Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

California school sued over yoga as religion


Clarakore

Yoga in schools  

38 members have voted

  1. 1. Should yoga be allowed in schools?

    • Yes
      29
    • No
      6
    • Obligatory others
      3
  2. 2. Do you practice mindfulness?

    • Yes
      19
    • No
      5
    • What is mindfulness?
      14


Recommended Posts

I addressed this on another site.

Since apparently the children are being taught "mudras" (did I spell it right?), chants and all sorts of irrelevant stuff then it should have absolutely NO place in schools. Religion, mysticism and fantasy has no place in a setting that is supposed to prepare children for the real world.

Peacefulness and calm of mind can be taught without the use of magical thinking, chakras and all sorts of mysticism.

Whatever happened to "recess" or basic gym class?

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I addressed this on another site.

Since apparently the children are being taught "mudras" (did I spell it right?), chants and all sorts of irrelevant stuff then it should have absolutely NO place in schools.

Do you have a source for that?

From an AP story;

"The judge said parents who objected relied on personal opinions, some culled from Internet searches.

"It's almost like a trial by Wikipedia, which isn't what this court does," said Meyer, who took nearly two hours to explain a decision that explored yoga's Indian roots and philosophy.

The judge emphasized that the school district stripped classes of all cultural references, including the Sanskrit language. The lotus position was renamed the "crisscross applesauce" pose."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saying it depends how yoga is taught is what determines if it is a religion is the same as saying it depends on how Christianity is taught....

If no other religion is allowed, why do we allow yoga? Oh because a part of it is good for the body?

Reading is good for the mind, why not allow the Bible?

Faith is good for the body too, why not allow Quran?

While we're at it, spirituality has proven to alter people's moods.. Why not keep a school medium handy?

This is obviously religion gone too far. If we teach stretching and exercising, let's teach that. But sitting there and teaching a religion that includes stretching and exercising because we want to teach stretching and exercising is a bit far fetched. I'm glad this isn't in my area, quite frankly if they pulled that on me i'd show up the next day with pentagrams, and a full altar to the spirits. All I would say is "If Yoga is allowed, so is my religion, otherwise you're discriminating based on religious affiliation and I will file lawsuit".

PS-Stripping Yoga of names, poses, chants and such is really disrespectful and is unacceptable in itself. They're basically ripping off a religion and teaching it in whatever way they want to kids...

Edited by xFelix
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you have a source for that?

Sadly I cannot locate the article so..no, I cannot satisty your request.

. The lotus position was renamed the "crisscross applesauce" pose."

How adorable. Giving it a silly name name to appease those who object.

Again, whatever happened to recess or a gym class where kids are offered a variety of things to do for an hour?

Sadly we have become such a sensitive society that feels practically obligated to be offended at everything that it is in the interest of everyone that all forms of religion, fantasy and mysticism be kept out of the school systems.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are so precious these days. I went to a catholic school for 3 years - we did yoga there as part of our religious studies, it was considered fair enough that we know something of other cultures and thoughts back in the 20th Century, now in the 21st, to protect "freedoms" we have to stomp out anything that could be construed as indoctrination into religious thinking or alternative cultures, bah humbug.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kids from schools where they practice yoga show best results on tests. That fact tells all,

Im quite sure it would become standard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are so precious these days. I went to a catholic school for 3 years - we did yoga there as part of our religious studies, it was considered fair enough that we know something of other cultures and thoughts back in the 20th Century, now in the 21st, to protect "freedoms" we have to stomp out anything that could be construed as indoctrination into religious thinking or alternative cultures, bah humbug.

There is a quote from the 1800's. I can't remember from whom or the quote exactly. It goes something like this. In a true democracy more and more people get legislated more and more rights until no one has any. Causing revolution replaced by totalitarianism. We seem to be getting closer and closer to that point.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bit isnt the "mystic energy mumble jumble" the same that you get from Asian martial arts? Are the bible-thumpers also opposed to Kung Fu and Karate, not to mention Aikido?

I don't know about those but the mystical yoga instructors truly believe that there are "energies" beyond science that run inside our bodies and yoga "channels" them or does other beneficial things to them. If you dare challenge these instructors on the nonsense they teach, you'll either be ignored, thrown out of their classes, or just pitied for not understanding the magical truths that exist beyond our dull material world.

It's actually difficult to find yoga instructors who accept that our bodies have muscles that are connected to bones. People absolutely dig the snake oil that these yoga instructors sell (not to imply it's anything tangible like snake oil!) and excitedly repeat it to their friends without even realizing it doesn't make any sense.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I voted yes, frankly because I was not given an option that read -> Don't care..

Truth is, I don't care... I feel it is up to the parents if they want their kids doing yoga ( nearly typed out Yoda lol )

I do not do any yoga myself...I like Yoda though. :D

Edited by Beckys_Mom
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kids from schools where they practice yoga show best results on tests. That fact tells all,

Hold up a sec, this perked my interest.. Can you share something that in fact backs this statement up?

Bare in mind, I am not against yoga, I am just curious where you got this fact from?

