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by Imry GalEinai
Source: https://inner.org/yoga-can-it-be-kosher-rav-ginsburgh-addresses-the-question/ The thoughts we have, the words we chose and the movements we make profoundly affect and influence our souls. Therefore, as Jews, we have an obligation to ensure that all of these garments (machshava, dibur and ma’aseh: thought, speech and action) are kosher in their source. It is very easy to think that by making alterations to non-kosher things, we have made them kosher. But often, at the very best we have perhaps removed some of what makes them treif (non-kosher) but there is still a very far and often unbreachable leap between something not being treif and it being kosher. And ultimately, even if it has been accomplished we must be careful not to refer to it by its treif name and then add the word “kosher.” All the more so when the concept or essence of something is not just treif but Avodah Zarah (idolatrous ritual and worship). In recent years, the practice of yoga has become incredibly popular as a form of exercise. And for many it helps with flexibility, posture, balance and relaxation. There are claims that rabbinical authorities have said that as long as it is removed from its Hindu sources and that the practice does not involve anything connected to idol worship (such as a Buddha in the class or the ringing of bells/chimes) that it is OK. And from here has developed the concept of “kosher yoga.” Rav Ginsburgh’s position is that yoga is treif. Yoga is intrinsically connected, at its source, to Avodah Zarah. And therefore there can be no such thing as a kosher form of it. It would be like making the statement: “Kosher Avodah Zara” again, a contradiction in terms at the most fundamental level. If you look up the definition of yoga it is clear that yoga is inherently connected to Hinduism, all of the poses are a translation (or are) from Sanskrit, and its literal meaning is that of “union” or “connection” which is the belief system in idolatry. Furthermore, yoga, in its practice, is intended to be a holistic union of mind, body and soul which is why the movements are intrinsically connected both to the worship of things (be it animals, nature, etc.) and is done with specific breathing as the breathing is intended to connect to one’s soul as the breath of life. As Jews, we are intended to move like the angels, not like animals, which is foundational to yoga. The majority of yoga poses are named after animals and much of yoga philosophy explains that we are intended to connect to the animals through these poses and to understand and emulate them. And in Hindusim the cow is considered holy and sacred. So there is a world of difference between moving in a way that would be described as “bending forward, with legs straight and arms straight and stretching the quads and calves” and calling it “downward dog.” As soon as the term “downward dog” is used, at its source, the goal is to connect and relate to the dog in thought, in speech (its name) and in action. Therefore, some of the movements and stretches are, in and of themselves, not problematic, but their labeling and use in the context of “yoga” is where there is an issue. Many of the poses are used in a variety of exercise, be it pilates, Barre, strength training, core work, etc. So if one wants to work on back flexibility, any trainer would use movements that stretch the back in a variety of ways. And the terminology would be on the stretches and movement rather than poses. The issue is once those movements are called “cow pose, “cobra pose” or “camel pose.” If the names of animals are problematic, all the more so when one uses the terminology and poses that are named after Hindu sages such as “Bharadvaja’s Twist” or poses such as “Half lord of the fishes pose – ardha matsyendrasana” which is used in almost every exercise class for stretching but can be explained as a half spinal twist. And there are other poses which are all about spiritual connection, making ourselves receptive to these higher powers, etc. such as “mountain pose.” All the difference in the world between one who is standing upright, and one who then calls that position “mountain pose.” And likewise, the traditional “warrior poses” all relate to Hindu mythology with stories about their most renowned being, “Bhagavad Gita” which is directly connected to avodah zara. There are many ways of exercising and moving for one’s health, flexibility, strength and balance. The issue is once these movements are called by their Sanskrit names and in conjunction with the stories and philosophy that a traditional yoga workout entails. It is not sufficient to remove the Buddha from the classroom, not ring the bells or chimes, and yet have participants then get in the “downward dog” pose and inhale and exhale as they count to “mountain pose.” To even claim that one can think about Hashem during these poses is a contradiction at the most fundamental level. To claim that “modern Yoga” is no longer associated with its original form (and yet is called by the same name) is like saying that there is no issue with having a Christmas tree or celebrating Christmas as it is no longer a Christian holiday but an American, cultural day. These things are problematic at their root and cannot be made kosher without being completely disassociated. Furthermore, while this is not the main issue, there is something else to be taken into consideration. There is no definition or set of rules that define “kosher yoga.” This means that every instructor decides what is “kosher” based on his or her ideas or perhaps even guidance from a rabbinical authority. However, not only is there much room for misinterpretation and mistake, for the unknowing participant, if “yoga” is being offered at their local synagogue, Jewish center or in any Jewish context, then the message is that yoga is OK. So then when they attend another yoga class, they have no basis for understanding or determining that in this other context it is being taught in a way that is unquestionably forbidden