Yoga Exercises

Yoga is an act whereby a person assumes a physical posture in Sanskrit called asana. There are more than fifty different postures in yoga. The purpose of yoga is to facilitate liberation from reincarnation (rebirth) as taught in pagan religions, and yoke (yoga) together the individual soul with a pagan Deity. By the practice of yoga the agitated mind is said to be brought under control. In the meditation-yoga system, the mind is controlled by focusing on obtaining to Samadhi, Lotus, Supreme Self, Godhood. At this level of attainment in meditation and yoga, the individual knows that he is a real entity having a life that will go on in spite of the destruction of the body. Meditation is an integral part of yoga practices and all that has been said about meditation is equally applicable to yoga. Szurko, an ex-yogic master, explains:

The importance of asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breath control)…to the yogi pursuing liberation lies partly in the belief that the body is the microcosm of the universe; that is to say, whatever exists in the universe may be found in the body, which is a “universe in miniature.” Thus the yogi finds within himself all bodies; all truth; heaven and hell; all the expanses of space and the whole of time as well as of eternity; spirit, the gods, and Deity itself. It follows in yogic theory that the person who masters this “universe within” will become, to the same degree, master of the cosmos. ¹⁾ Davies, Gaius, Stress, Kingsway Publication, Eastbourne, England, (1988), p. 241; reported in Willis, Richard J.B., Holistic Health Holistic Hoax?, Pensive Publications, 10 Holland Gardens, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD2 6JW, (1997), p. 231.

The knowledge of the universe is believed to be found in Self; and that all healing is to be found in Self. Yoga is less of a treatment for illness and more for preventative measures. The Hindu believes that yoga exercises decreases congestion and blockage of energy and facilitates its flow. Sitting straight during meditation or even without meditation, it is believed, will allow for release of the congestion and blockage of the universal energy making it flow smoothly through various organs. These exercises will supposedly stimulate the chakras (energy centers) which, in turn, allow the energy to flow freely and maintain health.

The above concept has been accepted by western mysticism and magic in whole and forms the philosophical basis of most alternative medical therapies yet to be discussed.

The positions of the yoga postures are important in its concept because each position is proclaimed to direct prana or universal energy to specific parts of the body. In Hatha yoga the spine is to be kept straight so that the latent kundalini, or serpent force, supposedly coiled up at the base of the spine from birth, will be able to ascend through the chakras (energy centers of Hinduism) toward the top chakra. All of these acts are directed at “stilling the mind.” Hatha yoga is the most popular in the US. “Ha” means sun and “tha” is moon. Breathing through the nose in the left nostril will bring in the moon energy and in the right nostril the sun energy. Both sun and moon energy then travel downward through special (nonexistent) passages, one on each side of the body, and go to the bottom chakra at the coccyx area. This energy will then ascend up through the body by the help of yoga postures and exercises until the energy comes into full force at the top chakra, signifying that eternal life has been attained.

The response that so often comes from participants of yoga exercise is that they are only doing “stretching exercises.” What could be wrong or dangerous with that? The answer is given by the author of the article submitted by Let Us Reason Ministries:

The poses that they so diligently practice in their stretching are named after Hindu Gods, and what one is actually doing, is calling on them. In that worshipful pose, they are bowing and for all intents and purposes worshipping that god. Our God says: ‘You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.’ ³⁾ http://www. letusreason.org/NAM1.htm p. 6

Another Yogic or Hindu mystic, Sri Aurobindo taught that all yoga, including Hatha yoga, “has the same goal-unity with the Supreme.” Many people think they are just taking a physical fitness activity when they join a yoga exercise group. The Master mystics and the Yogis tell us you cannot separate the physical from the spiritual. Szurko an ex mystic says:

When I taught yoga, it became apparent that for many people the spiritual dimension of the discipline was self-manifesting it could be ignored at first, but not for long. ⁴⁾ Szurko, Christtian., Can Yoga be Reconciled with Christianity?, The Church Medicine and the New Age, (1995), p. 107; reported in Willis, op. cit., p. 232.

I quote Yogi Ramacharaka:

The beginner will also do well to study ‘Hatha Yoga’ in order to render his physical body healthy and sound and thus give the spirit a worthy Temple in which to manifest. ⁵⁾ Ramacharaka, Yogi, The Hindu-Yogi-Science of Breath, London: L.N. Fowler & co., Ltd. P. 78 (1960); reported in Willis, op. cit., p. 233.

