Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation”
This study focuses on yoga as part of contemporary spiritual culture (CSC) and examines the relationship between modern yoga and meditation. First, I investigate the purpose of practice and the position of meditation in classical yoga and hatha yoga; I clarify that classical yoga aims to stop the fl...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/11/1399 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846152601995837440 |
|---|---|
| author | Masayuki Ito |
| author_facet | Masayuki Ito |
| author_sort | Masayuki Ito |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study focuses on yoga as part of contemporary spiritual culture (CSC) and examines the relationship between modern yoga and meditation. First, I investigate the purpose of practice and the position of meditation in classical yoga and hatha yoga; I clarify that classical yoga aims to stop the fluctuations of the mind by subduing physical activity, while hatha yoga aims to activate energy by working on the body, which is a microcosm of the universe. Next, I explore the characteristics of modern postural yoga (MPY, which was established in the early 20th century) and how it differs from traditional yoga. Based on the above discussion, I examine ashtanga vinyasa yoga (AVY), a major school of MPY that has greatly influenced many other forms of yoga. I point out several interpretive frameworks for a series of physical practices in ashtanga yoga (within the same school of yoga). While the Indian tradition views asanas (physical postures) as preparation for meditation, the Western counterculture-influenced yoga that developed after the late 1960s views asanas as a microcosm of life, as a search for spirituality, and as “moving meditation”. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d83680bbb700468aae8b856f6e1b99b8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-d83680bbb700468aae8b856f6e1b99b82024-11-26T18:19:34ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442024-11-011511139910.3390/rel15111399Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation”Masayuki Ito0Department of Religious Culture, Faculty of Letters, Aichi Gakuin University, Aichi 470-0195, JapanThis study focuses on yoga as part of contemporary spiritual culture (CSC) and examines the relationship between modern yoga and meditation. First, I investigate the purpose of practice and the position of meditation in classical yoga and hatha yoga; I clarify that classical yoga aims to stop the fluctuations of the mind by subduing physical activity, while hatha yoga aims to activate energy by working on the body, which is a microcosm of the universe. Next, I explore the characteristics of modern postural yoga (MPY, which was established in the early 20th century) and how it differs from traditional yoga. Based on the above discussion, I examine ashtanga vinyasa yoga (AVY), a major school of MPY that has greatly influenced many other forms of yoga. I point out several interpretive frameworks for a series of physical practices in ashtanga yoga (within the same school of yoga). While the Indian tradition views asanas (physical postures) as preparation for meditation, the Western counterculture-influenced yoga that developed after the late 1960s views asanas as a microcosm of life, as a search for spirituality, and as “moving meditation”.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/11/1399yogameditationspiritualityashtanga vinyasa yogamodern postural yogamoving meditation |
| spellingShingle | Masayuki Ito Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation” Religions yoga meditation spirituality ashtanga vinyasa yoga modern postural yoga moving meditation |
| title | Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation” |
| title_full | Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation” |
| title_fullStr | Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation” |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation” |
| title_short | Modern Postural Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Seeking: Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and “Moving Meditation” |
| title_sort | modern postural yoga meditation and spiritual seeking ashtanga vinyasa yoga and moving meditation |
| topic | yoga meditation spirituality ashtanga vinyasa yoga modern postural yoga moving meditation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/11/1399 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT masayukiito modernposturalyogameditationandspiritualseekingashtangavinyasayogaandmovingmeditation |