Yoga is an art of living and not a religious practice. It is an art of living which is important for humanity.

>
> Question: We are devout Christians who are very uncomfortable
> with Hindu rituals, and see the same in Sahaja Yoga. Is there
> any way we can do without such rituals?
>
> Answer: Silence on Self
>
>
> Question: I do not want to meditate on anything non-Christian but
> agree that the Holy Spirit is feminine. How do I only worship the
> Holy Spirit but not the Adi Shakti?
>
> Answer: Silence on Self
>
>
> Question: I am a Muslim who absolutely am against worshipping of
> any idol or image. How then is Sahaja Yoga and Shri Mataji
> compatible with Islam?
>
> Answer: Silence on Self
>
>
> Question: I am a Sikh. I am completely against any Hindu ritual or
> worshipping of their idols and gods. Sikhism is completely against
> such practices. But Sahaja Yoga is also so full of such rituals and
> gods. What have you got to say, being a Sikh yourself?
>
> Answer: Silence on Self
>
>
> Question: I do not want to follow any religious organization or yoga
> teacher but still am interested in spirituality. You think that is
> possible?
>
> Answer: Silence on Self
>

Indian gurus condemn banning of Yoga by British churches
From our ANI Correspondent
Varanasi /Haridwar/New Delhi, Sep 1, 2007:

Yoga teachers in India on Saturday condemned the decision by two British churches to ban teaching of yoga in church halls.

The yoga teachers say that the ancient physical and mental discipline is an art of living and not a religious practice.

"This step has been taken by those who do not want Yoga to spread in across the world or those who believe there associate it with propagation of Hinduism, says Acharaya Bal Kishan, general secretary of Patanjali Yog Peet, established by renowned guru, Baba Ramdev.

"Though Yoga is born from Hinduism, it is not Hinduism, it is an art of living which is important for humanity," he adds.

Vicars banned Yoga classes for children in two local churches-the Silver Street Baptist Church, and the St. James Angilican Church, Somerset-calling the ancient Indian practice un-Christian.

According to church authorities, their premises can be used only by people who fall in line with Christian ethos.

The UK churches' decision has not found much favour with the Catholic Church in India.

"Across the board in all the countries, you will find some sections that are liberal and some sections of people who are not so liberal. It is applicable to Christianity as well, but I think in whole when you look at the western countries which are predominantly Christian in nature, they have been open to different philosophies, different ways of thinking and living," says father Babu Joseph, spokesperson of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) in New Delhi.

Yoga is an ancient school of Hindu philosophy that prescribes physical and mental disciplines for attaining oneness with the 'Supreme Being.'

Over the years, Yoga - which literally means the union of body and mind - has become hugely popular in the West and has been patronized by many Hollywood celebrities.

Yoga has been practiced in India for thousands of years, but the Government recently said it was becoming increasingly concerned that people were trying to make money from what is a part of their cultural heritage.

www.dailyindia.com/ANI

Yoga is just a healthier way of life
The Times of India
Sep 4, 2007
Nicole Dastur

`There's no word called `God' in yoga'

Bhakti Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Mantra Yoga... the list goes on and on. For most Indians (and for many in the West as well), the practice of yoga has almost become a way of life. A healthier life.

Yet, two churches in Britain have recently banned a group from conducting yoga classes, terming the ancient practice as `un- Christian' and a `sham'.

Even though the practice did originate in India centuries ago (the word `Yoga' is derived from the Sanskrit word `Yuj' which means to `unite', the union being that of the individual with the Universal Spirit, or God), does that make it more Hindu in ideology?

In other words, does it make it `un-Christian'? BT gets yoga instructors and practitioners to stretch (pun intended) their imagination on this issue.

Yoga guru and teacher to a host of celebrities, Bharat Thakur, maintains that yoga is, in essence, simply a more holistic approach to life and has no religious leanings. "Yoga is about attaining a blissful state of being. Agree that it was invented by a Hindu, but that was by default. Just because electricity was discovered by a Christian, is it wrong for a Hindu to use it? For that matter, why are we eating burgers when our indigenous food is the vada-pav? This entire controversy questions the so-called `liberal' mind of the 21st century," says Bharat, further reiterating that yoga is a process, not a dogma.

"Which is why yoga has not become a religion or a cult, despite its popularity. In fact, in yoga, there is no word called `God'," said Thakur.

Actress Vidya Malavade (goal-keeper in the film Chak De India ), who is also a yoga instructor, is shocked at this ban. "Yoga has absolutely no connection with religion. It's a way of life, a means to finding a balance between the mind and the body. The word `Yogacharya' itself means `a way of living'. Yes, it originated from Sanskrit philosophy, but today, it's popular across the world not because of its origins but because of its functionality. It's the form, the technique that people want to learn, not necessarily its philosophy!" Just like you don't need to learn Japanese to learn karate, right?

Renowned spiritual leader, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, also regrets the ban. In a statement issued, he said, "It is unfortunate that even in the 21st century, superstition still prevails in some churches. This reminds me of an imam who issued a fatwa against TV, saying that Satan has entered television. Practices such as yoga which promote health and happiness can never be against any true religion. Yoga has been diluted by many and marketed as a mere physical exercise."

Staunch follower of yoga, actress Tisca Chopra, is also of the opinion that only prejudiced minds can think this way and said, "Yoga promotes good health, not religious propaganda. This is the equivalent of saying lighting candles promotes Christianity!" Ami Patel, Art of Living teacher said that to restrict yoga to a particular religion is limited thinking. "Yoga goes beyond boundaries, it is followed all over the world. It belongs to the whole world — that is the kind of broad vision the practice of yoga gives. Everybody leads a stressful life today, whether one is a Hindu, Muslim or Christian. The benefits of yoga affect everyone," explained Ami.

Father Joe Pereira, who himself practices and teaches yoga since 1976, said that the Catholic church has nothing against yoga.

"It's the fundamentalist Protestants and the old-fashioned Christians that think in such a backward manner. We are an inculturated church, we have even integrated certain principles of Vedanta into the church's theologies," revealed Father Joe.

www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

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