as it is outright Avodah Zarah. In Jewish law there is the concept of mar'it ayin, which loosely translated means that if something appears to be non-kosher (even if it isn’t in actuality) it still is not allowed as others will not understand the difference and it could lead them to breaking actual Jewish law. For example, if someone sees a rabbi “eating” in a non-kosher restaurant (when in actuality he is only drinking water in a disposable cup) one can think that it must be OK to eat in that restaurant because the rabbi is in there, and then go in and eat non-kosher food. All the more so with yoga, as the above explains how there is no true form of “kosher yoga.” But even a practice of yoga that is seemingly removed from its idolatrous connections would still give the impression that yoga (in any form) would be permissible to be practiced, and that, is a serious problem. To conclude, at the very least, if a person chooses to exercise and use movements that are found in yoga, those movements should be termed by how they work the muscles and joints and affect the body. They should never be called by the terminology of the yoga poses and the overall movements and exercise should not be referred to as yoga or “kosher yoga.” However, as Jews it is not enough to do things that simply disassociate from their treif source. But rather, we have a responsibility to create truly kosher paths in all we encounter. It is definitely possible to create a completely new system of movement, breathing and exercise which is kosher from its conception and at its source. This would require movement which has the kavanot (spiritual intentions) and terminology truly in line with Kabbalah and Chassidic philosophy with a goal of using these movements to bring G-dliness into this world. Rav Ginsburgh has been working with his students for a number of years to develop kosher movement. At this time some of these movements are being taught in India by Dror Shaul in Daramsala and by Zohar David in Rishikish. The goal is to expand the movements and create a fully rectified approach for both body and soul. In the end, this will be healthy and healing for both Jews and non-Jews alike, and will be a method for revealing G-dliness in all and to all. Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-happily-bifurcated-yoga_b_667411
by Anita Diamant I get invited to talk at temples: big ones and little ones; Reform, Reconstructionist, and Conservative. As much as I dislike the travel, I like meeting the people, who always make me think. After my presentation at a smallish Midwestern synagogue last spring, I was schmoozing over the dessert table when the rabbi came up to me and asked if my yoga practice had anything to do with my Jewish observance (thus letting me know that he had read my blog, where yoga is one of the few personal details in my profile.) This was a cool, young rabbi, the kind of rabbi who runs serious wilderness hiking trips with congregants and prays with them under the stars. I assumed that he wanted to me say yes, but I told him the truth. "No," I said. "Yoga is for emptying my head. The Jewish stuff is about filling it up. I try to keep them separate." He grinned at me and said, "Me too." Several years ago, I tried a "Jewish Yoga" class in which the instructor used Hebrew metaphors to get us into poses or asanas. "Think of your body as an aleph," she said. "Oh, no," I thought. That meant I had to remember th e shape of aleph, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. As someone who was then barely (and remains only marginally) Hebrew literate, I immediately forgot what an aleph looked like. And then I had to wonder if she meant aleph in cursive or block letters, because they are very different. At the end of the class, the teacher asked us to chant the Shema, the foundational six-word declaration of the divine unity. (Loose translation: Listen up Jews: Our God is One.) As I said, I go to yoga to empty my head, which means no theology. But there it was: "Adonai," posing the usual theological problem. Adonai means "Lord." As in "King." Which suggests a crown and a head, and all the other anthropomorphic male images that tend to block my access to divine unity. In my regular yoga classes, the teachers sometimes open class with an "Ohm," which I've heard nicely described as "the hum of the universe." At the end they might say, "Shanti," which means peace, or "Namaste," which usually gets translated as, "The light in me salutes the light in you." These are all terms that, to my ears, sound utterly vanilla and empty of associations with anything except yoga classes. This isn't to say that yoga is without content. There is a spiritual element involved -- with or without the Sanskrit names for poses or peace. One of my yoga masters (an Australian woman who has the long body and longer ponytail of a Nav'i) often says, "If all you're interested in is a work-out, you should go to an aerobics class." She also says things like, "Yoga is about paying attention, learning to explore discomfort, surrendering to gravity," and other bon mots that strike me as profound in class but tend to sound obvious and pedestrian when I try to repeat them later. I have been told that some Orthodox Jews object to yoga because some of the poses look like "prostration," a position of extreme reverence that is due only to, well, Adonai. I imagine Child's Pose might be one of the problematic asanas, as it requires you to sit back on your heels and put your forehead to the mat, arms stretched out in front of you. I happen to love that pose, partly because I find it relatively easy and partly because when I stay there for more than 10 seconds, I feel calm, humble, and relaxed. My brain shuts up. And as far as I'm concerned, shutting down my brain -- my ego -- has nothing to do with worshipping idols. I'm pretty sure that the only way to experience the sacred is by shutting down the ego -- whether you're balancing on one foot or pouring over a page of Talmud. For most Americans, yoga is a spiritual practice, but not a religious one. Of