Yoga Cred

Campus Report ^ | January 29, 2008 | Deborah Lambert

[bs9021]

Yoga Cred

by: Deborah Lambert, January 29, 2008

Although students at Needham (Mass) High School may have felt a lot less stressed after principal Paul Richards stopped publishing the list of honor roll recipients last year, it seems the relaxation guru was just getting started, according to Michelle Malkin, who noted that his latest idea was for the school to sponsor “in-school yoga classes.”

“It’s not that I’m trying to turn the culture upside down,” Richards told the New York Times, explaining that his goal was simply to bring “the culture to a healthier place.”

These health concerns not only inspired Richards to install yoga as a standard high school course, but also make it “a requirement for Needham H.S. seniors.”..

[ninergold3]

The principal stopped publishing the Honor Roll list because it caused stress??? Sure, let's stop praising those who work their buns off to make the Honor Roll because their accomplishments make those who don't feel bad. Heck, our local newspaper prints the Honor Roll!

As for the yoga being required...what if a student is a Christian? Christians are not to do yoga as the poses used are forms of worshipping other Gods?

[Anonymous Rex]

I’ve never heard that the poses are forms of worshipping other gods.

If they are then the gods are gods of pain because some of those things are brutal.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

The Honor Roll thing is stupid. But Yoga is very good for you. And, although it has religious overtones, as practiced here It’s exercise, not religion, And a lot of kids I see today could use some exercise. Tai Chi, Qi Gong also good stuff.

[XR7]

Yoga = Hinduism

The word yoga is derived from the root yuj, which means to unite or to join together. The practice of yoga may lead to the union of the human with the divine - all within the self. The aim of yoga is the transformation of human beings from their natural form to a perfected form. The Yogic practices originated in the primordial depths of India's past. From this early period the inner attitudes and disciplines which were later identified and given orderly expression by Patanjali.

According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the classical text on yoga, the purpose of yoga is to lead to a silence of the mind (1.2). This silence is the prerequisite for the mind to be able to accurately reflect objective reality without its own subjective distortions. Yoga does not create this reality, which is above the mind, but only prepares the mind to apprehend it, by assisting in the transformation of the mind – from an ordinary mind full of noise, like a whole army of frenzied and drunken monkeys – to a still mind.

Jean Varenne author of Yoga and Indian Philosophy, observes: “The only remaining testimony to the prestigious civilization of ancient Egypt lies buried in archaeological remains; which meant that the inhabitants of the Nile valley, converted to Islam thirteen centuries ago, had to wait for Champollion to decipher the hieroglyphics before they could know anything of the beliefs of their distant ancestors. Yet during all this time Hindu families continued, and still continue today, to venerate the selfsame Vishnu who is celebrated in the archaic hymns of the Rig Veda…”

Yoga is an integral part of the Hindu religion. There is a saying: “There is no Yoga without Hinduism and no Hinduism without Yoga." The country of origin of Yoga is undoubtedly India, where for many hundreds of years it has been a part of man's activities directed towards higher spiritual achievements.

LINK: http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Yoga_and_Hindu_Philosophy.htm#Historical%20Survey

________________________________________________________________

New York Times: Yoga in Aspen Public Schools Draws Opposition

by Mindy Shink

Yoga has become as trendy as this glamorous ski hamlet, so it would not seem surprising that some local schools have added it to the students' day. But some parents and religious leaders here are objecting, saying that teaching yoga in school violates the separation of church and state.

"We anticipate that the yoga classes will provide them with some skills to learn how to better focus and be more attentive," said the Aspen Elementary School principal, Barb Pitchford. "More and more kids seem to have trouble with their attention spans — which is about as long as TV commercials."

Leah Kalish, an author of the curriculum being used in Aspen, said opponents took issue with any Sanskrit words. One was "namaste," a word that she said was used in yoga classes to say, "The light in you is the light in me," or more generally, "to acknowledge our common humanity." The students end class here by saying "peace" rather than "namaste."

