Christianity and Yoga:  A Series of Studies – Yamas Part II

As I mentioned last time (a bad bit of lightning prevented my posting Saturday night and it just did not happen yesterday), Brahmacharya and Aparigraha are two traits that are sorely lacking in many within all aspects of society.  Sure, there is plenty of violence, lying and stealing but they are not being touted as acceptable or right.  Brahmacharya, abstinence from for the unmarried and moderation/self-control for the married in sexaul matters, is glibbly distained or at least ignored by society at large.  How many sexual partners did the friends have on Friends or what about the various sexual relationships on Seinfeld?  Do I even need to mention Sex in the City?  It is just as easy to illustrate the societal pushes toward greed, the antithesis of Aparigraha.  How many ads do you see, hear or read every day of the year encouraging you to buy something on credit or to take out an equity loan on your home?  The only way to stop either flood is to completely cut oneself off from rest of the world!  Modern society is one based on wanting what one wants and getting it regardless of the cost, a concept which is clearly at odds with Christianity and Yoga.

Brahmacharya – Sexual Continence

Yoga Sutra 2.38 When one is confirmed in continence, spiritual vigor is gained.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Exodus 20:14

32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

Proverbs 6:32

28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Matthew 5:28

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

Romans 1:27

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1 Corinthians 6:18

An honest reading of the Bible makes it quite clear that any sexual activity outside of marriage is unacceptable.

Aparigraha – Non-greed

2.39 When one is confirmed in non-possessiveness, the knowledge of the why and how of existence is attained.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Exodus 20:17

21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Deuteronomy 5:21

33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

Acts 20:33

9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Romans 13:9

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:31-34

A true disciple of Christ is not only devoid of greed but, as Paul put it, should minister to ones own necessities and to the necessities of others.

In summary, no one can seriously say that practicing the Yamas is a bad thing and, indeed, no one has said that.  In fact, it would be impossible to determine who was Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Pagan, Atheist or any other religious persuasion if only the five tenets of the Yamas were examined.

Namasté

Christianity and Yoga:  A Series of Studies – Niyamas Part I

The second limb of Yoga as defined by Patañjali is Niyama (inward observance or restraint).  Patañjali identifies the Niyamas as Saucha (cleanliness), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (discipline), Svaadhyaya (study of self), Ishvara Pranidhana (devotion to or union with God).  Would seem, on the surface, to be just as innocuous as the Yamas but the last two are closely related to the meditative aspects of Yoga that some say are leading people away from God.  That being the case, I'll spend a bit more time dealing with Svaadhyaya and Ishvara Pranidhana than I have with the other items to this point.

Saucha - Cleanliness or Purity

Yoga Sutra 2.40 From purity follows a withdrawal from enchantment over one's own body as well as a cessation of desire for physical contact with others.

30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Leviticus 16:30

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psalms 24:3-5

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalms 51:10

25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Matthew 23:25-28

Cleanliness, inner cleanliness (clean hands does not refer to no dirt under the fingernails), has always been required of the true followers of God.  Other translations of the Yoga Sutra 2.40 state that purity will cause one to become unconcerned about one's own body and so become unconcerned with others.  Another interpretation is that as we are purged of our sins, we are no longer enticed by the sins of those around us.

Santosha - Contentment

Yoga Sutra 2.41 As a result of contentment there is purity of mind, one-pointedness, control of the senses, and fitness for the vision of the self.
2.42 Supreme happiness is gained via contentment.

14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

Luke 3:14

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

1 Timothy 6:8

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:5

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:24-34

It seems that very few people are truly content with what they have or who they are.  A nip here, a tuck there, a bigger car or house, more hair, less weight, whatever it may be it seems that we are constantly being bombarded with reasons why we shouldn't be content with out lives.  Obviously, they had similar problems judging by John's admonition to the soldier.  I find it equally telling that Patañjali devotes two sutras to Santosha.

Namasté

Delays

There's been an obvious disruption in my writing and publishing due to a rough patch with my father's health.  He's doing well, recuperating at home now and life should settle back down in a day or two so I can finish up this series.

Christianity and Yoga:  A Series of Studies – Niyamas Part II

The first two Niyamas, Saucha and Santosha, are fairly easy to both define and to see how they can fit within a Christian framework.  The final three Niyamas provide some difficulty partly due to translation issues and partly due to the ideas they represent being rather unique.  With only a very little effort, however, these difficulties are easily dismissed.