course, Judaism is both a religious and a spiritual practice. And while I experience the spirituality of Jewish life in song, ritual, holidays, and communal study, it is on the mat where I manage to lay down my ego for more than 10 consecutive seconds at a time. People I trust and respect have told me about terrific teachers who masterfully blend yoga and Judaism. But I also know that finding the right yoga teacher -- like finding the right rabbi or hairdresser, is a matter of chemistry and kismet and timing. So maybe someday I'll give the Jewish yoga thing another try. But the truth is, I am not interested in a reconciling my yoga practice and my Jewish practice. I feel no tension or contradiction in this double life. Judaism demands debate, and justice, tzedakah (charity) and committee meetings. Judaism requires engagement rather than detachment. It's a complicated package that defines, delights, and challenges me. Yoga is where I go quiet and stop striving -- even when I'm sweating. This is a counter-intuitive effort for someone like me: opinionated, impatient, perfectionist. I am happily bifurcated; a Jew who studies yoga, a word that means "union." Go figure. Day After Night, Anita Diamant's latest novel, has its paperback release in August. To learn more about her, please visit www.anitadiamant.com and www.anitadiamant.blogspot.com. By Sadie Stein
Source: https://www.jezebel.com/peace-in-the-middle-east-is-yoga-kosher-5216601 [A friend informed me about an interesting discussion on chabad.org under the heading: “Is yoga kosher?” I prepared and submitted a rather lengthy contribution to various issues that have been raised in that discussion. I don’t know yet if my contribution will be accepted at all or in whole or in part. In the meantime, I am sharing it here.] A friend told me about this discussion, and I feel moved to make a contribution. In order to be properly understood, I think it important to start out by providing the perspective from which I am approaching these subjects. I was born Jewish and my childhood Hebrew School and Bar Mitzvah were through the neighborhood Modern Orthodox synagogue, although my family was not very observant other than for the normal major holidays. In my late teens, I went through an atheist period, rejecting the childhood notions inculcated in my early religious education. Around this same time, I began to be exposed to Eastern thought, yoga and meditation, which I found quite attractive, and I settled into a spiritual path through a traditional Indian yoga/Vedanta lineage, updated for modern sensibilities. I have remained engaged in this path for over 30 years now, but beginning several years ago, I was also led to reinvestigate Judaism from an adult perspective and through the eyes of a practicing Jewish yogi. As many recent polls have indicated, I am one of many Americans who consider myself spiritual, but not religious. For me, religion incorporates spirituality, and clothes it in theology, dogma, doctrine and ritual, which at their best, help communicate and enliven spirituality, and at their worst, obscure, conceal and choke it. So I have always looked for spirituality within a variety of religious sources, finding it most prominently communicated in the mystical branches of many religions. I have felt a particular affinity with Indian yoga/Vedanta and Judaism/Kabbalah, two of the world’s most ancient spiritual traditions from which many others have derivatively sprung. I believe that there is true, unadulterated spirituality that precedes religion and that can be found within religion if one looks carefully. There are strains of yoga/Vedanta that attempt to communicate this pure spirituality, but because it developed in India, many of the same terms and concepts were also incorporated into Hinduism (and for the sake of clarification, “Hinduism” is a term foisted upon these people by Westerners; Hindus maintain that the real preferred term for their religion is “Sanatan Dharma”, which means “The Eternal Path”). So there is inevitably a lot of confusion over what is purely spiritual yoga and what is colored with Hindu concepts. Judaism has traditionally always been regarded and presented as a religion and even something more, a total way of life with ideally no separation of church/religion and state. But what attracts me to Judaism is the incredible spirituality that it contains and communicates. I do not have much interest in the religious elements other than as they may truly enhance spirituality. Although I do not agree with all of its doctrines, I have great respect for the Chabad movement because it communicates a great deal of the spirituality within Judaism that has not been communicated by other traditional movements. I know the tremendous respect with which all of the Rebbes have been regarded, including Menachem Schneerson. However, I disagree with several of the points he made in his piece on meditation referenced in these discussions. I think the disagreement arises because of different perspectives. He was operating as a proponent of Judaism as a religion, and I am interested in spiritual, but not religious Judaism. He speaks with approval of meditation techniques that are truly secularized as stress management techniques, while disapproving of any with spiritual or religious intentions outside of Judaism. It is apparent to me that meditation originated as a spiritual exercise, a means to discover, nurture and express spirituality, and that is why it is so significant to me. It is also apparent to me that the physical yoga exercises, along with the breathing techniques and the moral dictates, as found in the classic system of Raja Yoga/Ashtanga yoga elucidated by Patanjali, were originally propagated as part of a system for spiritual development, and served as preliminary stages of preparation for meditation meant for deepening one’s spiritual nature and development. It is also apparent that our Western culture has succeeded to a large extent in de-spiritualizing the physical exercises to a great extent, and even the meditation, possibly