| Yoga has become extremely popular over the last | | | | another, via the flow of their Pranas. I use the plural for |
| decade. Today, almost everyone knows someone | | | | Prana because by definition, you cannot unite just one |
| who says they are practicing Yoga. Many of these | | | | flow. You can only unite separate and different flows. |
| new yogis/yoginis are quite dedicated and go to class | | | | This is another area where most Western Yoga |
| several times each week. | | | | Instruction falls short. Most instruction is only in the |
| Let's take a look at what they are practicing: | | | | placement of the various body parts. And while it is |
| Most classes are 60-90 minutes of doing various | | | | true, that the flow of one's Prana will be influenced by |
| Yoga poses/stretches/asanas, which can vary from | | | | where one's body parts are in relation to each other; |
| gentle to intense. The intensity will vary from class to | | | | this is also low level Yoga. The flow of one's Prana |
| class, style to style and teacher to teacher. | | | | should be directly regulated and controlled by one's |
| And so, the student will say they are practicing Yoga | | | | mind. Of the Yoga classes that do talk about the flow |
| regularly every week. | | | | of Prana, they usually talk about the main flow of |
| I do not wish to belittle anyone's practice or imply that | | | | Prana in the Asana and not the counter flow. |
| anyone is claiming to be or do something they are not. | | | | Since Hatha Yoga is the Union of the Ha or the Sun |
| Yet, the fact remains that this is not Yoga. | | | | Flows of Energy and the Tha or the Moon Flows of |
| To claim that this type of activity represents learning | | | | Energy, talking about only one flow means they are |
| Yoga is similar to someone learning the hand and | | | | practicing either Ha Yoga or Tha Yoga. They cannot |
| finger exercises practiced by great pianists and | | | | be practicing Hatha Yoga. |
| thinking that they are learning to play and indeed, even | | | | Most people are not aware that the practice of the |
| are playing the piano. | | | | Asanas or stretches is actually the third step in the |
| This is not the fault of the student. Imagine if most of | | | | classical school of Raja Yoga. The first step is the |
| the piano teachers only taught these exercises and | | | | practice of 5 Restraints: Non-Harming, Truthfulness, |
| called the practice "Piano Class." Why wouldn't the | | | | Non-Stealing, Self-Restraint and Non-Possessiveness. |
| student feel he/she was learning to play the piano? | | | | The second is the practice of the 5 Observances: |
| Perhaps you are saying that this is silly. After all, great | | | | Purity, Contentment, Austerity, Self- Study and |
| pianists make beautiful music when they are playing. | | | | Surrender to God. (Notice there are 10, as in the 10 |
| That's true. However, it is my contention that most | | | | Commandments). |
| people are only aware of the exercises and not what | | | | The concept behind this is that since the practice of |
| the exercises are meant to prepare them for. It's as if | | | | the Yoga Asanas does make you Healthier and does |
| somehow they never get to hear the music. They only | | | | give you more energy regardless of your State of |
| see and hear the exercises. Usually, there is no time | | | | Being, if you have not become a better person first, all |
| and sometimes no desire to learn more in class. | | | | the Yoga Asanas will have accomplished is making |
| Sometimes, the instructors themselves have not been | | | | you better able to carry out your gross impulses. This |
| taught more than these exercises, sometimes they do | | | | is what happened to Darth Vader. He practiced the |
| not practice them and sometimes they do not want to | | | | exercises of a Jedi Knight and they only fed the Flaws |
| lose students who are not ready to transform | | | | in his character. |
| themselves. | | | | My Yoga Teacher, Yogiraj Swami Bua, Maharaja of |
| In Reality, classical pianists study the already written | | | | Hatha Yoga, sums this up when he says; "The Lotus |
| works of great composers and try to play them as | | | | Pose will not take you to Heaven." |
| the composer intended them to sound. Modern jazz | | | | Another way of looking at this is: Yoga is Union. How |
| pianists try to understand what their fellow musicians | | | | can one claim to practice Union only a few hours a |
| are playing and try to make up new, never played | | | | week? Do we get married for a few hours a week? |
| before music that fits in perfectly with what is going on | | | | (OK. I can hear all the humorous comments about |
| around them. | | | | marriage this will generate.) I think we can legitimately |
| You can play for yourself or you can go play for the | | | | question the validity of using the term Union to refer to |
| enjoyment of others. This is similar to what true Yoga | | | | a fleeting or very temporary State of Being. |
| is like. You can study the ancient scriptures or you can | | | | By this, I do not mean we are not practicing Yoga |
| go out into the World and practice Yoga in everyday | | | | unless we are in the State of Union. I mean we must |
| life. You can practice Yoga for your benefit, or for the | | | | be trying to be in the State of Union. Whether we |
| benefit of others. | | | | succeed or not, is another question. |
| I am not saying that going to a Yoga class and | | | | My purpose in writing this article is to try and stop |
| stretching for an hour is of no benefit. Not at all. There | | | | Yoga from following in the foot steps of the many |
| are plenty of benefits which anyone can and will get | | | | Ancient Traditions which have been reduced by the |
| from even this limited practice. However, since their | | | | market place to nothing but a hollow shell of their true |
| practice is on the gross or physical plane, most of the | | | | selves. |
| benefits will be limited to this physical plane: Better | | | | There is no money to be made in not giving people |
| Health. | | | | what they want. Therefore, I hope this article will inspire |
| And so the most Yoga, or Union, they can hope to | | | | some to examine what they want and lead them to |
| achieve is that of uniting one part of their body with | | | | true Yoga. |