Saturday, July 5, 2008

Dharma and Yoga


Question: What is the relation of Dharma and Yoga? Why your Yoga and other activities mostly revolves around Hindu Dharma ?


His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar : Hindu dharma is not a religion propounded by anyone. Yoga is part of that dharma. Hindus, Sikhs, all adapt meditation etc. It is a way of life that has come out of this ancient land, and so it has become part of it. You can't separate yoga from dharma. Dharma means righteousness. The first step of yoga is ahimsa, truth, compassion, charity, all necessary for holistic development. Dharma is not what you eat etc, but that which uplifts the spirit. You cannot separate yoga from mantras. Or from a separate lifestyle or exercises. It does not interfere with your honouring any other religion. A Muslim or Christian or Jew or Buddhist can practice yoga, because it only enhances. It became a religion much later since everybody had to be identified.

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