to a lesser extent, turning them into ends in and of themselves (physical exercises just for the sake of physical fitness, meditation just for the sake of stress management). These are the forms that the Rebbe approved. But my interest is in them as tools for spiritual development, for which they were originally intended. I do not subscribe to the concept promoted by Rabbi Laible Wolfe that there is a “Jewish soul” unique to Jews, a concept similar to what Chabad teaches of a “G-dly soul” unique to Jews, and that spiritual practices not native to Judaism are harmful to these souls. No matter how much current proponents of Jewish spirituality and mysticism claim that Judaism is a distinct and complete system for the development of the souls of Jewish people, and warn against dabbling in any other spiritual systems, I don’t buy it. There is no question of major overlaps and commonalties between spiritual and mystical teachings and practices that transcend time, place, and ethnicity. I have no problem merging and synthesizing useful elements from all approaches. Rabbi Schneerson warns against involvement with Indian guru cults. But when I hear and read about the relationships between Chasidic Rebbes and their students, these stories are remarkably similar to stories about Indian gurus and Zen Masters and their students. The Jewish advocates always want to make distinctions, and illustrate how the Jewish way may seem similar to other approaches, but in the end the Jewish way is always the best. This is another idea I just don’t accept. I think that there are many valid spiritual approaches from many sources that can be merged and synthesized for individual spiritual benefit, incorporating the best of all worlds, as some augment others. Concerning the controversy over the Sun Salutation, I agree with the comments that it is merely a conglomeration of several other unobjectionable yoga postures into a series of movements that unfortunately somehow was ascribed its designated name. My limited research into the origin of the name and the exercise came up with the result that nobody knows for certain who developed it or why it was so named. There is no question that on the surface, the name can be construed as worshipping or praising a sun deity. However, it can just as easily be construed that it is in praise of the Source of the sun, the One Source that is the Source of all. Despite its stress on emphasizing The One, Judaism recognizes and acknowledges many names and attributes to The One: YHVH, Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai, Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh, Ein Soph, Moshiach, Mogen, the thirteen attributes of mercy revealed to Moses, the names of the Sephiroth, etc. The prayers and blessings of Jewish liturgy are replete with acknowledging the benefits of all of the many varieties of manifestation that have been provided to us by The One, to which we are forever expressing our gratitude, and the many attributes, names and functions by which The One is known and operates. We don’t praise the bread or the wine, we express thanks to the Creator who provided them to us for our sustenance and enjoyment. So why can’t Jewish yogis express gratitude to the Creator for providing us with the sun, the instrumentality of the Creator that enables life as we know it to exist? The Torah tells us that the main entrance of the Temple was constructed to face East in order to receive the first rays of the rising sun. So why is it so horrible to conduct a series of exercises that does the same thing? While Judaism keeps all of the names, qualities and attributes designated to The One in the more intangible realm of name and sound, Hinduism takes it one step further and deifies/personifies these aspects, thus violating the Jewish dictate against idolatry. However, whenever I consider how Jews regard the Torah, placing it in a special housing, rising before it, bowing to it, dressing it, undressing it, kissing it, dancing with it, crying over it – I think of how the average Hindu would behold all of that and conclude how similar it is to how they regard their idols. As Rabbi Freeman recognizes, Hinduism teaches that there is ultimately One Source of all, just like Judaism. And I hope that Jews don't sit in judgement over Hindus as pagans and heathens due to their pantheon of deities and idol worship. Perhaps it may not be the avenue for Jews, who keep those distinctions on an intangible level, but that doesn’t mean it is not a legitimate religious avenue for others. Kabbalah teaches that there is a spark of Divinity within all beings, the source of internal and external peace and well-being. What is so different, then between the Indian greetings of Namaste/Namaskar which acknowledges this and the Jewish greeting of Shalom? One area in which I think Judaism is lacking is its overemphasis on the value placed on engagement in everyday common family life, to the exclusion of any other lifestyle. I honor the idea that most of us are here to engage in such activities as participants in the design of manifestation. However, significant contributions can also made in more subtle, quiet, reclusive endeavors. Most other religions acknowledge that there are those of an introspective, reclusive, monkish nature who should also be accommodated and who can contribute in their own unique ways. Judaism seems to be one of the few enduring religious traditions that has not made such an acknowledgement or accommodation. Rabbi Freeman warns against a kind of transcendence that can serve as escapism. I agree that it is not appropriate to regard life as a prison that needs to be escaped from, or posing a puzzle with the solution being an avenue for an exit as soon as possible. And I believe it is true that some forms of Eastern spirituality seem to promote this attitude and approach. However, I believe there are other strains of Indian spirituality that encompass what is sometimes referred to as “Practical Vedanta”: there is a kind of transcending afforded by meditating on a daily basis that is not