Does western yoga have any spiritual benefits?

[Illusory Self]

I am really new to yoga and contemplating about whether to sign up for some yoga classes and do them around 3x a week just to improve flexibility and get a better mind/body connection. 

I am not sure if there is any spiritual benefits to it or not though. Is it mainly used for flexibility and fitness or will doing this for a while aid with my spiritual practices? 

[aurum]

@Illusory Self You will get mostly shallow stage Green, new age spirituality. 

Western yoga is basically just a physical practice.

[OBEler]

@Illusory Self not really... I tried it out. 

 

A little maybe 

[Jodistrict]

The yoga asanas build strength and flexibility.  To get the spiritual benefit, just focus your attention on the body sensations and movement, using it as an object of meditation.  Yoga is moving meditation.  

  

[BlessedLion]

Depends completely on the style of yoga, but yes, of course there are benefits. It’s a thousands year old technology for awakening. But the style and teacher are of utmost importance. You can waste a lot of time with bullshit

[inFlow]

@Illusory Self https://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Fitness-Men-Performance-Flexibility/dp/1465473483

I highly recommend this book. Up to 30minutes daily with great programmes. Do it at home, you don't need to go to a gym. Unless you don't trust yourself and havent done anything sport-like in your life and need a baby-sitter to tell you what to do.

I can confirm that physical yoga can indeed give you higher states of consciousness. I had some Samadhi experiences after doing physical yoga. It is very critical to have a strong flexible body for this work. By doing some poses you releave some of the stored emotions in your body. I often cried doing some poses, which is really good for our spiritual work.

Edited December 18, 2022 by inFlow
additional sentenses

[Adam M]

If you get a good instructor, you can develop a lot more body awareness and breath control. I did hatha yoga for about a year and I always left the class feeling calm and mellow.

I would definitely reccomend it, your body is a major part of spiritual growth!

You don't need to be having mystical awakenings to get some good benefits from hatha yoga.

[Yimpa]

Eating a McDonald’s Big Mac and a basket of fries can have more spiritual benefits than a 10-day silent vipassana retreat.

For now, keep searching

[Ry4n]

On 16/12/2022 at 6:32 PM, Jodistrict said:

The yoga asanas build strength and flexibility.  To get the spiritual benefit, just focus your attention on the body sensations and movement, using it as an object of meditation.  Yoga is moving meditation.  

  

This^ No reason to overthink it. 

@Illusory Self Yoga is amazing especially if you're semi practiced with meditation, the more mental concentration you put in the more you get out. 

There are a variety of different breathing exercises you can incorporate into the practice especially before meditation that will massively improve your seated practice. It's at least my personal belief that yoga and breath work dramatically speed meditation progress.