SupportAnd this would link everything from Judo to Tai chi to— Yes, all of it. Martial arts are based on ancient principles of Yoga. The body's pressure points, for example, are an old bit of Yogic knowledge. Many people — Occidentals and Orientals alike — look upon Yoga in this way, as a means of satisfying their fear. Where there is fear there is an offensive/defensive mechanism, "fight or flight." If you believe yourself superior, you will use this "Yoga" offensively; if you feel inferior, you will use it defensively. But fear and real Yoga never go together. All that is designed to support fear, offensively or defensively, is antithetical to Yoga. So some people use "Yoga" to relax, fend off illness, or develop their physical stamina; others use "Yoga" to build muscles, to get more power, to learn how to face up to or attack somebody else—all these things are very attractive to modern people. But when you use Yoga for any of these purposes, you are using it for something that has nothing to do with the reasons why it was created. These are auxiliary purposes, sidetracks, and diversions, not the main focus, not the core. ... From my beloved teacher in India |