escapism, but is as significant and inherent in our nature as are many other activities in which we engage on a daily basis for our overall well-being, such as eating and sleeping. Proper and regular diet, sleep, exercise, and yes, transcending through meditation, are for me all elements essential for optimizing functionality in the external world. The empty mind that one contributor to this discussion warned against is not really empty, it is just quiet and still, remaining vibrant and poised for more efficient functioning when called upon. Likewise, the Void referred to in Zen is not really empty, it is the realm of the unmanifest potentiality from which all manifestation and actualization springs forth. Concerning the nachash, the infamous snake, there is no question in my mind that it is a reference to that same power known in yoga as kundalini/serpent power. There was reference in this discussion to Jewish teachings warning against involvement with such a thing. Yoga teaches to approach such power with proper preparation and great caution, as it is the most subtle, but greatest, power of all manifestation, from which the rest of manifest life emanates. I believe the traditional restrictions on studying Kabalah served a similar purpose to assure proper preparation before approaching such potency. The kundalini is also described in yoga as the feminine aspect of The One dwelling within all manifestation, by which all manifestation is made possible, and through which one can spiritually develop and use as a tool to commune with The One. There is thus also no doubt in my mind that what is called “kundalini” in yoga is the same as what is called “Shechinah” in Judaism, the presence of The One dwelling amidst manifest life. In fact, the consonants for “Shechinah” are phonetically similar to the consonants of “Nachash” reversed. The true function performed by the serpent in the Garden was to act as an agent of The One to complete the task of bringing manifest life as we know it into being, by causing primordial Man/Woman to be propelled out of the Garden into the life of manifestation and duality as we know it, retaining both the “good” knowledge to remember that all emanates from The One, and the “evil” inclination to forget that and become lost in a sense of separation, the primary root of all evil. Pharaoh was the ultimate expression of this worldly power and sense of separation gone astray and deified as the Be-All-and-End-All, represented by none other than the same serpent embodied in his headdress. Moses’ first encounter with Pharaoh was to illustrate that this ultimate of earthly power of manifestation was not to be deified, but rather to be used as our support to praise and do the work of The One from which it emanated: it served as his walking stick/his ability to function in the world (the Hebrew word for the snake that emanated from Moses’ staff is none other than “nachash”). “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” It is indeed tricky to take the snake by the tail, as Moses did, but that is what is necessary to achieve the mastery of life which leads to the ability to become the perfect humble servant to the Originator of life. “Wrestling with Yoga: Journey of a Jewish Soul” by Shelly Dembe (Health Springs Media 2015).
http://www.amazon.com/Wrestling-Yoga-Journey-Jewish-Soul/dp/098298412X Many Jews are drawn to the yoga mat and many struggle to reconcile their faith with the new practice. Perhaps the most common question I have been asked during the last 15 years of teaching runs along the lines of; “isn’t yoga a form idol-worship?”. In Wrestling with Yoga: Journey of A Jewish Soul, Shelly Dembe valiantly recounts her tale of finding harmony between two sometimes-seeming opposites. The book is easy to absorb and reads like a friendly travelogue through the author’s journey. There is a practical organisation to the book, working through highlights of the Jewish calendar and yogic philosophy, ranging from Shabbat and Festivals to the Yamas and Niyamas: “A resurgence of Jewish meditation has entered the realm of Jewish practice in a wide variety of flavors” explains Dembe in her chapter on The Niyamas. “Entering into a meditation practice can greatly heighten a Jew’s ability to pray with kavanah [intention/focus]. However, it is difficult to sit long enough to meditate if one is uncomfortable physically. A physical yoga program or exercise may be necessary to prepare the body for inner reflection”. Dembe gently presents ideas and teachings which speak to her and helped along her path, with the hope that this will in turn inspire other students. Above all, this book has a feeling of great warmth, conveying the sense that Shelly Dembe is a teacher who cares deeply and has a heart full of love. Shalom. ** Marcus J Freed is author of The Kosher Sutras: the Jewish Way in Yoga Meditation & The Kabbalah Sutras: 49 Steps to Enlightenment. Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Marcus-J-Freed/e/B00JAJ9FDK/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1 The Oy Way – Following the path of most resistance from the “Oy Way Master”, Khaym Leyb, aka Harvey Gotliffe, PhD. His heartfelt and funny book is a modern classic. The title says it all and is close to our hearts here at the Jewish Yoga Network: “Learn Yiddish expressions whilst engaging in a restorative, meditative, moving exercise experience”. What more could we ask for?
Harvey Gotliffe creates a beautiful experience through his book: introducing the yiddish language in a way that connects it with breath and movement. The photographs were primarily shot at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, and the handy-sized volume provides a lovely way to connect with the mameloshn. This is certainly inspiring me to learn more yiddish. The journey of a 1000 miles need not be a such shlep after all. You can buy your copy directly buy clicking here : https://www.createspace.com/3782405. Check out some of the pictures and videos below. Zay Gezunt. WHAT DO YOGA AND MUSSAR—TWO POWERFUL SPIRITUAL TOOLS—HAVE IN COMMON?