If asked, many would say that Brahmacharya is the most disagreed upon of the Yamas and Niyamas.  There is, however, little confusion as to the topic that Brahmacharya covers:  The sexual activity of any yogi.  The disagreement comes in determining what extent of restraint one should exercise from moderation to life long celibacy.  Personally, I would have to say that Tapas is truly the principle that is both most disagreed upon and the least understood.

Tapas - Endurance

Yoga Sutra 2.43 Through sanctification and the removal of impurities, there arise special powers in the body and senses.  Already there is a disparity, BonGiovanni translated Tapas as sanctification and the removal of impurities whereas I've listed Tapas as endurance.  Worse, other translations say that Tapas removes impurities rather than saying that the removal is part of Tapas.  Tapas is also translated as dedication, austerity, discipline, determination, desire and even as suffering.  The word Tapas is derived from the Sanskrit word for fire or burn but one thing we can all be sure of is that Patañjali did not intend for us to burn ourselves.  As already noted, I interpret Tapas to mean endurance meaning the power to withstand hardship or stress.  A refiner's fire is used to illustrate the process God uses to purify His people.

9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Zechariah 13:9

2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Malachi 3:2-3

If we have no endurance then we will turn from God at the very time that He is purifying us because it is just too hard.  As we are purified, we will be able to learn and understand more.  This endurance cannot be a half-hearted affair or it just won't carry us through.  The best way to garner Tapas is by making God the center of one's life and the best way to do that is to study and then to do.  Such enduring power is evident in our daily actions:  Are we easily side tracked or do we stay a steady course until a task is complete?  Is my asana practice regular or does the simplest distraction cause me to abandon it for the day?  Do I pray morning and night no matter what or only when I feel like it?

5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deuteronomy 6:5

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Colossians 3:23

Tapas then is a burning desire to endure whatever may come our way and to have the endurance to accomplish whatever task may be set before us.  Having such endurance bodes well for any person but is essential for a follower of Christ as He has set us no small task:

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Matthew 5:48

Svaadhyaya - Study

Yoga Sutras 2.44 By study comes communion with the Lord in the Form most admired.  Obviously, this surta is going to cause some initial heartburn for many Christians although it shouldn't.  Patañjali believed in a pantheon of deities (or at least likely did).  He didn't care which deity a particular yogi worshipped but instructed that by studying about one's chosen deity, one would gain communion (sharing thoughts and feelings) with that deity.  If I focus my study on Christ then where is the problem?  In fact, as the Savior prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane he said this:

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

John 17:3

The more I can study about God and truth and righteousness, the more I will know the "only true God, and Jesus Christ" and the more my thoughts will become similar to God's thoughts.

39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

John 5:39

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

1 Timothy 4:13

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2 Peter 1:3-7

Ishvara Pranidhana - Union with or Surrendering to God

Yoga Sutra 2.45 Realization is experienced by making the Lord the motive of all actions.  Surrendering to God is a more accurate interpretation of the words Ishvara Pranidhana.  This is the Niyama that will bring the most consternation to the most people.  The problem is that most of us are taught that we are basically evil and as such it is impossible to surrender to the nature of God within each of us.  If it is true that we are all basically evil, then the very purest form of evil must be a new born infant as a newborn has had no chance to begin changing from our base, evil, horrid nature.  Of course, that is simply not true.

14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14

Also, as noted above, Peter (2 Peter 1:6) instructed us to be godly.  We do this by making God the basic focus/motivation of all we do.  That sentence, taken alone and without considering Yoga in any way, fits perfectly within any Christian ideology.  Because the idea is being put forward by someone who has never heard of Christ, however, somehow makes it clear to some that Yoga cannot be practised by good Christians because Patañjali must have meant some Hindu deity or Samkhyan construct.  It is true that Patañjali was not referencing God the Father nor Jesus Christ when he identified Ishvara Pranidhana as one fo the Niyamas but does that truly matter?  Does that make having God as my motivation a bad thing just because a non-Christian said it is a good thing?  It most cerntainly does not.

31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

This single reference is clear enough.  All that we do should be to the glory of God.  Ishvara Pranidhana.

Namasté