yoga vs spiritual meditation (final draft) 2 - rainbolt
1. Yoga and Spiritual Meditation – Are they the same? 1
Yoga and Spiritual Meditation – Are they the same?
Shawn G. Rainbolt
COM/155
April 14, 2013
Cara Hunt
Summary
Hatha Yoga is a common westernized form of meditation and is used to compare and
contrast with genuine spiritual meditation. Hatha Yoga’s spiritual meditation benefit claim is
misleading, incomplete and does not provide a genuine spiritual benefit. The argument
recognizes Yoga encompasses multiple disciplines, such as physical, mental and spiritual;
though these disciplines will be generally explored, it is the goal of this argument that genuine
spiritual meditation that brings lasting benefits to its participants will be discovered.
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Mel walked into her Yoga class and greeted the instructor behind the counter; part of
her Wednesday morning ritual. Soon, she found herself on the foam mat doing her warm-up
stretches and thinking about why she started to come here. Questions – and many of them
returned to her mind, and she couldn’t shake them this time. Mel smirked at first because her
devotion to Yoga addressed her diet, trimmed her body - soon her smirk turned to a frown.
Yoga left her without answers to life’s relenting question: Why must I die?
Mel is not alone. “Why is there suffering if you are good?”, “What is the purpose of
life?”, and “What will happen after death?” were questions several Swedish college students
would ask God if they had a chance to do so, according to Dagen, a Swedish daily
newspaper reported by Watching the World website (2010).
15 million Americans incorrectly believe participating in Yoga is a form of spiritual
meditation and it connects their mind and soul with God; however, it lacks one genuine
method of coping with anxieties of life. (Participants that do not believe in God will attribute
their connection to a Divine Being or being one with nature.) Is it important to distinguish
exercise routines from spiritual meditation? Are there health benefits by gaining this
knowledge? Does it matter if a person is actively participating in a true form of spiritual
meditation?
What Does It Mean To Yoga?
Yoga is a general term and since the 1980’s it has been obscured in meaning. One
dictionary states that Yoga is “a Hindu system of philosophy aimed at the mystical union of
self with the Supreme Being in a state of complete awareness and tranquility through certain
physical and mental exercises” (Collins English Dictionary, 2009). Yoga, in its various forms,
is linked to the Hindu religion. Hinduism, in turn, is known for its transcendental meditation
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practices that acknowledge a Hindu triad god and substitutes Christian theology.
How to do it. The purpose of transcendental meditation, founded by Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi, is sitting upright with eyes closed and letting the mind drift effortless toward a
word or phrase known as a “mantra.”
Spiritual Benefits. According to Dr. Tammy Greer, PhD in Alternative Therapies,
participating in Hatha Yoga results in “a sense of spiritual well-being, [that is] derived from the
ethical teachings.” These ethical teachings derive from a non-Christian religion that believes
that “spiritual growth is an ongoing, complex process without definitive answers to moral and
ethical dilemmas;” the purpose of transcendental meditation. In an Internet video, Maharishi
(1972) stated that the goal of meditation is to “solve the problem of crime and all behavior that
brings unhappiness to the family of man.” Can this be accomplished if the mind is eventually
emptied of all thoughts and feelings? Can transcendental meditation bring lasting peace to
the participant?
Physical Benefits. How does the participant achieve physical benefits from Yoga?
Devoted participants consider Yoga, namely Hatha Yoga, to be a fundamental way to unite
their mind and body with Brahma (one god from the Hindu triad of gods). Hatha Yoga
concentrates on purity of the body by exercising the musculoskeletal system; however, the
“benefits [are] similar to moderate exercise,” so stated Dr. Greer, “…the exercise component
involves postures that predominately stretch and strengthen the musculature… along with
breath control, meditation, spiritual, and [an] ethical component.” Participating in Hatha Yoga
does yield physical benefits. A study conducted by Greer proved, “increased flexibility,
diminished stress, and decreased anxiety;” but same results can be accomplished with non-
yogic exercises and as for cardiovascular wellness and reduced body weight, the study also
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proved that practicing Yoga resulted in “no significant effects.” Hatha Yoga participants may
feel physically refreshed after their sessions, but the feeling is limited and lacking one
component: genuine spiritual meditation.
What Does It Mean to Meditate – Spiritually?
Meditation is defined by Insight on the Scriptures (1988) as: “The kind of deep,
concentrated thinking, in which a person seriously reflects on past experiences, ponders and
muses over current matters, or thoughtfully contemplates possible future events.”
To understand what spiritual meditation encompasses, an individual should explore
what it is not. Spiritually meditating is more than emptying the mind of worries and anxieties of
life; is more than daydreaming, and is not setting the mind to drift as a boat on streams of idle
reverie. The Random House Dictionary (2013) defines reverie as a “visionary idea.”
Meditating would not be an attempt to retrieve a divine vision or emptying the mind expecting
to do so. There is a different time for daydreaming, not when reflecting on important matters.
Genuine spiritual meditation is much like a cow chewing its cud; this is called
“ruminating.” In order to ruminate, or meditate, the cow cannot do it on an empty stomach.
Likewise, an individual cannot meditate if they have empty minds. This stands in contrast to
the goal of Yoga: to purge the participants’ minds of all thoughts. An individual can begin
ruminating by chewing on spiritual matters of life. Like Mel and the Swedish college students,
individuals should chew on possible answers to life’s questions such as “Why do I have to
grow old and die?”, “Why must I suffer if I do good?”, and “Does God really care about me?”.
