Why Do You Call it Yoga AND Meditation? -Strange usage of the word yoga-

 

One side effect of the popularity of yoga postures is a strange usage of the word yoga. In many peoples minds the word yoga only refers to the physical exercises and stretches, and people talk about "doing" yoga, like it is a thing that can be done. But the exercises are only a small part of the whole yoga system. Originally yoga refers to a system of Self-knowledge. The main purpose of yoga is Self-exploration through various philosophical and meditative practices. The exercises were originally put in the system in order to produce a steady seated posture, the health benefits of yoga postures were only discovered later.

 

When yoga is thought of as a holistic practice, mainly based on philosophy and meditation, it sounds very strange when people talk about "doing yoga AND meditation." Isn't yoga more meditation than stretching?

This use of the word yoga is not likely to change any time soon, and it may even become more body-centric before it returns it to it's roots again, but I would like to encourage people to use the word in a more encompassing manner, and if they want to distinguish between stretching and meditation, why not say: "I am going to practice some stretching and yoga."

 

Tekið af bloggsíðu Guðjóns Bergmann: http://thinkingmansyoga.blogspot.com/