Mr. Grant said yoga had become so commercialized that it no longer was truly yoga. "Yoga has become an enormous fad and is completely adrift from its mooring as an ancient and classical tradition that has always been taught face to face with a master," he said. A Roman Catholic priest in Aspen also objected to yoga in the schools. "The ultimate goal of the yoga is to balance the body, the mind, the soul and the spirit," said the priest, the Rev. Michael O'Brien of St. Mary's Catholic Church. "When you are talking about the soul and the spirit, then aren't you in the realm of religion? And if so, which religion?"

Mr. Woodrow, a father of four, said that even watered-down yoga incorporated aspects of Eastern religions that believe in reincarnation and pluralism, which conflict with his beliefs. "It's not fine, it's Hinduism, and it's a completely different value system," he said.

LINK to NY Times article: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502EED8123BF93BA35751C0A9659C8B63

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Mr. Grant said yoga had become so commercialized that it no longer was truly yoga. “Yoga has become an enormous fad and is completely adrift from its mooring as an ancient and classical tradition that has always been taught face to face with a master,”
Eggs Ackley. As practiced here, there is no religion involved. It’s an exercise of the body and the mind, not a religion, regardless of it’s ancient roots.

[XR7]

National Public Radio (NPR) April 7, 2005
Morning Edition 10:00 AM EST

Church in Europe to assess changing demographics of Catholicism
Anchors: Renee Montagne, Reporters: Sylvia Poggioli

Poggioli: ... I once asked a French bishop, `Where
have all the Catholics gone?' And he told me they've become
kind of like religious pagans, picking a little bit of
Jesus, a little bit of yoga, a little bit of that. And you
know, while churches in Europe are getting emptier and
emptier, more and more makeshift mosques are cropping up as
the influx of Muslim immigrants continues...

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Your protestations are just getting silly. Practicing the exercise of yoga does not make you a Hindu or a blasphemer! It makes you an exerciser. Go to any yoga class, you’ll find no religion involved. Using a classic name for an exercise doesn’t mean anything other than that’s what the exercise has been called for a long time.

[lmailbvmbipfwedu]

He should stop publishing the sports scores just to be fair. It seems to me that basketball, football, baseball is responsible for more stress than the honor roll.

[thefactor]

i beg to differ. i do yoga once a week as part of my regimen and let me tell you i find religion every time i do it.

as in, "please god make it stop."

[XR7]

Your protestations are just getting silly.

You're silly.
I protest not.
Just presenting the news - what other's are saying.
Or is yours the only opinion that counts in the debate?

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Sorry. Perhaps I’ve misunderstood your position. My point is that yoga in the US is not religious at all. And those who object to it on a religious basis are mistaken.

[Revolting cat!]

One of my yoga teachers was this aura, energy field talking middle aged New Age space cadet. She was also a Born Again Christian I was told. And, as a yoga exercise teacher, and when she shut up, she was very good. Quite interesting.

[XR7]

And those who object to it on a religious basis are mistaken.

IYHO

[Ghengis]

...As for the yoga being required...what if a student is a Christian? Christians are not to do yoga as the poses used are forms of worshipping other Gods?

IMO, a person can practice the yoga excercises without studying or embracing the spiritual aspects some practice. In fact, I just purchased a copy of Yoga for Regular Guys because its a good excercise program without involving Hiduism or whatever.

That being said, seems like this Principle is a kook.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Okay. IMHO. But I’m right. You have the right to disagree, and be wrong.

[XR7]

Public School Follies: Y Is for Yoga
By Michelle Malkin

The surgeon general really needs to slap a health warning on The New York Times. My blood pressure increases a few points every time I read it. This week, the newspaper of record pimped the Next Great American Education Fad: In-school yoga classes.

According to the piece, “Less Homework, More Yoga, From a Principal Who Hates Stress,” the head of Needham High School in the Boston suburbs is pushing “stress reduction” through better stretching and breathing. Principal Paul Richards, who last earned nationwide mockery when he ditched publishing the honor roll, is part-Oprah, part-Deepak Chopra, part-Richard Simmons and all edu-babble.

