Yoga and Buddhism

[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.

[mirco]

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]

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.

[Ben]

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.

[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.

[Kim O'Hara]

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.


Kim

[Ben]

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

[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.

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

[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]

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.

[Kim O'Hara]

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.


Kim

[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.

[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

[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.
Bhante Rahula is a Theravadan monk and also yoga teacher.

[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? ) and walking to and from the coffee machine. My condition is not getting better this way.

Are there any good practices for starters?

[dhamma_newb]

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

Cittasanto.

If you want to read something about it from a monk, let's read this :
http://bhanterahula.blogspot.com/2010/1 ... ix_07.html.
Bhante Rahula is a Theravadan monk and also yoga teacher.

Thanks for the link.

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? ) and walking to and from the coffee machine. My condition is not getting better this way.

Are there any good practices for starters?

Hi Ytrog. I just picked up these beginner Hatha Yoga DVD's and I've only done one routine but I really like it so far. I'm sure doing the routines in the videos would help to strengthen your back.

Yoga for Beginners
Yoga for Beginners Boxed Set

[Kim O'Hara]

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? ) and walking to and from the coffee machine. My condition is not getting better this way.

Are there any good practices for starters?

They are *all* good practices for starters - doing *anything* is better than doing nothing.
That said, I have settled on Qi Gong because I like the continuous gentle movement. Yoga, in contrast, is static and (like you) I already spend too much time sitting still.
But really, you must find a practice that you like enough to keep doing it. The exercise you *intend* to take doesn't do you any good at all.


Kim

[LeonBasin]

I love Yoga! I been doing Kriya Yoga and I been doing Qi Gong as well.

[Bothi]

I love doing hatha yoga for about 20 years. If one tries yoga as stated by Sri Patanjali, that is 8 steps all together, then can easily gets into the results of it. Actually
what Patanjali says ''yogas chitta vritti nirodhah'' which means almost the samething in Buddhism, as there is no vritties in the citta of an arhant...PURE CONSCIOUSNESS is left..

With metta,

[Mojo]

Sun Salutations are a great way to start out the day.