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ORIGINAL: Moonhead

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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess
So people in the West can do whatever they want with their yoga as interpreted by themselves. But they can't say that yoga itself is not spiritual or religious. Their distorted view of it does not change it's inherent spirituality. And it is the height of arrogance to suggest otherwise.

As an atheist, who's told you that even when used purely as an exercise programme yoga has a spiritual meaning?

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But let's at least all agree that how yoga is practiced in the West is incredibly superficial with most people caring more about their expensive Lululemon wear and what poses they can achieve than caring about anything spiritual.

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ORIGINAL: kalikshama

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But let's at least all agree that how yoga is practiced in the West is incredibly superficial with most people caring more about their expensive Lululemon wear and what poses they can achieve than caring about anything spiritual.

Kripalu's former Marketing Director made sure her lipstick, nail polish, and sweater matched for yoga classes [:'(]

Example of an ad in Yoga Journal - a woman wearing socks and nothing else:

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ORIGINAL: kalikshama

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But let's at least all agree that how yoga is practiced in the West is incredibly superficial with most people caring more about their expensive Lululemon wear and what poses they can achieve than caring about anything spiritual.

Kripalu's former Marketing Director made sure her lipstick, nail polish, and sweater matched for yoga classes [:'(]

Example of an ad in Yoga Journal - a woman wearing socks and nothing else:

[image]http://www.itsallyogababy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/picture-448.png[/image]

http://www.itsallyogababy.com/judith-hanson-lasater-to-yoga-journal-no-more-sexy-yoga-ads/

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ORIGINAL: Moonhead

Maybe that's why somebody with a Bible stuffed so far up her arse she can taste it is throwing a hissy fit?

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ORIGINAL: Owner59

That woman can do a single hand handstand......she`s incredible.

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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess
And people who are doing it for arthritis, posture etc. might want to be mindful of the following:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html?pagewanted=all

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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess

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ORIGINAL: Owner59

That woman can do a single hand handstand......she`s incredible.

Owner do you need glasses??

She has both hands on the ground.....[&:]

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Kali, I have so much respect for Yoga and yoga practitioners who approach it with the right mindset.

But the practice has become inundated with people who are all about ego - and that is exactly what yoga is not supposed to be about. It's very weird, but in my own circles, the people I know who are the biggest practitioners of yoga are also the most selfish and self-absorbed. I can't explain it, but there you have it. I think this is what happens when the spiritual component of yoga is stripped away. You are left with pure, unadulterated ego. Yoga is actually supposed to assist us on our path to enlightenment.

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ORIGINAL: kalikshama

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Kali, I have so much respect for Yoga and yoga practitioners who approach it with the right mindset.

But the practice has become inundated with people who are all about ego - and that is exactly what yoga is not supposed to be about. It's very weird, but in my own circles, the people I know who are the biggest practitioners of yoga are also the most selfish and self-absorbed. I can't explain it, but there you have it. I think this is what happens when the spiritual component of yoga is stripped away. You are left with pure, unadulterated ego. Yoga is actually supposed to assist us on our path to enlightenment.

My students at gyms consistently talked about physical and mental (aka stress relief) benefits of yoga. I saw both ego and spirituality at yoga studios, centers, and the ashram in upstate New York.

I have a friend who gets into Scorpion pose in public at the slightest opportunity. He does have a lot of ego invested in his yoga practice. However, considering he started practicing after he overdosed on heroin for the umpteenth time during his 28 year addiction and has been clean for 12 years now, and is no longer a petty and not-so-petty criminal, he's come a long way!

(This was not to dispute your point about ego - I'm just free associating :)

I'd like to teach yoga in prison. "Yoga Inside" was an organization in California that facilitated this, but they were shut down by a lawsuit by Intel >_<

My minister teaches Buddhism at a prison - I brought up my desire to teach yoga inside when we first met and now that he knows me better will bring it up again.

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ORIGINAL: tj444

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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess

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ORIGINAL: Owner59

That woman can do a single hand handstand......she`s incredible.

Owner do you need glasses??

She has both hands on the ground.....[&:]

just a wild guess butt.. he might have his eyes focused elsewhere.. [:D]

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And people who are doing it for arthritis, posture etc. might want to be mindful of the following:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html?pagewanted=all

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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess

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ORIGINAL: tj444

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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess

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ORIGINAL: Owner59

That woman can do a single hand handstand......she`s incredible.

Owner do you need glasses??

She has both hands on the ground.....[&:]

just a wild guess butt.. he might have his eyes focused elsewhere.. [:D]

Okay...fair enough...[:D]

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ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess

As someone raised Hindu, I do, personally feel yoga, as practiced by Hindus, is, in fact part of religious practice. It is primarily meant to be spiritual NOT physical.

BUT, with that said, what is generally practiced here in the U.S. as "yoga" is simply some physical stretching and breathing exercises (not to make too fine a point of it, but most of what passes here for yoga is not actually yoga).

So within the context of what this particular case is about, it just sounds stupid to prohibit yoga. But let's at least all agree that how yoga is practiced in the West is incredibly superficial with most people caring more about their expensive Lululemon wear and what poses they can achieve than caring about anything spiritual. [&:]