It’s a great relaxation technique, and just like American yoga, it’s completely secular. You simply chant some repetitive phrases like “Haylmareefuluhgrayce” on each bead, and it clears your mind and relaxes you.

Wouldn’t this be wonderful for our children, to be relaxed when they’re so stressed out? What’s wrong with a little relaxation time? What’s that? You don’t want children chanting on beads? Why, you must be one of those children-haters that the Democrats keep telling me about. Why do you hate children?

Stop looking to be offended…does it make you feel good to “pose” as a victim? (and that is NOT an asana… but maybe you are, you’re sure acting like one).

It is a perfect complement to my martial arts practice of Moo Gong Do, a specialized hybrid martial art combining Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do. The concept of “moving meditation” describes it aptly- as well as lethal.

Now that I’ve discovered yoga it is taking life to the next level. Awesome.

My 9 year old son, Levon, is into yoga and soccer. Who knows how his life will be with it.

sivapragasam said:
May be she got carried away and used the phrase Tree Poses and Sun Salutations.

Huh, sivapragasam? Both are legit Yoga positions. The Sanskrit term for the Sun Salutation is “surya namaskar” and the Tree pose is called “vriksha asana” . What is incorrect there?

Describing the forms of a religious ritual is no more “getting carried away” than would be noting “sprinkling” and “immersion” are two forms of baptism.

I’d say Yoga as just as silly as a Scientology “auditing”.

Yoga is a distinctly Hindu religious practice

Just chant the magical “Auummm” and everything will be okay, doncha

You pretty much made clear of what you believe. And I respect that and I will never, ever try to change your opinion nor impose mine on yours.

we agree to disagree.

e pluribus unum

But to say

you would probably be better served in dumping it.

is just 2 much 3 much and 4 much
I am born a Hindu and will remain so.

I respect MM as person and for her political idealogy. May be she got carried away and used the phrase Tree Poses and Sun Salutations.
If you take offense to what I had called her earlier, let me rephrase it: That, to me is a unfair characterization.

I stand by my word. Hope MM responds.

On-my-soap-box said:
Now we have to deal with “Yoga is the answer”. I do not know if I should laugh or cry.

Though I still sorely miss my folks, who have long since passed on, I’m glad they were spared seeing this type of insanity in American schools, Soap.

Many people want a feelgood quickfix that’s supposed to solve all their problems, that’s why you see so many celebrities get into drugs and this type of shallow “spiritual funtrips”. (and end up jumping on Oprah’s couch!)

Just chant the magical “Auummm” and everything will be okay, doncha know.

Soliel said:
I really do believe it would be so beneficial to especially inner city kids.

I don’t imagine anybody would stop you from starting a Hindu-Yoga mission in “the hood”, Soliel. Certainly Christians have traditionally maintained missions in slums, skidrows and such for a very long time.

The problem is the forcing of this religious practice and other questionable “feelgood-selfesteem” silliness on public schoolchildren.

sivapragasam said:

“Tree Poses and Sun Salutations”

to foul mouth yoga is wrong.

Two things there,sivapragasam. First, Michelle is anything but “foul mouthed”. Second, to note the above-named – and other – Hindu ritual poses being forced on school children (and, thus their parents) is in no way “foul” by any strech of the imagination.

I’d say Yoga as just as silly as a Scientology “auditing”. And, frankly, if your religion doesn’t stand up to the harshest of critique you would probably be better served in dumping it.

“Winger:
this sounds an aweful lot like state sponsorship of Hinduism.
Just Google Yoga + Hinduism. The two are very much linked.”

When was the last time some yoga teacher asked you to embrace Hinduism.

You avoided his correct observation that Yoga is a distinctly Hindu religious practice. Nobody can avoid that very “inconvenient truth”.

Also, since he wouldn’t put himself under a Yoga guru your question is moot. However the school children have no choice and are being forced to do the Hindu religious rituals – in public schools They are not being “asked”; the Hindu religious rituals are mandatory.

It would be the same problem if public schools were forcing children to be baptised.

If Hindu students want to have a voluntary get-together to practice their religious rituals in a rented room after school, that’s no problem. Same as with kids who want a place to have an afterschool prayermeet/biblestudy.

But as a conservative who does practice yoga (and not just the physical part) I really do believe it would be so beneficial to especially inner city kids.
The reason is yoga calms the mind and the emotions. Often crimes and un social behavior is caused by lack of emotional control? Yoga has the ability to nip negative emotions in the bud.
Yoga has also heightened my moral sense and the sense of respecting others and living in a non violent manner. I think all of this would be beneficial to members of at risk groups. Less ego, less problems.
There is only one thing. One needs discipline to study and do it in the first place. Unfortunately, too many of these kids have little.
And YES, I am conservative!

I guess those commentors aren’t very relaxed at all, the way they’re spewing, lot of stress there…

You should see all the Yoga Thong Divas around here come unhinged in PTA meetings and School board meetings around here.

It’s quite the sight. Lots and lots of pain in these parts. Nothing is going their way. And they worry about EVERYTHING.

Not too many would survive in the environment where Yoga originated.

Not too many at all. I mean, like, there were no yoga mats back then, were there?

Here goes: “War is Not the Answer. But it sure sorts out the questions, don’t it?”