Yoga - Not a Choice for Christians

5thGeneration

My wife wants to start Yoga for her joints.

What do you think in light of the counsel?

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20020801a/article_01.htm

Not a Choice for Christians

Whatever health instructors may say to the contrary, yoga does not stop with physical exercises. The book Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies relates the experiences of two yoga novitiates who were under the guidance of a guru. One is quoted as saying: "I made superhuman efforts to hold my breath as long as possible, and only breathed when I was on the point of fainting. . . . One day, at high noon, I thought I saw a bright moon, which seemed to move and sway from side to side. Another time I imagined myself enveloped in thick darkness at midday. My director . . . was greatly pleased when I mentioned these visions to him. . . . The time was not far distant, he assured me, when I should experience much more surprising results from my penance." The second man relates: "He obliged me to stare at the sky every day without blinking my eyes or changing my position. . . . Sometimes I thought I saw sparks of fire in the air; at others I seemed to see fiery globes and other meteors. My teacher was much pleased with the success of my efforts."

The strange sights were evidently what the gurus felt were proper results along the way to the true aim of yogic exercises. Yes, the ultimate goal of yoga is moksha, explained as the merging with some impersonal great spirit. It is described as "the (intentional) stopping of the spontaneous activity of the mind stuff." This is clearly contrary to the goal set out for Christians, who are given the admonition: "Present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. And quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."— Romans 12:1, 2 .

Many enjoy healthy activities that do
not involve exposure to spiritism

The choice of what physical exercise to pursue is a personal one. Christians, however, would not allow anything—be it bodily training, eating, drinking, clothing, entertainment, or something else—to mar their relationship with Jehovah God. ( 1 Corinthians 10:31 ) For those exercising simply for the sake of their health, there are many avenues available that do not involve exposure to the dangers of spiritism and occultism. By keeping clear of practices and beliefs that are rooted in false religion, we may look forward to God's blessing of a righteous new system of things in which we can enjoy perfect health in body and mind for an eternity.— 2 Peter 3:13 ; Revelation 21:3, 4 .

Honesty

The Watchtower Society doesn't want any competition from any of dem other demunz.

beksbks

How funny, I've been looking for a Yoga class!

aSphereisnotaCircle

Yoga is excellant for joints and many other things.

I have chronic neck pain, I use to go to chiropractors for relief, and then I became an massage therapist and I learned that massage would keep my pain in check.

Now I take a yoga class 3-4 times a week and I have NO PAIN at all. Not only did it take care of my neck pain but it also took care of other less serious aches and pains I have lived with over the years.

I can't say enough good about yoga. I have taken classes from many different teachers and studios over the past thirty years, and never once did the teacher say or do anything that was even remotely religeous or un-christion.

I relly love hot yoga or bikrim yoga. It's a series of poses dome in a room heated to 105 degrees with about a 50% humidity. It feels awesome!

Open mind

If you look up the Awake! article on yoga from about 15 years ago (I think) it went even further out on the limb of wackiness.

The question was asked:

Well, what if I just do some of the stretches that are used in Yoga, and don't get involved in any of the spiritual side of it?

*insert loud obnoxious buzzer noise here*

Nope. Still bad. Don't do it.

Ridiculous. I mean there's only so many different ways to stretch the human body. MANY of the stretches faithful JWs are doing are also Yoga poses. But I guess as long as the innocent JW doesn't REALIZE that they are Yoga poses, the demunz will stay away and Jehovah will (probably) forgive them for their repeated "spiritistic practice".

OM

daniel-p

It's funny how they go from describing how holding your breath causes visual anomalies to how Yoga is obviously spiritistc. Uhh, did I miss something?

AlyMC

I was counseled about it years ago (like 13?) and their reasoning was just silly.

Pioneer Spit...oh, i mean Spirit

I read those scriptures and they have nothing to use against yoga. Again, fabrication and word-abuse. 'See, the bible says we will play with lions in the new world. If you do yoga you can't play with the lions.'

Hope4Others

have chronic neck pain, I use to go to chiropractors for relief, and then I became an massage therapist and I learned that massage would keep my pain in che

I go to the chiropractor every 2 weeks, its ridiculous for my neck pain, I would really like to do yoga, I hear it really feels you to keep focused also, besides flexibility.

I did tai chi and loved it, I just couldn't seem to fit it in with my time schedule.

The Wt really condemns everything..they no nothing about.

Hope4Others

Dagney

I started yoga in the late 90's, because I knew what I was doing wasn't whammy. I kept it hush hush for awhile then started talking about it.

Eventually, my JW g/f and I started taking classes. They were held in a Jewish temple. It was so cool, they had a teen gathering going on, an AA meeting, a food can drive, a seniors meetup and yoga going on all at the same time. I loved it. And eventually, even an elder's wife went with us.

I look at it as a little coup. My little contribution to broadening their horizons...lol.

Yoga - Not a Choice for Christians

Not a Choice for Christians

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