Theos Bernard, states:

…Great Masters, through the potency of Hatha Yoga, breaking the scepter of death, are roaming in the universe. ⁶⁾ Bernard, Theos, Hatha Yoga, Arrow Books, London, (1950), p.19; re ported in Willis, op. cit., (1997), p.233.

Combined with yoga exercise is the emphasis placed on breathing. In Eastern medicine this is paramount. Air (prana) is believed to carry the universal energy, (life force), into an individual, and breathing in a certain manner (through the nose) increases the amount of this universal energy, intelligence, consciousness, or Creative Principle in a person. Ramacharaka also tells us:

The Yogi practices exercises by which he attains control of his body, and is enabled to send to any organ or part an increased flow of vital force—prana, thereby strengthening and invigoration the part or organ…He knows that by rhythmical breathing one may bring in the unfoldment of his latent powers. He knows that by controlled breathing he may not only cure disease in himself and others, but also practically do away with fear and worry and the baser emotions. ⁷⁾ Ramacharaka, Yogi, (nd), Raja Yoga, London: L.N. fowler & Co. Ltd., (1960), p. 10; reported in Willis, op. Cit., p. 233.

The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Alternative Healing Therapies, tells us,

The exercises of yoga are all designed to direct the flow of ‘prana’ and to release the body’s internal energy to create spiritual awareness. Yoga is thus a form of preparation of the mind, body, and spirit, which must be unified through conduct, right-thinking, and meditation, before the ultimate merging of the self with the universe, or the totality of all that is – the equivalent of God or the Hindu goal of nirvana. In this wider context, the postural and breathing exercises of hatha yoga are simply a means of promoting meditation and internal balance, through which the final goal of oneness can be achieved. Hatha yoga is a yogic system in its own right, although in the West emphasis is generally placed on its exercises. ⁸⁾ Shealy, Norman M.D. Ph.D,, The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Alternative Healing Therapies, Elelment Books Inc., Boston, MA, (1999), p. 52.

Hatha Yoga, by definition, means union of sun (ha) and moon (tha). At a little higher level of yoga called pranayama the two channels in the nostrils become stimulated and union of the two breaths takes place at the “agya,” the important chakra between the two eyes. One set of yoga exercises called Surya Namatura, (Salutation to the Sun) is a set of easy movements and postures not held as long as most exercise postures. These exercises present a:

Spiritual salutation to the rising Sun the source of all energy for life, and are found in many religious and pagan societies. ¹⁰⁾ Shealy, op. cit., p. 55.

Spreading across the world like a forest fire is the popular activity of yoga exercise and the breathing exercises that go with them. There may or may not be meditation involved, but most formal yoga sessions end with a few moments of meditation. This can easily lead to spiritualism experiences. Because the spiritual philosophy that is a part of Hinduism is not presented in a verbal manner with yoga exercises, or with meditation, people totally disassociate the Hindu religion and its “world view” of man’s origin, from doing the yoga exercises. Yoga exercises are alleged to be purely physical with no mysticism involved. Yoga is yoga, and those various movements and stretching are designed to raise kundalini up through the chakras to join with the universal god of Hinduism. Partaking of these exercises places oneself on Satan’s ground. He has used such activities for more than three thousand years and for his purposes only. Will we move his counterfeit system into our lives and into the church as paganism moved in during the fourth to fifth centuries, and call it Christian? An ex-Hindu Guru, now a Christian, has stated a very clear truth about the influences of participating in yoga. He said:

There cannot be Hinduism without yoga and there can be no yoga without Hinduism. ¹²⁾ Gods of the New Age: Video tape 1988 Jeremiah Films Inc., Hemet, CA.

The highest goal of the Eastern religion is to realize one’s own divinity, to make contact with the spirit gods, and to escape the cycle of reincarnation by joining the spirit world. These religions teach that this goal can be accomplished by our own works, not necessarily by good deeds, but by practicing meditation and yoga and its exercises. These practices were designed for these religions (by Satan’s directions) to facilitate an alteration in one’s state of consciousness wherein Satan can exert his power over them, and lead the person to believe he has attained godhood, and will at death join the spirit world.

To participate in these practices is to accept the foundation pillars of Hinduism. It is akin to dancing around the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and since it seems safe, eventually the urge to reach out and touch and eat of its fruit is too strong a temptation to resist.

Taken from Chapter 8 of Exposing Spiritualistic Practices in Healing by Edwin A. Noyes M.D.