Is Practicing Yoga Selfish?

Have you ever felt like you were visiting "Bizarrothe west, most of the public has still not attended a
World" or some sort of parallel universe? On a rareHatha Yoga class because they picture it only as a
occasion, you may get a chance to hear a uniqueform of physical exercise.
opinion about Yoga. Listening is always a chance toFear of exercise, and the possibility of becoming
learn something new.healthier, as a result, are their "logical reasons" for
Some of my best memories are of listening to peoplestaying away from Yoga. After all, it is better to spend
talk about the benefits of Yoga; but recently, I had aa few twenties on a carton of cigarettes or a stack
chance to overhear a conversation about howof scratch tickets than to improve your life. Who
self-centered Yogis are. This person's point of view iswants to make a change toward healthier living,
an interesting one, even if you do not agree with it.happiness, lower stress levels, and possibly losing
Apparently, this gentleman felt that Yoga was part ofsome weight, due to a lifestyle change?
a self-indulgence wave that has swept the Earth. AllLet's address the issue of selfishness again. There
of the time that Yoga practitioners spend meditating,seems to be some confusion about what constitutes
practicing asana (Yoga posture), and practicingselfishness. If someone willingly chooses to be
Pranayama (Yogic breathing), appeared to him as if itnegligent, in all matters of his or her health maintenance
was a form of self-love.- that is selfishness.
As his theory goes, all of this self-love, over indulgence,To live an unhealthy life, in complete disregard to the
and basic selfishness, has created an evil "New Ageconcerns of loved ones, family members, and friends,
Movement" that is confused and has no direction. Well,is self-centered - not to mention, the drain one
upon listening further, this gentleman revealed that hevoluntarily puts on the rising cost of health insurance. In
has never practiced Yoga, but he was very surecontrast, if you are taking care of your health, you are
about it.making everyone else's life easier.
Unfortunately, people do not always think forYoga can create healthiness and happiness. In turn, this
themselves. They may be parroting an opinion that ismakes a more pleasant world for all of us. Healthiness
not based on fact, but they heard it "somewhere." Inand happiness are gifts for the world to share.