“It’s not that I’m trying to turn the culture upside down,” he’s quoted telling the Times. “It’s very important to protect the part of the culture that leads to all the achievement,” he said. “It’s more about bringing the culture to a healthier place.”

And here I thought high school principals should make schooling, not “bringing the culture to a healthier place,” their top priority. Silly me. Welcome to your new Nanny State nightmare.

Yoga classes are now a requirement for Needham high school seniors. To further ease the supposed burden on overworked students, Richards has “asked teachers to schedule homework-free weekends and holidays.” Just what we need to turn around those one in 10 schools that are now considered “dropout factories,” huh? Can’t cut it in the classroom? Bend like a bridge, take five deep, slow breaths, and all will be dandy.

Why stop at yoga? Tantric chanting, here we come. And, hey, Kabbalah has done wonders for Madonna. Let’s add hypnotism and acupuncture classes while we’re at it. Hot stone massages? Bonsai tree-clipping? No Relaxation Technique Left Behind!

Some point to a number of tragic student suicides to justify larding up the school day with Tree Poses and Sun Salutations. But the school officials themselves admit the deaths were not related to stress. No matter. Richards is using them to forge ahead with “a movement to push back against an ethos of super-achievement at affluent suburban high schools amid the extreme competition over college admissions.” It appears there are now more than 40 other high schools and middle schools that embrace the “Stressed Out Students” agenda. There’s another yoga curriculum popular in California, Yoga Ed., that has trained 10,000 teachers in more than 100 schools nationwide.

And guess what else I discovered after trying to find out whether yoga was coming to a school near me? We are paying for this nonsense. The Yoga Ed. program, created by Hollywood spouse/socialite Tara Guber, was funded with taxpayer grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the federal Carol M. White Physical Education Program.

Bit by bit, the dumbed-down cult of mediocrity, secular extremism and multicultural madness has infected American public education. Instead of concentrating on the basics and then teaching children to manage and conquer their “stress” through internal discipline, we’re removing every last source of possible damage to their egos.

Math test scores have plummeted. Solution: Remove the U.S. from international competitions.

Students are failing. Solution: Hide the honor rolls so the under-achievers don’t feel bad.

Elementary pupils don’t like drills and spelling tests. Solution: Fuzzy math and inventive spelling.

Families can’t manage their time. Solution: Less homework, more yoga.

“A lot of these kids,” lectures Principal Richards, “are being held hostage to the culture.” No kidding. When The New York Times invited one of Richards’ students to recommend stress-reduction techniques, he ended with this suggestion:

“Watch a short clip on YouTube (as long as you are not addicted). The amazing and often funny feats on the site are inspiring and often leave you feeling, ‘Hey I want to do that!’ This is a great attitude to have towards your work.”

Watch feats of stupidity on YouTube. Yeah, that’ll do wonders for American student achievement.

The only ones who need stress reduction right now are parents fed up with this runaway idiocy. If you think educrats are going to recover their senses any time soon, well, you know, don’t hold your breath.

Michelle Malkin makes news and waves with a unique combination of investigative journalism and incisive commentary. She is the author of Unhinged: Exposing Liberals Gone Wild .

[najida]

The yoga poses being worship of other gods is BS...the poses have names to help remember them, just like Ballet.

I don’t agree with the other, but Yoga is a positive thing.

[najida]

Put me in with the others in the “Silly” and I’ll raise you banjos for background music.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Why stop at yoga? Tantric chanting, here we come. And, hey, Kabbalah has done wonders for Madonna. Let’s add hypnotism and acupuncture classes while we’re at it. Hot stone massages? Bonsai tree-clipping? No Relaxation Technique Left Behind!”
That’s just Michelle being funny. As far as having yoga in schools? You’re right! We shouldn’t be paying for these non-academic classes. But look at some of the classes we are paying for, and yoga doesn’t seem so bad! I find it extremely relaxing both mentally and physically. It’s the only thing that begins to ease my back pain, so I’m definitely a fan.
And yoga here in the US still has nothing to do with religion.