The Yogis

By the way, being a follower of Jesus and a yoga practitioner are not mutually exclusive. Amongst my students around the world there are Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Pagans, Buddhists and Agnostics. The practices themselves are totally non-sectarian and lead one deeper into their chosen faith. To attempt to convert someone from their chosen faith is quite unethical to me.

Whether you take up the offer of my assistance or not, you are in my prayers.

In Eternal Service,
Swami Vajra

Swami;

I'm having difficulty locating any information about your group; any chance you could point me in the right direction?

As always, I'm continually seeking knowledge.

Thanks

(u2u is fine, too)

I'll refer you to a book , by Hugh Milne, called "Bhagwan:the God that Failed".

also the Aum Shin Rikyo "nerve gas' cult in Japan.

Now it's Yoga that makes people go crazy? I hope you know that anyone who "turns schizo" or "goes mad" from some trigger such as Yoga, eating, exercise, drugs, or anything...just goes crazy because of an underlying mental illness. But hey, maybe Yoga is the biggest conspiracy out there, and we won't know it until it's too late. The brain washing is widespread, even in my local gym! Head for the hills!

All of the reading I've done of true Yogis and Yogi philosophy has been very enlightening, and I think that they have a high understanding of existence..

[edit on 2-7-2005 by Shoktek]

Originally posted by GrandCourtJester
I'll refer you to a book , by Hugh Milne, called "Bhagwan:the God that Failed".

also the Aum Shin Rikyo "nerve gas' cult in Japan.

The acts committed by the Aum cult were hardly typical of either Buddhist groups on the whole, or yoga practitioners. To assume such would be akin to saying "Oh, well every white kid with a buzz cut is going to be Timothy McVeigh!". Can you see where that mindset fails here?

The same can be said for OSHO (previously known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh); also, you still haven't clarified what happened with you. Hatha Yoga is what you said you practiced? I'm not seeing any link between such a practice, and the actions of either Aum or OSHO, outside of a general "some practitioners practice various forms of yoga" implication.

Obviously, Hatha Yoga is practiced by millions worldwide with no ill effects. I have to concur with the previous poster; latent conditions only need a trigger to manifest fully - it really does appear that this is what happened in your case.

As an Ordained Swami (teacher) of the Advaita Ishavaravada Agami Tradition, PIOUS Order, I can tell you that when ones consciousness begins to expand and other realms of reality are experienced without the guidance of a qualified teacher, they can be very upsetting.

Practices designed to raise the kundalini, without proper foundation practices have been known to take people into madness. That is one of the problems with those who have not walked the path themselves exposing others to dangerous practices, or with trying things one reads about without the proper guidance and preparatory practices.

You've bought into it, and now you don't want to hear anything that you don't agree with. How enlightened. Plus you're getting hostile. Hows that for good karma?

The fact is that some very unscrupulous people have gotten into yoga. Some people have gotten burned by it. The "Nerve GAs Cult" wasn't isolated. Rajnesh, in Oregon, tried a similar stunt. He hoped to influence the results of a municiple election by seeding local salad bars with botulism. It's covered in the Hugh Milne book (Milne was one of Rajnesh's closest associates for years, and went by the name Shivadas). Fortunately nothing came of that scheme, but Milne himself did have a 'breakdown'.

I personally have met two others that have had yoga related freak outs. CBC host Sook Yin Lee mentions on her show that one of her friends attended a 'meditataion retreat' and had to be bused out screaming. Plus I've read of a number of cases.

Even if you assume the people had 'underlying problems', yoga didn't seem to help them much.



[edit on 3-7-2005 by GrandCourtJester]

But you hit the nail on the head there...

"People with underlying problems"...

That's the point. Many people with underlying problems try many different ways of solving these problems - not all of these methods will help, and some can certainly hinder progress, and even harm.

The issue though is the underlying problem - not the treatment, as a general rule. The underlying problem is obviously the bit that needs to be fixed...and if you try to fix something without having the correct tools, you're not going to do any good, are you?

I don't see anyone getting hostile though; is that a perception I'm missing?

Again, the examples you cite are simply not indicative of the groups they are connected with; just as no extremist group is truly indicative of the belief system they claim to follow.

Loose example: Islamic extremists who commit acts of terror are not representative of Islam. Just as those who committed acts of terror against family planning clinics in the US aren't representative of either Jesus Christ, or Christianity itself.

It helps to note the differences between extremists and those who simply practice a faith, belief or other system.

(and this from a non-Christian. Who'da thunk it?)

[edit on 3-7-2005 by Tinkleflower]

[edit on 3-7-2005 by GrandCourtJester]

I don't see anyone getting hostile though; is that a perception I'm missing?

Defensive, then. Isn't that low key hostilty. Perhaps saying "Any one who doesn't think yoga is great is crazy" is merely an opinion? Besides, "Am I missing some perception' is a sly schizophrenia shot. Thanks Mahatma Ganhdi.

You still didn't address the other statement - you've bougnt into something, I don't want to hear criticisms.

The Catholic Church has been saying that pedophilia among priests has been numerous isolated incidents. They'll be happy that arguements now has credence.

I'm not here to argue with you. If you wan to practise yoga, then do it to your hearts content. Just don't say nobody ever warned you.

[edit on 3-7-2005 by GrandCourtJester]

Defensive, then. Isn't that low key hostilty. Perhaps saying "Any one who doesn't think yoga is great is crazy" is merely an opinion? Besides, "Am I missing some perception' is a sly schizophrenia shot. Thanks Mahatma Ganhdi.
You still didn't address the other statement - you've bougnt into something, I don't want to hear criticisms.

Are you confusing my posts with those of someone else?

There was no sly dig. I was simply asking if I had actually misperceived something that was meant to be hostile. The criticism was aimed at ME - not you.

Perhaps you might re-read the thread, and show where I've even loosely shared the opinion that "anyone who thinks yoga isn't great is crazy". It seems like there could be misunderstanding on both sides - this is your opportunity to quit with the sly digs yourself (Mahatma Ghandi? If only I could be half the person he was) and address the situation without hostility, if you choose to do so.

As for me buying into something....apparently not. I've practiced what feels like million different types of meditation and exercise over the years; I don't particularly "buy into" any one type.

Unless you're confusing me with someone else

Releasing Chakras

what do you think would happen if you or I appeared at a hospital emergency room saying we could levitate, dematerialize, walk through solid objects, read other's thoughts and direct their actions through mental telepathy? We would be held for observation.

A related discussion on this is being carried on elsewhere in ATS. check the link.

[edit on 19-7-2005 by GrandCourtJester]