Free from the whole ‘is yoga a religion’ debate, more folks of varying creeds are finding ways to weave asana and even yoga philosophy into their own belief systems. Like applesauce to a potato latke, Bibliyoga is a pretty interesting take on the yoga/Jewish mashup. Yoga teacher Marcus J Freed does his own Kosher Sutra study, emphasizing the body and soul connection, along with ancient Jewish texts.
We don’t pretend to be yogafied theology experts, ahem, but if we were skeptical of yoga and religion uniting in harmony, this seems like a damn good way of smooshing the two, especially for those otherwise turned off.
Whether or not your Holy Land lies in the East or on your own mat, we appreciate that everyone can embrace the practice of yoga. Na-ma-sta-zel Tov!
further reading: The Yoga of Yom Kippur – Marcus J Freed
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Earlier…
- Holy Yoga! Religious Yoga Hybrids Are a Godsend
- Yoga and Harry Potter ‘Evil’ Satanic ‘Magic’, Says Chief Vatican Exorcist
- Market Value: Is Your Yoga Worth $2000? The Reality of Making a Living as a Yoga Teacher
- Steps to Avoid Danger of Neti Pot Brain-Eating Amoebas
- Top Four Yogini States of Mind for Your ‘Old School’ Birthing Experience
- Trouble Meditating? Pop the Ultimate Chill Pill
And much before Marcus J Freed, there was JC, the world’s first Semitic Hindu.
In his youth (the missing years of JC’s life, that the Bible won’t talk about), JC journeyed to India, and apprenticed himself in the Gurukuls and Ashrams of the learned Hindu sages (Rishis) of India. There, the excellent pupil JC imbibed the ancient Hindu philosophies from his teachers, and himself became an enlightened, self-realized soul – a Mahatma, a true Yogi.
The enlightened JC then traveled back to the Middle East to preach to his people.
JC’s teachings are very much in consonance with Hinduism :
(1) ” As you sow, so shall you reap ” —> This is JC’s exquisite way of stating the Hindu law of Karma.
(2) ” Let him throw the first stone, who has not sinned”.
This is JC’s recognition of the fact that all souls (Aatmas) present on this earth are present on the earth, only because these souls are as yet, not without sin.
The Hindu philosophy of Reincarnation (Punar-Janam) believes that the Aatma is indestructible, and undergoes several cycles of Birth, Life, Death and Rebirth. Properly guided, the Aatma attains a higher-state-of-being in each successive life, until that Aatma ultimately becomes self-realized and sinless, and attains Moksha ( Liberation from the cycle of Birth, Life, Death and Rebirth).
Thus, any Aatma that is actually present on this earth, is not without sin, and is at some midway point along this Great Journey towards becoming a self-realized soul.
(3) There is much evidence to suggest that JC was a vegetarian.
(4) After surviving the Crucifixion, JC sought save-haven in India, and lived in India to a ripe old age. JC is buried in Kashmir. Kashmir is the land of the ancient Hindu sage, Rishi Kashyapa. The name Kashmir comes from the Sanskrit “Kashyapa-Meru” ( Kashyapa’s Lake).
(5) Being a self-realized Soul, JC recognized that there are several different Paths to Enlightenment. Thus, JC never said peevish things like, ” I am the ONLY WAY” ( I am the only ticket to Heaven). These mean-spirited statements were disingenuously inserted into the Bible, after JC’s passing, and falsely attributed to JC, by the Vatican, the Marketing Department of the Unholy Roman Empire, as part of its Empire-Building-Strategy, via the Giant Pyramid Scheme of Catholicism.
If today were April 1st, I would know this was an April Fool’s Joke. Alas, Chris is displaying his imaginative fiction just in time for the holidays! LOL!
Sam, is the white-stuff coming down hard, up there in Canada ?
The facts are stranger than any fiction I could ever write.
Hi Chris,
No, no snow yet this yet, thanks. Looks like a green Christmas (climate change is alive and well up here).
Please provide some links to peer-reviewed articles to back up your wildly revisionist theological history. Be careful, I have a doctorate in theology so I am well-versed in this area.
When I was very little I was obsessed with India and all things indian (I am a londoner born to Brit/Belgian parents.) I would ask for incense and saris and listen to indian music all the time. When my schoolteacher asked me why I loved india so much I said “because that’s where I met Jesus” aged four. The teacher and my parents were very confused (I don’t come from a religious background)… I don’t expect anyone to believe me, but because of that I certainly wouldn’t rule out Jesus having passed through India.
Wow …. Chris and Julia’s comments are fascinating! I have also heard that JC was in India and can completely believe it to be true. So much damage has been done by man trying to control religion throughout time, that only a pure hearted soul could have been used the way JC was. He may have learned from Hindu Philosophy and then taught it, but many religious men did not go on to become self-realized like he did… they only took what JC taught and used it for their own agendas.
very interesting take on it, honestly to me it makes more sense than what the bible fictionalized.