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DOES YOGA HAVE TO BE SPIRITUAL?
Discussion Spirituality 
It is a question I have been pondering for a while. I am not a religious person in any way and the yoga I practice focuses on the physical benefits. Of course with these benefits comes peace of mind - that goes without saying - if your body is in good shape and you feel confident about yourself, that will affect your state of mind. I also do take a small amount of meditation but only ever based in reality, for example, looking at your life at this present time and thinking if there is anywhere else you want to go etc. I feel uncomfortable going to a yoga class where the focus is on the channelling of energy and the whole process is wrapped in mysticism. I then wonder if the physical and spiritual aspects of yoga cannot be separated, must we come up with a new name for the bodily exercise we know as yoga? 
Views on this issue are most welcome!
Namaste!
genshk genshk
9/18/2008

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Also....Yoga means "Union."  A union of the body to the mind to the breath to the pose to the self to the spirit and so on and so forth.  I doubt it was called something that translates to "Union" by accident ....just something else to think about ....Shanti
Vi__Di Vi__Di
9/18/2008 
i feel that there are many levels and ideas of spirituality.....your meditation, even if it's only "reality based", is still a form of spirituality. i don't feel that you "have" to be overtly spiritual to practice yoga. that comes naturally in it's own time. if there's a part of yoga that one is not ready for, then it's not the time for that. everything happens as it should, including each individual's yoga practice. as long as you enjoy it and it benefits you in your own personal way, then it's a good thing for you. everything will happen (or not) as it is meant to:)
vik vik
9/18/2008
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