Anton Drake's "Atheist Yoga" Available Now
Hollywood, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/03/2013 -- Yoga is a system of exercises that can make the spine supple, reduce stress and relieve health problems. Although Yoga is widely practiced almost everywhere in the Western countries and in India, the philosophy doesn’t appeal to atheists. As Yoga is considered to have mythical origins, atheists commonly believe that Yoga is like every other exercise. Anton Drake explores the techniques and principles of Yoga to understand how it appeals to atheists.
The results of his analysis are out in a book named ‘Atheist Yoga’. Atheist Yoga paperback version is now available in Amazon.com, in addition to a Kindle edition of the book. “Anton Drake has apparently explored Yoga in detail and has managed to, effectively, explain it in his book,” states a reader review article that reviews the book. The reviewers of the book unanimously mention that the book is a thoughtful and detailed exploration of the art of Yoga from the perspective of an atheist practitioner.
Atheist Yoga, according to the reviews, offers an insight to atheists about the effectiveness of practicing Yoga and how the discipline applies to them. Puragreen Productions LLC publishes the book, which is priced at around £12 for the Paperback edition in Amazon.co.uk. The Kindle edition e-Book version has a price tag of $9.19 (USD) in Amazon.com. The 184 pages book includes ten chapters dealing with the effect of Yoga in mind and the body, philosophies of the art of Yoga and the psychology of the discipline.
According to the reviews, the book elaborates on the significance of Yoga as a physical therapy routine. Although there are many books on Yoga, the disciple explained from an atheist practitioner’s perspective seemed to have piqued the interest of many readers. The book also includes chapters that comprehensively describe the relation between sexuality and Yoga, the Kundalini and the Chakras etc. The book concludes with an informative chapter of Yoga meditation tactics. Contact www.puragreen.com to learn more about the book and visit amazon.com to purchase the Kindle and Paperback editions of the book.
http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/anton-drakes-atheist-yoga-available-now-232420.htm
While this is a press release, it is an interesting perspective on the practice. Now for a swami's perspective.
Theism, Atheism, Yoga and Fear
by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati
This article is written expressly for the benefit of Yogis, Yoginis, or Mystics -- seekers of direct experience -- who find themselves at odds with either (or both) of thetwo polarities of conservative religionists or purely materialistic atheists.
The meaning of fear: Fear is defined as a feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger. Though there may be many sources and effects of fear, there is a particular fear related specifically to practitioners of Yoga meditation, as well as other meditative and contemplative practices or traditions. Many sincere seekers of direct experience of subtler realities seem to have a pervasive fear stemming from the negative influences of two polar opposites: the Theists and Religionists, and the Atheists and Secularists.
Yoga is separate from both Theism and Atheism: In America, some Theists or Religionists view Yoga (as well as Mysticism and Gnosis) as being in opposition to their individual form of Theism, and hence, see it as in alignment with Atheism. Some Secular Atheists view the Yoga practices of meditation and contemplation as being part of Theism or Religion. At the same time, however, practitioners of authentic, traditional Yoga usually view both Theism and Atheism as separate from the direct experience sought through these practices.
An often imperceptible fear: The often imperceptible fear of the Theists, Religionists, Atheists, and Secularists can be a major obstacle in sadhana or spiritual practices by virtue of the fact that the sadhaka (practitioner) is "going against" the subtle pressures of the human environment. It is a fear of the people themselves (due to their pressures), not of their actual views, such as the fear of the retribution of "God". The effect of this fear can be an unconscious reticence to pursue the deeper teachings, or to explore and surrender into the subtler processes such as with advanced meditation or contemplation. Or, the fear may be strong enough to completely stop you on your inner journey of enlightenment, even though it may remain undetected by the conscious mind.
http://www.swamij.com/theism-atheism-yoga-fear.htm
Personally, I'm as limber as a brick.
