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