Ruminating requires knowledge on the subjects of suffering or dying, purpose of life and
God’s personality. Choosing an authoritative source will give plenty of facts to ruminate over.
Spiritual meditation is a personal commitment to find satisfying answers; these answers help
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people cope with anxieties they experience now and in the future. Meditation over the Holy
Scriptures is a commitment of all God-fearing people: “I will meditate also of all thy worke, and
talke of thy doings.” (Psalms 77:12, King James Version, 1611 edition). “Whatever things are
true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things
are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue
there is and whatever praiseworthy things there is, continue considering these things.”
(Philippians 4:8; New World Translation of The Holy Scriptures. 1984). Clearly, the Bible is
encouraging individuals to meditate using the right method.
How to do it. First, how does someone meditate? In order to meditate properly, the
individual should be free from distractions, and be alone to ponder his or her thoughts on
matters of importance. When talking about his personal relationship with God, an ancient
songwriter, named David, suggests meditating at night: “When I have remembered you upon
my lounge, during the night watches I meditate on you.” (Psalms 63:6; New World Translation
of The Holy Scriptures.)
Second, spiritual meditation is not a matter of speculating on answers when none can
be found. Genuine meditation avoids speculation; rather the individual’s mind would ponder
conclusions that are supported by the Holy Scriptures. This means meditation involves
focusing on beneficial things. Asaph, also an ancient songwriter, ‘certainly meditated on all
God’s activity and… concerned himself with it.’ (Psalms 77:13) An initial meditation on the
question: “why must I die?” may result in no immediate answers; however, researching as to
ponder would yield a satisfying answer.
Spiritual Benefits. Answers to burning life questions are not a mystery. “All Scripture
is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
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righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16; New International Version) The universal goal for the
participant is to find a way to cope with anxieties of life and draw closer to God which can be
accomplished by delving into His inspired, or “God-breathed” Word. According to Proverbs
15:28 (New World Translation), “The heart of the righteous one meditates so as to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked one bubbles forth with bad things.” Through diligent personal
bible study, reflecting (ruminating) on the principles found in the verses, an individual will
deter from becoming unbalanced or senseless in behavior or speech because their heart is
motivated to worship God with “spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) The word “truth” used in the
scripture would indicate that there are false methods of Godly worship (a worship
accomplished first by meditation); however, God’s “eyes are roving about through all the earth
to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.” (2 Chronicles
16:9) Individuals can only benefit from meditation if it is done as instructed by the originator of
meditation: God.
Physical Benefits. Individuals that feel broken from life can experience relief when
meditating. According to Psalms 34:18, it says: “Jehovah [God] is near to those that are
broken at heart, and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.” (New World Translation)
Proper meditation will “preserve your soul alive,” now and in the same fashion as the ancient
man, Lot and his daughters, when they escaped destruction of their city of Sodom &
Gomorrah as it states in Genesis 19:19. Lot’s life was saved because he meditated on the
instruction to flee.
Mistaken Efforts to Cope With Life Anxieties
Perhaps, a person may feel they do not need to participate in Yoga or genuine spiritual
meditation because they can receive comfort from another source. Regrettably, there are
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people that choose not to meditate over matters of life; therefore, do not know how to cope
with anxieties. This leads them down a slippery path of tranquilizers, barbiturates and
benzodiazepines usage. These drugs are designed to work as anti-anxiety medicines, so the
use of these drugs, by itself, is not a mistaken effort to cope with problems because a
person’s body or mind may not be physically able to heal from injuries. The danger lies in the
deadly overuse, misuse and combination of the powerful drugs. As reported by the Arizona
Republic newspaper (April 6, 2010), “Hospitalizations caused by accidental and intentional
abuse of prescription sedatives, tranquilizers and other painkilling drugs has risen
dramatically over the last decade.” The same article mentions recent accident deaths from
noteworthy celebrities Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith, which
demonstrates the problematic use of prescription drugs. Dr. Jeffrey H. Coben, director of the
Injury Control Research Center at the West Virginia University School of Medicine added,
“This is not a problem just contained to celebrities… this is a problem throughout the country.”
Americans that are not dependent on drugs to cope with life anxieties may seek
security in the banking institutions. The benefits in wealth accumulation to cope with problems
are limited. U.S. News & World Report interviewed Dr. Douglas LaBier about financial
security, he said that many men and women “report feelings of dissatisfaction, anxiety,
depression, emptiness, paranoia, as well as a whole range of physical complaints –
headaches, backaches, stomach problems, insomnia, [and] eating problems” while striving to
be wealthy.
Conclusion
Hatha Yoga offers temporary physical benefits while falsely claiming to offer genuine
spiritual benefits. Studies have shown that normal exercise routines are comparable to yogic
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exercises. This knowledge should provoke current or would-be Yoga participants to search for
alternative exercise routines that are not steeped in non-Christian beliefs – especially when
the participant professes to be Christian. An active, healthy American should be cautious to
methods of transcendent meditations that “empty your feelings, thoughts and mind.” Inner
peace cannot be found by accepting a method of spiritual meditation that does not provide
definitive answers to life problems; this would eventually make the participant devoid of all
good.
