| Is there a "New Age Movement," which works | | | | Christians. Yet, meditation has existed within |
| toward the infiltration of other religions? Is Hatha | | | | Christianity since its beginning. |
| Yoga the "scouting party" for the conquest of | | | | Please take a close look at Psalm 1:2 from the Holy |
| non-Hindu religions? Does Yogi, or Yogini, imply your | | | | Bible, which states, "But his will is in the law of the |
| religious affiliation? Is Hatha Yoga a religion, and the | | | | Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night." |
| western public is being duped? | | | | When you meditate on the word of God, this is a |
| In the west, Yoga has been considered, by some | | | | noble act. |
| religious fundamentalists, to be an "infiltration" of | | | | Throughout history, meditation has existed for |
| Hindu philosophy. Religion has always been a volatile | | | | positive reasons. Somehow the fundamentalist |
| subject. Yoga, of any kind, can sometimes cause | | | | concept of what meditation actually is has become |
| extreme reactions among religious fundamentalists. | | | | strangely misunderstood. |
| The words, "New Age Movement," are a very broad | | | | Within Joshua 1:8, it is stated, "Let not the book, of |
| term and can refer to any healing method or spiritual | | | | this law, depart from thy mouth: but thou shalt |
| belief. It is hard to group Yoga with Wicca, Taoism, | | | | meditate on it day and night, that thou mayst |
| Reiki, Druidism, witchcraft, and Harry Potter fans, but | | | | observe and do all things that are written in it: then |
| somehow we have all been "lumped" together as the | | | | shalt thou direct thy way, and understand it." |
| New Age Movement. | | | | As Yoga grew in mainstream popularity, Hatha Yoga |
| Although there is no common thread, Yoga | | | | was easily embraced because most Yoga instructors |
| practitioners who practice Christian Yoga, are also | | | | worked on the mind and body connection only. There |
| condemned by religious fundamentalists for being | | | | is very little mentioned within a typical Hatha Yoga |
| tolerant of eastern philosophy. | | | | class about Yogic philosophy. |
| Better yet, there are accusations, which claim Hatha | | | | In defense of Yogic philosophy, the Yamas and |
| Yoga is part of the New Age conspiracy. Some | | | | Niyamas (behavior restraints and ethical guidelines), |
| fundamentalists believe that calling a person Yogi, or | | | | are sensible guidelines, which can be found in many of |
| Yogini, confirms that he or she is a practicing Hindu. | | | | the world's religions and in ethical organizations. |
| Just recently, I read a statement, where the author | | | | Universal concepts such as, telling the truth, avoid |
| claimed, meditation could cause spiritual harm to | | | | stealing, and not harming others, are good ideas. |