Scott Lamps Yoga
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Calendar
  • About
    • About Scott
    • Books
  • Contact

...The Meaningless Drudgery of Physical Yoga

12/29/2015

2 Comments

 
"All physical yoga techniques, including asana, are not designed to build or beautify the body or increase self-worth through proficiency in asana: their sole purpose is to prepare for meditation, and meditation is the technique to realize the Divine."

"Similarly, health is not the purpose of asana but is a by-product of being in harmony with cosmic forces, and that harmony supports and enables realization of the Divine."

"While today on the one hand we face the problem of meditators who do not adequately prepare the body for meditation, on the other hand we have Hatha yogis who get stuck in the meaningless drudgery of mere physical yoga. If the yogi does not go beyond the practice of posture and breath work, and does not graduate to and include formal meditation, then Hatha Yoga is not what it purports to be. It is then mere body-building, body-beautifying and gymnastics. There is nothing wrong with those, as long as the label clearly states that we are doing only that. The problem with today's physical yoga is that it pretends to be more. And it is so only if it merges into the mental and spiritual disciplines of yoga."

- From Yoga Meditation by Gregor Maehle.
2 Comments
Ian H
12/29/2015 03:43:31 pm

Hi Gregor
Although I understand your frustration at the as you see it under use of meditation. You cannot say the physical yoga is mearly body beautification creating a verbal picture of some lesser being taking part in a soulless pastime for twee self indulgent reasons.
I live in central Scotland where the life expectancy of working class men and women is the second lowest in Europe.
I teach Yoga and let me tell you it was a hard sell. However the changes in some of these people is astounding both physically and emotionally now practically none of these new dedicated yogis are at the moment interested in meditation. Some may wish to explore some may not. Yoga was not sold to them as a spiritual journey it mearly gave them the chance to live longer and do more for themselves and there families.
I found the overall feel of your post twee, elitist and exclusive. Sorry if I picked you up wrong. I don't think a few missinformed middle class people spending money they can afford to difficult to deal with if it also saves and changes lives.

Ian xx

Reply
Scott
12/29/2015 06:44:40 pm

Hi Ian-
You make an excellent point: physical yoga practice is indeed effective at improving physical health. There is no doubt about that. Physical fitness is a wonderful and important thing. There is an important distinction, though, between physical fitness and yoga. The ancient system of yoga is a spiritual one. Admittedly, we have lost much of the spiritual intention in our modern western iterations of yoga. I have no intention of detracting from the value of physical fitness and wellness, only to draw attention to the larger mental and spiritual goals of yoga.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    This journal honors my ongoing experience with the practice, study and teaching of yoga.

    My Favorites

    - Lessons From Tony
    - Lessons From Tony, 
    Part 2

    - This Complete Stillness
    - Truth Is a Pathless Land

    Popular Posts

    1) Sridaiva Yoga: Good Intention But Imbalanced
    2) Understanding Chair Posture
    2) Why I Don't Use Sanskrit or Say Namaste
    3) The Meaningless Drudgery of Physical Yoga
    5) Beyond Bikram: Why This Is a Great Time For Ghosh Yoga

    Categories

    All
    Community
    Ghosh Study In India
    History & Theory
    Kolkata
    Meditation
    Physical Science (Anatomy/Mechanics Etc)
    Postures
    Practice
    Pranayama
    Pratyahara
    Spirituality
    Sun Salute
    Teaching
    The Mind
    Tony Sanchez Advanced Practice

    Archives

    November 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

©2016 by Scott Lamps. Madison, WI. All rights reserved.
Classes | Journal | About | Contact
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Calendar
  • About
    • About Scott
    • Books
  • Contact