As we continue to explore the conversation between Jewish wisdom and our physical body, the “Jewish Yoga” market continues to expand. The publication of Edith Brotman’s book Mussar Yoga – Blending an Ancient Jewish Spiritual Practice with Yoga to Transform Body and Soul (Jewish Lights / July 2014) takes the bold move of pairing yogic practice with Mussar, with expansive results. The book is organised around 13 chapters that each address different character traits, including Humility, Order, Nonjudgment, Zeal and Simplicity. We are taken through a yogic tour by Edith Brotman on how to self-improve these traits through asana and vinyasa. The book provides an easy-to-use structure. Mussar is not an obvious area of Torah study to match with yoga practice, as it is traditionally a stricter form of Jewish teaching, primarily around character refinement. An early mention of Mussar is made by King Solomon when he wrote “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction (Mussar Avicha) and do not forsake your mother’s teaching (Torat Imecha)” (Proverbs 1:8). Mussar Yoga offers yoga practice as a basis for this character refinement, in keeping with the spirit of classic yogic texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The Mussar movement gained speed in 19th Century Eastern Europe, often associated with refining character traits (middot) so that our body is a worthy and clear vessel to house our soul. Mussar Yoga made me think of both the teachings of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato in The Gates of the Just (Mesilat Yesharim) and of the late yogic guru BKS Iyengar, whose highly disciplined teaching style would certainly be well suited to followers of the Mussar movement. We might take the first-ever Mussar Yoga lesson directly from Rabbi Yisroel Salanter (1819-1883), who in his Iggeret HaMussar www.aishdas.org/igeresHamussar.pdf (Letter of Instruction) wrote that “The two aspects of man, the physical and the animal, are in accordance with the two components of man’s creation – his body and soul”. The bodily aspects are apparent to the physical eye, whereas the aspects of the soul are known only from the functioning of the body. The strategies and designs to maintain the soul within the body are focused exclusively on the body”. From this we might consider how all of our physical yogic practice is directly integrated with our soul: this idea is frequently alluded to in classics such as the Yoga Sutras and The Bhagavad Gita. Mussar Yoga has an easy-to-read approach that is not dependent on any prior study of Jewish texts. There are photographs that clearly introduce the poses and an easy course of study and practice. Stand up straight in all your ways! ** Marcus J Freed is former President of The Jewish Yoga Network and author of The Kosher Sutras: The Jewish Way in Yoga & Meditation (www.amazon.com/The-Kosher-Sutras-Marcus-Freed/dp/1624075886). Mussar Yoga – Blending an Ancient Jewish Spiritual Practice with Yoga to Transform Body and Soul Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz has created a helpful guide for Jewish communities who are looking to develop their meditation practice. Shalom: A Congregational Guide to Jewish Meditation was launched in January 2014 and published as a resource for all true seekers.
Click here to see the book on Amazon. The book consists of an introduction to Jewish meditational ideas, and a workbook-style format for meditating and mindfully reflecting upon each letter in the Hebrew alphabet. We read that “Shalom: A Congregational Guide to Jewish Meditation includes Jewish Meditation as a Heritage, Meditation: What Makes it Jewish? , and Educating the Congregation about Jewish Meditation. This includes: Chanting, Visualization, and Textual Meditations, Blessings & Spontaneous Response. Book includes Jewish Meditation Questionnaire with Responses, Bibliography and Additional Resources for further Study and Inspiration.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz currently serves as Rabbi and Principal at the Jewish Centre of Bay Shore, an egalitarian Conservative congregation. She was ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion as a rabbi and holds a Master of Library Science degree with both certifications in Public Libraries and as a School Library Media Specialist. Rabbi Schotz’s learning has been extraordinarily broad, bringing her to the learning centers of every Jewish denomination. She has studied at Neve Yerushalayim (an Orthodox women’s yeshivah) in Israel, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, and the Jewish Theological Seminary. She was also certified as a Rabbinic Aide from the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now known as URJ. Currently Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz is also a Spiritual Director (Mashpi’ah in Hebrew). She was ordained as Mashpi’ah through the Aleph Ordination Programs. In conjunction with this program Rabbi Leslie Schotz completed a Doctorate in Ministry, in partnership with the New York Theological Seminary, earning the title Rabbi Dr. Leslie Schotz, D. Min. Her dissertation paper which is now a book is entitled Spiritual Direction for Jewish Children. She is looking to teach across the spectrum including undergraduate, graduate and on a doctorate level. By NOMI MORRIS
