Yoga does not seem to command the same form of respect from modern day society as it once did in the past. Under the influence of globalization, the true meaning of yoga has been severely distorted. It is amazing to see the whole philosophy fuelling yoga’s methodology being reduced to a simple concept, justified by the need to make it easy for the layperson to understand. Most westerners might find the contents of yoga to be rather complicated and hard to relate to. It is dangerous to assume a superficial understanding of a complicated subject and speaking about it from the viewpoint of an expert. Due to the lack of a deeper understanding, most westerners view yoga as a physical activity. The rich philosophies behind yoga practice have been reduced into a simple form of art that focuses merely on achieving inner balance and peace.
In reality, yoga practice is a very sacred journey that has roots buried deep within the scriptures of an ancient Holy book. Yoga as a part of India’s diverse culture and philosophy is actually a spiritual experience that includes some complicated physical moves. 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. Ironically, it is practiced as a popular form of sports. It also does a good job attracting those who wish to obtain inner peace and balance in the midst of the hectic modern lifestyle.
Disciples of yoga are often fascinated by the claims made by their yoga instructors. Research shows that yoga has been highly misunderstood in the west and therefore plenty of fatal errors were detected in the way yoga is implemented.
A closer look revealed that these errors were caused by the cultural influence of each race. The western busy lifestyles certainly do not provide much space to contemplate on this philosophy. For instance, meditation is the crux of this philosophy but busy Americans do not possess the time to spend in a few hours of relative sessions every day. The west seems obsessed with the desire to accumulate massive amounts of wealth and gaining power, which is a priority according the principles of Hinduism. 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. The westerners do not place a high degree of importance in the attainment of philosophical wisdom, as it does for the accumulation of massive wealth and gaining power.
Yoga is practiced more as a form of recreational activity to fulfill a stylish lifestyle. If you are interested to take up yoga as a part of your lifestyle, you can get hold of some of those materials that are available, promoting this practice as a form of sports. Fans of famous people who later become fake gurus are adamant about supporting their idol and his practice. These followers have become the pillars supporting the growth of this false and wrong philosophy.
Technorati Tags: yoga classes, yoga blog, living with kundalini
