The truth about yoga.

The truth about Yoga

Most people have heard of yoga. There are classes everywhere. It has invaded popular culture and is featured in every aspect of media and society. Right now it is estimated to be a multi billion dollar industry worldwide.

Most of us are aware it originates in India and has some spiritual aspects if we haven’t really inspected what that actually entails.

Well, I can tell you what yoga is not and then maybe we can get around to describing the true goals and intentions of this ancient practice.

Yoga is not keep fit or gymnastics although a healthier, stronger body are an added bonus of practicing asana. 

Asana?

What is asana?

Well, this is what most people seem to think yoga is. These are the bodily postures we are all at least, vaguely familiar with. Yoga postures, however, are simply a precursor to a deep yoga practice.

Yoga is not a trendy life statement. True yogic practice is a life choice. It guides every aspect of our being and choices. On the mat we may learn to bring what we find into our daily existence.

Yoga is not something that can be marketed and advertised like a box of washing powder. It is a sacred path that is far beyond money and business.

Doing asana does not make you any more spiritual than the people who don’t.

Yoga is not a hobby, a lifestyle or weight loss program.

Let’s cut right to the chase.

True yoga has two aims. Everything else is a step on the ladder of these two aims which essentially is one final aim.

Like true, authentic spiritual teachings from around the world, modern man has cherry picked the easy, enjoyable or unchallenging parts and used them to either make money, or in the case of modern religion - control people.

The true aim of a yogic path is to attain (though attain is a paradox) the state (state is the wrong word too) of SAMADHI.

We achieve that through BURNING KARMA.

This is the true aim of yoga.

It is also the original aim of Christianity (Gnosticism), Islaam (Sufism) and true Buddist teaching. Just like these traditions, it has been watered down, altered and made more palatable whilst removing the reliance on the self and giving the power over to men who seek to control and prevent us from clearly seeing the true state of reality. Over time these men of God thus became just as blind as we were. As a true yogi it is time to take this power back and realize who and what we truly are and reach our full potential. For this we must immerse ourselves in every aspect of yogic tradition.

Living in Europe it is strange to see these “modern” therapies - sophrology, biodynamics, rebirthing or Lord knows what else, which all have their origins in Chinese medicine, yoga or Buddhism.

In a world of woke, it astounds me that in these fields, it is never considered as cultural appropriation or bastardisation. What it truly is for sure is theft at the very least.

YOGA is love and truth.

Because, in general, people only want to partake in enjoyable things that make them feel good (or should I say “slightly better”) a huge “alternative therapy” market has emerged and it seems a new European, English speaking therapy arrives every second week.

What a sorry state of affairs.

So what is samadhi and what does burning karma involve?

Read part two and I’ll attempt to make it clear.