Yoga and Buddhism

A place to discuss health and fitness, healthy diets. A fit body makes for a fit mind.
dhamma_newb
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Yoga and Buddhism

Post by dhamma_newb »

Does anyone here practice Yoga and Buddhism? I am interested in hearing about your experience. I've practiced different forms of Yoga in the past and was wondering how to integrate the two. Any suggestions? I feel that Yoga would help my Buddhist practice.
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mirco
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by mirco »

dhamma_newb wrote:Does anyone here practice Yoga and Buddhism? I am interested in hearing about your experience. I've practiced different forms of Yoga in the past and was wondering how to integrate the two. Any suggestions? I feel that Yoga would help my Buddhist practice.
From the viewpoint of Buddhism, it is a very basic thing: act wholesome.

But Buddhism has a lot more to offer than what Hatha Yoga brings about.


:-)
sattva
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by sattva »

i have done a very minute amount of yoga in the past and have some cd's that have recently come to me that are for those who are less adept. What they say yoga can do for you is to help you keep your flexibility. I think that is a good thing. Lots of Buddhists also do Chi Kung (qi gong) or Tai Chi.

I think the important thing here is to practice only the physical postures that help to strengthen and create flexibility in the body, but not to engage in the meditative or more esoteric practices. Meaning if you follow Buddhist thought and Buddhist meditative practices, stick with those exclusively, but we can do other things to help with our physical health.
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Ben
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by Ben »

sattva wrote:i have done a very minute amount of yoga in the past and have some cd's that have recently come to me that are for those who are less adept. What they say yoga can do for you is to help you keep your flexibility. I think that is a good thing. Lots of Buddhists also do Chi Kung (qi gong) or Tai Chi.

I think the important thing here is to practice only the physical postures that help to strengthen and create flexibility in the body, but not to engage in the meditative or more esoteric practices. Meaning if you follow Buddhist thought and Buddhist meditative practices, stick with those exclusively, but we can do other things to help with our physical health.
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dhamma_newb
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by dhamma_newb »

Thanks mirco.

@ sattva - Great advice. I guess the thing for me to do now is find a style of Yoga that focuses on the physical postures. Probably Hatha Yoga.
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Kim OHara
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by Kim OHara »

dhamma_newb wrote:Thanks mirco.

@ sattva - Great advice. I guess the thing for me to do now is find a style of Yoga that focuses on the physical postures. Probably Hatha Yoga.
Yep - and that's probably what is most readily available to you, too - 'yoga', to most people, equals 'hatha yoga'.
Sessions may finish with five - ten minutes of relaxation. Enjoy it, and don't fuss about it conflicting with meditation even if they use that word for it.

:namaste:
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Ben
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by Ben »

dhamma_newb wrote:Thanks mirco.

@ sattva - Great advice. I guess the thing for me to do now is find a style of Yoga that focuses on the physical postures. Probably Hatha Yoga.
Years ago I dabbled with Iyengar yoga. It was good and complemented my Dhamma practice as there was no spiritualism involved.
All the best with your yogic endeavours!

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
dhamma_newb
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by dhamma_newb »

Cool thanks Ben there is an Iyengar yoga studio in my area. I will check it out. I wasn't too sure which forms of Yoga would be compatible with Buddhist practice. For now due to my school schedule it will probably be a Hatha Yoga DVD.
Ben wrote:
dhamma_newb wrote:Thanks mirco.

@ sattva - Great advice. I guess the thing for me to do now is find a style of Yoga that focuses on the physical postures. Probably Hatha Yoga.
Years ago I dabbled with Iyengar yoga. It was good and complemented my Dhamma practice as there was no spiritualism involved.
All the best with your yogic endeavours!

Ben
The watched mind brings happiness.
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I am larger and better than I thought. I did not know I held so much goodness.
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lutysouie
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by lutysouie »

I practice yoga since a long time, before practising meditation and I just can say that it has guided me to meditation and Buddhism.
I practice both everyday, meditation straight after yoga, just after waking up each morning.
I practice Hatha, Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga, so it's quite challenging and vigourous styles for the two last and I have noted that when I practised a gentle Hatha practice, my meditation is "better", my mind is quieter and I can stay concentrated. But after doing Ashtanga, I fell a lot of agitation, and there are a lot of thoughts, very bad concentration.
But anyway yoga helps to keep a healthy back and a fit body so it's good for meditation, and life in general as we have to take care of our body as our home and vehicule for this life.
Inversions are also said to be good postures before meditating and the lotus is a very good posture for meditatinon, you really fell grounded when you meditate in it, but it's difficult and dangerous for your knees to keep it more than 15 minutes.
Hope this helps and that it is clear (not native english...)
dhamma_newb
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by dhamma_newb »

Hi lutysouie, thank you for sharing your experience. If Ashtanga makes you agitated why do you still practice it? I've tried to sit in lotus but my body is not made for it. I read that the posture should be as comfortable as possible so that you can let go of the body during the meditation. I prefer the Burmese posture, it's easy on my knees and works for my thick legs. Image
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Kim OHara
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by Kim OHara »

Ashtanga is a real workout. It will quickly build strength and fitness, and that's its value.
But any heavy exercise will leave you revved up in a way that makes sitting quietly and thinking harder than it normally is. Personally, I find a few gentle stretches beforehand makes meditation better than either no preparation or a heavier exercise session.

:namaste:
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lutysouie
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by lutysouie »

Well, Ashtanga is a really good workout to strenghen your body and is said to be a meditation in movement...I still pratice it because I like the way it feels to be concentrated only on your posture and on your noisy breath DURING the session, so it's a kind of meditation in a way, but just after that, my mind needs some time to calm down and I think it's quite normal. I think it's also interesting to stay with the mind when it is agitated, and not always looking for a quiet mind, because wanting our mind to be always in peace is just wanting, so no more than another desire...I have just noted that my mind is less quiet but it is as it is, I don't want to cling on a special peaceful state of mind.
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by Cittasanto »

I do not practice Yoga myself but do know others who do, or practice Tai Chi, Qui Gong, or other form; essentially from my perspective from very limited participation (about 4 sessions of the varying practices mentioned above) it can be used as a form of meditative practice, particularly involving the four postures or clear knowing section of the satipatthana sutta.

It is well worth noting, particularly regarding the philosophical side of any practice, that the Buddha never said other philosophies were completely wrong about everything, and on occasion either reinterpreted the philosophy/practice to be inline with right view, changing very little, or borrowed the part/s that were useful/in-line with right view.

it is a take what is useful, situation the better you understand and are in-line with right view the easier it is to look at a philosophy or interpretation and see the benefiscial aspects of it, and thus able to disregard the unuseful parts
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lutysouie
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by lutysouie »

If you want to read something about it from a monk, let's read this :
http://bhanterahula.blogspot.com/2010/1 ... ix_07.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
Bhante Rahula is a Theravadan monk and also yoga teacher.
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Ytrog
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Re: Yoga and Buddhism

Post by Ytrog »

I want to learn yoga to strenghten my back too. I also really can use some form of sport as my daily movement usually consists of pushing my mouse around (does mouse pushing count as a sport btw? :P) and walking to and from the coffee machine. My condition is not getting better this way.

Are there any good practices for starters?
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