Christian pop music played quietly in the background as instructor Bryan Brock led a recent yoga class at the nondenominational Church at Rocky Peak in Chatsworth. Incorporating prayer and readings from the Bible, Brock urged his class of about 20 students to find strength in their connection to their creator through yoga’s deep, controlled breathing. “The goal of Christian yoga is to open ourselves up to God,” he said. “It allows us to blur the line between the physical and the spiritual.” The instructor then recited the Lord’s Prayer while his students moved slowly through a series of postures known as the sun salutation. Such hybrid classes, which combine yoga practice with elements of Christianity or Judaism, appear to be growing in popularity across Southern California and elsewhere. Some Christians call their versions of the discipline holy yoga or Yahweh yoga and some teachers urge participants to “breathe down Jesus.” Jewish yogis, in turn, have developed -- and in some cases, even trademarked -- Torah yoga, Kabbalah yoga and aleph bet yoga, applying Eastern meditative movements to Jewish prayer and study. Meanwhile, Californian Muslims who practice yoga have yet to merge it with the teachings of the Koran or worship of Allah, a local leader says. And there are skeptics within all three Abrahamic religions who question whether it is proper to integrate the Hindu-based spiritual practice into Western monotheistic traditions. Rayna Mike said she was skeptical of yoga before she started going to Brock’s class at the Church at Rocky Peak, an evangelical congregation. “I never did it before because I considered it Eastern philosophy and I didn’t want any part of it,” said Mike, a Bel-Air businesswoman. Mike changed her mind when her trainer at the Church on the Way in Van Nuys recommended the yoga class, and she said the practice has improved her health while feeding her soul. “You can go and sweat anywhere, but that’s not the point,” she said. “This is a beautiful thing. It’s an answer to my prayers.” Brock completed a 200-hour accredited course in Phoenix designed by Brooke Boon, author of the book “Holy Yoga.” Boon has trained nearly 200 Christian yogis, about a dozen of whom are teaching in Southern California. “Christ is my guru. Yoga is a spiritual discipline much like prayer, meditation and fasting,” Boon said in a telephone interview. “No one religion can claim ownership.” Some fundamentalist Christians distance themselves from yoga, saying it is inseparable from Hinduism or Buddhism and therefore dangerous, even blasphemous. Some Orthodox Jewish authorities warn that if practiced with all its Eastern components, including Sanskrit chanting and small statues of deities, it amounts to avodah zarah, or the worship of false gods. For many religious Jews, Christians and Muslims, viewing yoga as a physical rather than spiritual practice solves the dilemma. But Rabbi Avivah Winocur Erlick, a chaplain at Providence Tarzana Medical Center, says it is impossible to separate yoga from her Jewish spiritualism. About six years ago, Erlick began having intense spiritual experiences while doing yoga. She sought advice from a rabbi. “He said, ‘God has been trying to reach you all these years and he is reaching you through yoga,” Erlick recalled. The rabbi challenged her to reconcile yoga with Judaism, which led to five years of study to become a rabbi. “For me, yoga is prayer,” Erlick said. Erlick, who is writing a book on the subject, says Jews have vigorously debated the issue for two decades. She counts 83 active teachers, mainly in the U.S. and Israel, who combine yoga and Judaism. One is Californian Ida Unger, who draws on Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, to interpret yoga postures as Hebrew letters. Unger recently demonstrated her aleph bet yoga to seniors at Los Angeles’ Milken Community High School. “I was in a triangle pose and I had an epiphany. I was an aleph,” Unger told the class, posing in the shape of the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. “In Kabbalah, letters are the building blocks with which the holy creator is channeled to Earth.” Unger chants shalom (peace) instead of om, and recites the daily Jewish prayer for awakening when she does the sun salutation. Milken students Jamie Mayer and Sharon Winter, both 17, said they found the hybrid yoga class more spiritually fulfilling than conventional synagogue services. “I want my yoga practice to be my daily prayer. It’s not instead of, but in addition to, my other Jewish practices,” Jamie said. Rabbi Yechiel Hoffman, who teaches the teens’ Jewish Thought class at Milken, said there are “places of alignment and integration” between yoga and Judaism -- particularly in Kabbalah -- but he cautioned that important elements may be watered down or lost when religions borrow from one another. Still, Hoffman has no problem with Judaism embracing yoga as it has embraced aspects of other cultures throughout history. “Judaism has always borrowed from other religions to re-energize itself,” he said. For local Muslims, the debate is just beginning. Although Islam’s mystical strain of Sufism was influenced by Indian yogic practices, some strict Muslims view it as out of bounds. In 2008, Malaysia’s top Islamic authority issued a fatwa, a nonbinding prohibition, against yoga. That angered Muslim yoga teachers across Asia, and many continue their yoga practice. Muslim daily prayers already offer a “personal and direct connection with the creator,” says Shakeel Syed, executive director of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California. He also believes that as long as there is no Hindu or Buddhist religious content, yoga is “no different than jogging around the track.” Syed fully expects that some Muslims in California will eventually develop a hybrid spiritual practice. “I’m sure one day somebody will try to combine yoga with Islam and they will get a following,” Sayed said. [email protected] by Derek Jamensky
