Is there something about Yoga that makes it unsuitable for humanists and atheists? I sure hope not.
I practice yoga. I like it. To me it is a physical exercise that includes a meditative/ breathing/mindfulness component that I find highly enjoyable. I enjoy tai chi for the same reasons. I also like that it is low impact, so my inner ear injury isn’t harmed by the practice in the same way step aerobics would.
Anyway – there is a bit of a scuffle about whether atheists and by extension, humanists, can practice yoga. The question centers on whether or not yoga is a religious practice or not. And the answer is, it can be. It also can be just an exercise.
The fact that some people treat it as a religious practice is fine for them. That’s not how I practice it. Am I doing it wrong? I really don’t care. It works for me and I enjoy it and that’s enough for me to find time in my day to do it.
If you want to learn more about these debates – here is an interview with the author of Atheist Yoga
by Antonin Drake - http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/what-is-the-meaning-of-atheist-yoga-part-3-of-my-interview-with-anton-drake-author-of-the-new-book-atheist-yoga-253558.htm
How to be a Yogi - http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Yogi
I practice yoga. I like it. To me it is a physical exercise that includes a meditative/ breathing/mindfulness component that I find highly enjoyable. I enjoy tai chi for the same reasons. I also like that it is low impact, so my inner ear injury isn’t harmed by the practice in the same way step aerobics would.
Anyway – there is a bit of a scuffle about whether atheists and by extension, humanists, can practice yoga. The question centers on whether or not yoga is a religious practice or not. And the answer is, it can be. It also can be just an exercise.
The fact that some people treat it as a religious practice is fine for them. That’s not how I practice it. Am I doing it wrong? I really don’t care. It works for me and I enjoy it and that’s enough for me to find time in my day to do it.
If you want to learn more about these debates – here is an interview with the author of Atheist Yoga
by Antonin Drake - http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/what-is-the-meaning-of-atheist-yoga-part-3-of-my-interview-with-anton-drake-author-of-the-new-book-atheist-yoga-253558.htm
How to be a Yogi - http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Yogi
