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Yoga y religión

You can practice both: It can appear that Mysticism or Yoga (union, from the

root yuj , to join) are alternatives to religion, as if one must choose one or theother. This can lead to the unfortunate view that if seekers practice Mysticism and

Yoga along with their religion, they are merely doing some sort of cut-and-pasteprocess where two different paths are being combined.

It can appear that one must choose one of these:

OR one of these:

...but that you cannot have both.This is not true. Although you can definitely

practice Mysticism and Yoga outside of religion,you can also practice them within your religion,

as they are already there,in the Esoteric form of the religion.

The principles of Mysticism and Yoga are already contained within the variousreligions. It is only because of incorrectly seeing them as necessarily having to existseparately from one another, that there appears to be solely a joining together. Inother words, it can appear that one is doing a mere cut-and-paste job of affixing

Yoga onto one's religion, while the roots of the principles are already there, in thereligion, in the Esoteric form of the religion.

Many of the people who practice Mysticism and Yoga do so from outside organizedreligion. However, they can also be practiced from inside religion as well, as theyare already there, contained within the religions. For example, there are the

Gnostics and the Sufis, known for their inner, mystical focus, while being related totheir respective religions.

Surely many people draw specific methods and techniques from the independentMystics and Yogis, but the essence or spirit of the practices, as well as the goals of these practices are already part of the religions in one or another of their Esoteric forms.

Three polarities:Esoteric -- Exoteric

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Immanent -- TranscendentMaterial -- Efficient

See also Philosophy, Not Religion 

See also Modern Yoga versus Traditional Yoga

Two Polarities of Esoteric and Exoteric: Within each of the religions there are

polarities of Exoteric and Esoteric , along with shades of gray between those two.The Exoteric is based on belief, while the Esoteric is based on attaining directexperience.

• Exoteric religion is the external form of religious practice, and is what mostof us are accustomed to seeing in the majority of churches, temples, orother religious organizations or movements. Exoteric religion maysometimes be called either Traditional or Orthodox.

• Esoteric religion, on the other hand, has more to do with the inner

experience, the subtler practices, and the pursuits of direct experience of the spiritual principles. It is the path of saints and sages, who have often

been considered as deviants or outcasts by their own Traditional, Orthodox,or Exoteric religions.

Two Polarities of Exoteric and Esoteric Esoteric is shunned: The Esoteric practitioners are often shunned by the Exoteric religionists because the subtler pursuits and practices are simply not understood.As one progresses along the Esoteric path, it is ever more clearly seen how theEsoteric and Exoteric are different degrees of expression and experience within theteachings of the same tradition or religion.

Exoteric misunderstand the Esoteric: However, unaware of these subtleties, the

Exoteric people are forced to see the Esoteric people as either having strayed awayfrom the religion or suffering from some psychopathological malady. In time, they

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too may grow to see the breadth and depth of their own religion, but in themeantime, the journey of the Mystic and Yogi is neither understood nor accepted.

Two other polarities: Along with the polarities of Esoteric-Exoteric it is extremely

useful for the practitioners of Mysticism and Yoga to be aware of two otherpolarities:

Immanent or Transcendent God: There are two views of the nature of God, although different religionists or scholars might have vastly differentopinions within each of those two. God as Transcendent means God as aseparate being that is overseer of the activities of the world. God asImmanent refers to God as being all-pervasive, permeating the whole of manifest reality.

The Mystic or Yogi seeking inner experience often, though not always, hasa greater leaning towards God as Immanent, while the Exoteric religionist

often tends exclusively towards God as Transcendent. With somereflection, it is easy to see how the Mystic or Yogi may easily be able to

hold both perspectives in his or her spiritual pursuits.

Often, however, the Exoteric practitioner is only able to see the notion of God as Transcendent, as a separate being, and therefore completelyrejects the notion of God as Immanent. This is one of the reasons thatthe Mystic or Yogi may feel quite out of place in a religious culturedominated by those of the Transcendent God view. See also:Stages of Enlightenment

Material or Efficient Cause: There are two aspects to the cause of anycreated object. One is the Material Cause, which refers to the stuff out of which the objects are made. The other is the Efficient Cause, which refersto the question of who caused the creation of the objects. For example,flour is the Material Cause of bread, while the baker is the Efficient Cause.Similarly, clay is the Material Cause of a pot, while the potter is the

Efficient Cause.

The emphasis of the Exoteric religionist is usually almost exclusively on

the Efficient Cause, whereby the separate being, the Transcendent God,is considered to be the creator of the universe and humans, much like thebaker and the potter are the creators of bread and pots. The goals of spiritual life are seen to come as a result of the Efficient Cause.

While the individual Mystic or Yogi may or may not emphasize theEfficient Cause called God, following one's own predisposition or religion,

there is almost always a focus on the Material Cause, which is an innerjourney, through the levels of one's own being, so as to find the core or

center, which is underneath all the layers of manifestation. Depending onthe perspective of the individual practitioner, this realization may be

variously called Self-realization, enlightenment, knowing God, or otherterms.

Polarities are well known amongst academicians: It is important to note that

these polarities of Esoteric-Exoteric, Immanent-Transcendent, and Material-Efficientare well known to the academic field of religious studies, as they are aspects of each of the more known religions.

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However, they are seldom mentioned, much less emphasized by the religionistsclaiming to lead the public or lay people. Most of the religious leaders promote theExoteric, Transcendent, and Efficient polarities through their churches or temples,utilizing a vast array of icons and physical paraphernalia, along with external ritualsor ceremonies. The teachers of the Esoteric, Immanent, and Material polarities are naturally lessdrawn to building churches or temples for external worship rituals, with any

physical forms serving as pointers on the journey to the direct experience of thesubtler, finer realities. Thus, they are far less visible in our societies and cultures.Although more hidden, the diligent seeker can find these more subtly focusedteachings within virtually all of the religions. If you think of yourself as having aMystic or Yogic orientation, the awareness of these polarities can go a long way toyour understanding why you might find yourself to be in a minority, and possiblycriticized by others.

Top Mysticism and Yoga are on the Esoteric pole: Mysticism and Yoga deal with theEsoteric practices and experiences, whether or not one follows a particular religion.In fact, the entire purpose of Yoga is nothing but the Esoteric pole, seeking directexperience of the deepest, subtlest, or highest realities of one's own being. (Therereally isn't an Exoteric version of Yoga, given the inherent higher purpose of authentic Yoga. That some might think that there is an Exoteric pole of Yoga is one

example of the recent distortion that Yoga is merely a physical fitness program. Seethe article Modern Yoga versus Traditional Yoga.)

Mysticism and Yoga are Esoteric  

Conflict is within the religion, not with Yoga: Thus, what appears to be adifference between two separate paths, such as between a particular religion and

either Mysticism or Yoga, is actually a conflict within that religion. It is often a

conflict wherein the Traditional, Orthodox, or Exoteric followers are criticizing theMystics, Yogis, and Esoteric practitioners within their own religion, and claiming

that the conflict is with some outside source, Yoga.

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Being aware of the polarities in one's own religion: The modern seekers whoare drawn to Mysticism and Yoga can benefit tremendously by being aware of, andoccasionally reminding themselves of the Exoteric and Esoteric polarities withintheir own religion. Then they can have much greater freedom in deciding whetheror not, and how, to practice Mysticism and Yoga in the context of their own religion.