[ Excerpt from The Science of Yoga, page 115 ]
The phenomenon of the mass appeal of yoga within the past decade has fuelled a watered-down, easily digestible form of primarily physical practices.
<< Read Yoga In The Modern World - Part 3
This has happened not only abroad, but in India too, where 'Westernization' and the consumer-based lifestyle is spreading like wildfire, leading to a rapid decline in traditional thought throughout the entire Indian Subcontinent. In his "Science of Yoga," A.K. Taimni concludes:
"What is needed, therefore, is a clear, intelligible presentation of [yoga’s] philosophy and technique which gives a correct and balanced idea of all its aspects in terms of modern thought."
The greatest folly is that most yoga teachers today do not even realize the errors of their ways, since they themselves are the product of these systems of watered-down yoga.
Hence, in ignorance, so many continue to not only do a great disservice to the ancient science of yoga itself, but to the entirety of humanity, which could stand to gain so much from this jewel of wisdom from ancient India, given the proper understanding and guidance.
Swami Gitananda Giri Gurumaharaj had acute recognition of this problem and was single-minded in his efforts to restore a proper understanding of yoga, as he states:
"One of my missions is to bring to modern minds the vast difference between '‘pop yoga' and 'classical yoga'. It would seem that in their hurry to popularize something called 'yoga', high-flying Gurus with an aim to build powerful organizations, have not bothered to find out what yoga really is, looking upon it as another form of sport, entertainment... or at the lowest, a popular product to sell...
Yoga, as we know, is a guide to the spiritual path of evolution for the individual seeker, as well as the whole of mankind. The 'pop approach'... is harmful to the extent that people will form wrong associations with this ancient and beautiful art and science, which will later on be most difficult to break.”
But all is not lost, as the saying goes. Much of value is still being done in the name of yoga around the world today. In the coming lessons, we'll see some of the good and more of the not so grand as well!...
[Continued...]
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