Yoga programme at US school sparks religious controversy

[Developereo]

i have seen teachers making the learners do om.

I see nothing wrong with "om". I am talking about teachers discussing Patanjali's life and spiritual history, etc. during lessons.

I would have been more interested in knowing if the people teaching yoga were Hindu in the first place.

Not necessary.

Just as many Western Muslim converts tend to be more religious than the average "born" Muslim, so many of these yoga devotees, even if not Hindu, are more zealous than the average practitioner in India.

As I mentioned, you can see this kind of zeal in other new age type of people, especially in the West: vegetarians, climate change advocates, environmentalists, etc. These people tend to have a burning self-righteous zeal within them that they know the ultimate truth and must share it with the unenlightened masses.

 

[Spring Onion]

I see nothing wrong with "om". I am talking about teachers discussing Patanjali's life and spiritual history, etc. during lessons.

.

Why they ignore the earlier forms. Patanjali is the one who gave it Hinduism color more than other forms

 

[Sashan]

There are no owners of yoga as such, its been around for thousands of years. Nobody can take ownership for this 'healthy way of life'. However one remembers India immediately talking of yoga.

Some clever-d**k company will file a patent for a Zogi or a Bogi and would start claiming the rights for the Yoga just like what they tried doing with Basmati.

 

[Gandhi G in da house]

Some people might feel that even discussing such things in a school-sanctioned activity crosses the line. It would amount to a course on Hinduism.

Firstly , even if it was a course on hinduism , if it is optional there is nothing wrong with it , especially if it is privately funded.

Secondly, I don't think most Americans are so narrow-minded that they would object to certain basic discussion of cultural and historical aspect of Yoga even if that takes them into the realm of Hinduism for some time.After all, Millions of Westerners including Americans have been practicing Yoga for a long time and have retained their belief system without converting.

Since America is a democracy , they should listen to what most parents say. If most parents object to even optional classes then they should be scrapped , but if most don't object , then optional classes should not be an issue for anyone.Since it is America, something tells me that most wouldn't object as long as the classes are optional.

 

[A1Kaid]

Good going for the parents. I know I wouldn't want my children learning that hindu stuff.

Yoga fire. Yoga flame.

They are at school to study, not stretch.

Lol brings back memories of Dhalsim...

 

[Developereo]

Why they ignore the earlier forms. Patanjali is the one who gave it Hinduism color more than other forms

I don't know about the history of yoga. Most places where I have been offered basically three styles of yoga: ashtanga, iyengar and bikram. Younger people tend to go for ashtanga, because it is more strenuous, while older folks go for the other types.

Firstly , even if it was a course on hinduism , if it is optional there is nothing wrong with it , especially if it is privately funded.

I already explained about opt-in v/s opt-out in a previous post.

Since America is a democracy , they should listen to what most parents say.

Read up on the history of school prayers in the US. Americans are very touchy about religion in schools.

 

[Spring Onion]

Some clever-d**k company will file a patent for a Zogi or a Bogi and would start claiming the rights for the Yoga just like what they tried doing with Basmati.

lol by that yardstick shamans can also term you the same

 

[Vibs]

I see nothing wrong with "om". I am talking about teachers discussing Patanjali's life and spiritual history, etc. during lessons.



Not necessary.

Just as many Western Muslim converts tend to be more religious than the average "born" Muslim, so many of these yoga devotees, even if not Hindu, are more zealous than the average practitioner in India.

As I mentioned, you can see this kind of zeal in other new age type of people, especially in the West: vegetarians, climate change advocates, environmentalists, etc. These people tend to have a burning self-righteous zeal within them that they know the ultimate truth and must share it with the unenlightened masses.

Don't deny it. I can describe the evangelists in the same way . Like I said before. It's an American problem.They are welcome to it.

 

[Gandhi G in da house]

I don't know about the history of yoga. Most places where I have been offered basically three styles of yoga: ashtanga, iyengar and bikram. Younger people tend to go for ashtanga, because it is more strenuous, while older folks go for the other types.



I already explained about opt-in v/s opt-out in a previous post.



Read up on the history of school prayers in the US. Americans are very touchy about religion in schools.

Exactly , we should let the school authorities figure out , where most parents of the students stand on this. If majority is against , scrap it. If majority is for it , then carry on.Again, democratic principles should be allowed to be implemented here.

My only objection would be if due to concerns of some parents the optional classes get scrapped , even though most parents had no issues with it. That would be wrong.

Anyway , i don't care. Whoever wishes to do yoga will do it in private classes anyway.

 

[Sashan]

lol by that yardstick shamans can also term you the same

I have read about Shamanism which is being practiced in Peru and those regions but I am lost here about the connection.

 

[Armstrong]

I don't know about the history of yoga. Most places where I have been offered basically three styles of yoga: ashtanga, iyengar and bikram. Younger people tend to go for ashtanga, because it is more strenuous, while older folks go for the other types.

Oh come on don't tell me you took Yoga classes too !

Men pump iron or do pull ups they leave the Yoga, the Pilates, the Aerobics etc. to their better halves !

 

[Yeti]

If these classes are optional they are free to opt out? so what is the issue? seems like some Christian fundamentalist agenda just like the time some fundies caused uproar when the US Senate opened with a Hindu prayer by Rajan Zed.

 

[Sashan]

Oh come on don't tell me you took Yoga classes too !

Men pump iron or do pull ups they leave the Yoga, the Pilates, the Aerobics etc. to their better halves !

Bro - I intend to include yoga along with my weights and cardio I do as job related stress is the killing factor for me and any amount of diet and exercise is not helping me to reduce percentage of fat - trying to bring it down to around 10% from 15% for the last one year. Yoga can get rid of the cortisol in your body which is the main factor in converting the calories to all fat.

 

[Spring Onion]

I have read about Shamanism which is being practiced in Peru and those regions but I am lost here about the connection.

seems you dont have extensive study on Yoga then

 

[Sashan]

seems you dont have extensive study on Yoga then

I don't but there is no one who can patent yoga is what I am suggesting here.