#decolonizeyoga #decolonizephilosophy #decolonizereligiousstudies
Am writing an essay on #meditation and #mindfulness. So I feel compelled to clarify a few things:
- Yoga is NOT about postures. It is mainly about the philosophy of life and self-knowledge.

Meditation originated in the Indian subcontinent about 5000 BCE. It is described in the Vedas, Upanishads, and other texts (smritis) well before Buddha was even born.

Hindu and Buddhist literature delve into great detail on topics such as self-knowledge, ethics, happiness, dharma, and good/right living. It is disingenuous and plain wrong to ignore these origins if you study ethics, morality, or positive psychology.

Buddha was NOT Chinese. The Buddha was born in the Indian subcontinent (in today's Nepal) in 623 BC.

Meditation did not start with Zen Buddhism, which came much later. A South Indian (Tamil) prince called Bodhidharma established Zen Buddhism and the Shaolin school of martial arts in China.

Loving-Kindness Meditation (or maitri) meditation did not start with Buddhism. It originated in the Upanishads of Hinduism, well before Buddha was born.

Please don't say that Kabat-Zinn started mindfulness in the U.S. There was Paramahamsa Yogananda in the '20s (Self Realization Fellowship), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the '50s (of Transcendental Meditation), and also Thich Nhat Hanh (Zen Buddhist Master).

You cannot understand or write about or analyze Hinduism or Buddhism or yoga by reading any single text or even a series of texts. For these philosophies, the truth is relational, complex, and situational. It is a lifelong inquiry through interrogation.

Please do not call yourself a yogi or yogini if you merely are a practitioner or teacher of yoga. These terms are given typically to those who have dedicated their entire life to yoga philosophy and ethical conduct in every aspect of one's life.

Okay, that's today PSA/gyaan. Bye :-)