published in The Western Jewish Bulletin (British Columbia) “We’ve gone about as far as we can go as separate and isolated faiths – God has given each faith some vitamins that the others need, and we won’t be able to survive in health unless we exchange those vitamins.” – Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of the Jewish Renewal movement As much as these words present a challenge to Jewish orthodoxy, they also challenge members of the Renewal movement itself. How to remain true to Jewish tradition, while opening up to the wisdom of other faiths? Meeting this challenge in her own way is Evelyn Neaman, a yoga teacher who threads themes of Jewish tradition in her classes. Neaman conducts regular yoga sessions for Jews and non-Jews alike and she adheres to one of the central tenets of the Renewal movement: that there is harmony between faiths, even in their diversity of expression. Far from diluting one tradition with the other, Neaman sees their truths as universal and their methods as complementary. “I pick and choose the things that are meaningful – not just in Judaism, but in other religions where I think it’s going to be helpful,” she said. She points out that recognizing the wisdom of other faiths is not a new development in Judaism. There is even a traditional blessing that is said upon meeting a holy person from another faith. “This is an acknowledgement that there are holy people in all traditions, so to be accepting of teaching from other traditions feels very kosher to me,” said Neaman. Her classes are called Tikkun Yoga – tikkun being the Hebrew word meaning to mend, heal or repair. “The idea is that we are all obligated to do something to make the world a better place,” said Neaman. She sees herself as “giving people the gift to heal themselves, so they can be better out there in the world doing whatever gifts they were given.” Neaman’s yoga studio is housed beside a little green belt in her yard, complete with a running stream and Buddha. She teaches about 30-40 students per week. She tries to keep her classes small, so they can be tailored to meet each person’s needs. Additionally, she does month-long workshops for teshuvah (return to God) at Or Shalom, and has recently released a DVD on the art of restorative yoga. The Buddha in her backyard? “It’s a piece of cement,” said Neaman. “I’m not worshipping a statue, I’m paying homage to the meaning behind the statue.” For Neaman, that meaning transcends Buddhism. “It’s a symbol of mindfulness,” she said simply, pointing to a central theme of both Buddhism and Judaism. Mindfulness may not be a word you hear that much in synagogue, but the idea is far from new. “The [Jewish] rituals are set up so that we’re mindful of our physicality,” said Neaman. Every blessing is an exercise in connecting us in the moment, with who we are and where we are. For Neaman, “Judaism is a religion of consciousness,” just as is Buddhism. In order to explore these very points of connection between Jewish and Buddhist meditation, Neaman recently organized a workshop with Rabbi DovBer Pinson, a well-known kabbalist from New York. Like popular forms of yoga, the kabbalistic tradition is often misunderstood – and just as often diluted, according to Pinson. And like yoga, kabbalah manages to survive from generation to generation, because the central truths transcend the generations and answer a fundamental need. Pinson isn’t at all concerned with where the roots of the tradition ultimately lie. “A lot of the spiritual teachings have crossovers because they are universal truths that are found in all traditions,” he said. Popular culture also has a role to play. Although Pinson has his doubts about what Madonna may be learning in her well-publicized kabbalistic studies, he avoids criticizing popularizations of kabbalah. More important to him is for individuals to connect the teachings to their daily lives. Mindfulness, meditation and prayer are always important, with or without celebrity status. Such truths transcend culture and personal circumstance. For Pinson, kabbalah and meditation are “never about a past, or a future. It’s always about the present. And it’s never about anybody else. It’s always about you.” Aug. 26, 2005 Derek Jamensky is a Vancouver freelance writer. by Zack Lodmer of Om Shalom Yoga in Los Angeles.
Been spending a lot of time with this guy these days. The 18-year-old me. And the 20-year-old me. And the 30-year-old-me. And the 8-year old me. And last week’s me. Not in the sense that I’m wading around in the shallow end of my own nostalgia. Not in the sense that I’m fixating on my many missteps. And not in the sense that I have regrets. Here I am. I am here. Me. Today. Now. But despite the trillions of blessings around me every day, it’s hard being me. With the complexity of this thing called being alive, sometimes it’s hard to process everything. Sometimes I feel stuck. Those of us open to the message hear it often: “Be Present”. “Live in the Moment.” “Don’t worry about the past.” “Tomorrow is a mystery.” Yes….but……. Sometimes the best way of being “present” is taking a short stroll down memory lane. Not to fantasize about past experiences, but rather engaging in self-study so that we can better understand our current situation and acknowledge what part we have played in getting there. In yoga, we call it “Svadhyaya”. I know I can best understand my current situation for all that it is, without projection, without judgment, and without attachment, by understanding my development, my unconscious patterns. “Who” you are is a complex tapestry of “why” you came to be, “how” you were raised, “what” lights the fire inside your heart, and “when / where” this all took place. “Who” you are continues to unfold and take form in real time. On the daily. In Judaism, the process of repentance–atoning to others when we hurt them–is called “Teshuva”. But the literal translation of the word means “Return.” What a concept! If I want to heal others, I must first return and heal myself. If I want to really love another, for exactly who that person is, I must return and first love myself. Self-study is a natural way of returning to your true nature, which is Love. Self-study is the gateway drug to joyfulness. Understand who you’ve been to understand who you are. Then just be you. You’re perfect. Here I am. I am here. Me. Today. Now. #SelfStudy #IamHere #Me #Today #Now #Svadhyaya #Teshuva ==>Zack Lodmer regularly runs Om Shalom Yoga events in the Los Angeles region. |
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AuthorsThese are written by our wonderful teachers across the Jewish Yoga Network. |