. Yoga with its strange looking symbols may seem mystical to the average Joe, is often enough to perk up a considerable level of interest in the hidden aspects of this ancient practice, but sadly, they are often misunderstood. Ironically, it is practiced as a popular form of sports. 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. Different groups practicing yoga have its own cultural structure and these influences are responsible for those fatal errors detected in the practice of this ancient art. The fast paced lifestyle of the western civilization left no chance for them to indulge in quiet, introspective moments to really understand this concept. While meditation is an integral part of the practice, the westerners with their ever busy lifestyles certainly do not posses time for such luxuries. The principle of Hinduism that governs the yoga practice does not recognize the greed for power and wealth, which is obviously a value of prime importance in the western world. Unless these values are changed, it is impossible for westerners to achieve the true wisdom and enlightenment as defined by the parameters of the Hindu religion. Patience and time is crucial for meditation. The west seems cursed with the obsession to pursue the goal of building better lives in the form of lavish lifestyles and not in the philosophical way.

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 fake gurus have support from their adoring disciples. Obedient disciples of this distorted form of yoga have become agents of growth of this unhealthy philosophy.

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