Adrianna Carter
Blog – Yoga as a part
of Sacred Journey
I am currently enrolled in
Religions of the East and we are discussing Hinduism. A huge practice in
Hinduism is Yoga which is the bringing together of two separate entities to
strengthen their bond. Going into our fourth class discussion of yoga in my
Religions class I could not stop comparing it to and remembering the many discussions
from Phenomenology of Prayer we have had in Sacred Communication.
Yoga is a sacred journey and place,
in my opinion. It “constitutes a break in the homogeneity of space”. It is
rooted in askesis (self-discipline) and kenosis (self-emptying) and of course
connects the performer to the spiritual realm for true growth to occur. One of
the most critical elements of Yoga is that it is done in process compared to prayer
which has very little to no technique, though both bare the same result.
Yoga is comprised of eight limbs
Samadni (Ecstatic absorption), Dyana (meditation), Dharana (concentration),
Pratyahara (sense of withdrawal), Pranayama (breath extension), Asana (bodily
positions), Niyama (observances) and firstly Yama (avoidances). These eight
limbs, step-by-step help you ultimately reach Brahma and unlike prayer, must be
taken from my understanding of Yoga. Prayer, on the hand, does take a step of
emptying the self but places you immediately in front of the face of whoever
you’re praying to. In Christianity prayers literally (and spiritually) places
you broken, humbled, stressed, angered, and happy right in front of God. There
are very little steps take or rules to follow when it comes to prayer except,
do it often and wholeheartedly.
As I reflect on both Yoga and
Prayer from Phenomenology of Prayer is see that they both go beyond just asking
for things. They encourage and allow you to be in the presence with a higher
power, garner strength, truth, understanding and a ton of other valued quality
character traits used to fulfill your calling in this life. Through yoga and
prayer, we seek God or Brahma because we recognize something in them that we
lack and desire to be a part of us. Though we are fulfilled in life through a
variety of ways, yoga and prayer seem to be the two that garner the most fulfillments
after participating in both.
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