Westernized Use Of Yoga In Hinduism

Although it is one the world's most popular religions, not much is commonly known about Hinduism's beliefs and practices. It seems as if most people only consider the religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam to be the most important religions, when in actuality all religions, even those of that are not well known, in this case Hinduism, are all equal to one another and, in turn, share similarities never thought about. Additionally, Hinduism is the world's oldest religion, founded sometime around 1500 BC (Hinduism Facts), so generally there should be more of a common knowledge diverted to the religion. Moreover, as times have indeed changed, it is quite simple to find information about any subject wanted, so through an exploration of Hinduism, ultimately awareness of its beliefs and

The Westernized use of yoga refers to the "exercise, stretching, and relaxation techniques many non- Hindus practice to improve their health" (Hinduism). Particularly, when one thinks of the Americanized form of yoga, one can imagine lying down on a foam mat, stretching to some pose titled "the downward facing dog". However, the Hindu definition is quite different, and it carries a significant religious meaning. To Hindus, yoga is a means to which one can reach salvation, in which there are different forms of yoga. These forms of yoga called karma yoga, jñana yoga, and bhakti yoga which all create, "a spiritual path... that enables a person to achieve oneness with the divine" (Hinduism). Karma yoga advocates for one to do good works for particularly their society and their family, which will eventually eliminate any bad karma from any previously lives. Jñana yoga promotes an awareness to the connection a Hindu shares with Brahma, achieved through reading the sacred books. Lastly, Bhakti yoga aims to deepen ones connection with Brahma, achieved by worshipping a god or goddess and giving up themselves to