Cheers..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saying it depends how yoga is taught is what determines if it is a religion is the same as saying it depends on how Christianity is taught....

Wrong. I've taken a lot of yoga classes that had absolutely no religious or supernatural overtones whatsoever. It does not have to be taught that way but a large number of people totally dig that ancient crap about channeling energies and don't want to hear boring modern knowledge about their muscle groups work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kids from schools where they practice yoga show best results on tests. That fact tells all,

Im quite sure it would become standard.

What facts are these, yoga in and of itself would do little to make a kid do better on a test, (it may help with test jitters) but it is studying and knowing the subject matter that is a sure fire way to ace a test.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a quote from the 1800's. I can't remember from whom or the quote exactly. It goes something like this. In a true democracy more and more people get legislated more and more rights until no one has any. Causing revolution replaced by totalitarianism. We seem to be getting closer and closer to that point.

Are children not aware that there is knowledge outside of the classroom? It's not like they're outlawing yoga off the planet. Kids can take yoga classes on their own and/or read the classic books on yoga and practice it themselves.

Many of these books contain some ridiculous and rather dangerous practices like swallowing bags with strings tied to them to "clean" their stomachs. That's right, you swallow the bag then yank on the string to pull it back out! Yep, this is what kids should be doing!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think without a doubt types of yoga involving deep meditative states and "prana" could be viewed as spiritual, and religious to some groups. I would not have a problem with them teaching yoga that focuses on the exercises and breathing techniques however, but it is hard to avoid talk of "chi/ki/prana" in any eastern martial art. Its never offended me since I just interpret it as extreme concentration and breath control, but I could see how a religious group might get offended, since it is spiritual/mystical in nature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would not have a problem with them teaching yoga that focuses on the exercises and breathing techniques however, but it is hard to avoid talk of "chi/ki/prana" in any eastern martial art.

The best yoga instructors I've ever had were all able to avoid it. Instead they showed diagrams of muscles and joints. I saw that they matched my body so I knew what to work on. These "energies" are completely invisible and undetectable so they seemed completely useless. I believe instructors still teach them because they're a lot simpler than understanding muscle groups.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hold up a sec, this perked my interest.. Can you share something that in fact backs this statement up?

Bare in mind, I am not against yoga, I am just curious where you got this fact from?

Cheers..

What I stressed out more often IS that Im realy sad that due my private life obligations I cant participate in all parts of UM.

I post here mostly in ancient history. But when I would have more time I will start to post in conspiracy and paranormal/metaphysic.

On your post I could wrote a book. There are MANY scientific research which show how yoga is beneficial.

Even Chatolics priests adopt yoga in their routine.

So while I can wrote numerous things on this theme I will point just one tiny part.

About tiny part...and yoga....its all connected.

As we learn, go to school, college we learn just one tiny part of human knowledge. In the end, if you pursuit your education, you would just become expert in one field of one field of science. You get one tiny slice of a pie. For example Proctologist. He only know about colon and anus. He is complete clown if he asked him about others field of medicine.

Or Turkologist. He is an expert in history, culture, customs, traditions about Turkic people but he probably dont have a clue or know outlines about IRA, RAF, ETA and similar.

So people long time start to argued that our life duration isnt long to understand whole picture. Todays scientists dont connect things from others sciencies as they should be.

There are examples. Today if want to make progress in physics we need to make progress in math. Because its all interconnected.

Combination of chemistry and physics and many others brenches born new science called Crystallography.

So how can we reach higher knowledge in our short lives? Its frustrating when you get to library and see hundred books which you like to read. What about private life and puting food on table?

So as people start to argue these kinds of questions, people all over the world got same conclusion. As Einstein who told that religion art and science are brench of same tree.

All sciencies have same root. All. To make it short to get to that root there is only one way meditation. Now by doing meditation you will not get answer on some science question (although I can show examples where people get answer by their own meditation and I belive its possible, but thats just me).

You will start to understand world better. Therefore you will show better results per se. If you understand, if you can set up yourself in Ancient Egypt and study Egyptology you will become better Egyptologist then others. Logic.

Same thing concluded Director of school in Iowa Dr.Ashley Dean. Its education based on consciousness and meditation. Meditaion improves intellect, memory, creativity, productivity.

In Croatia word "Svijest" means Consciousness. Interestigly "Svi" means All and "jest" means it is. So its means "All it is."

We need to reach higher consciousness. And all we need is two times per day 15 minutes to be in silence.

Human can be in different states. Meditate state-Conscious state.Dream state.Awakness state. Sleep state.

Since human best learn in conscious state School in Iowa introduced 2x15 minutes per day that all school spent in total silence. Meditate.

Knowledge is infint and we want to put all it in kids heads. We get frustrated to see how many books we didnt read. And more and more you learn you know less and less of tiny fraction of total knowledge. We become specalists in one area. We cant learn all but there is a source of all knowledge which we can grasp. Human thought. One field. You can spent time studing tree,leafs,roots but if you understand seed you understand all tree. Field of knowledge can be expressed in math,art,languages. Reduce social stress. Crime decline was recorded.

As we progress in our learning we become specalized in just one tiny part of whole human knowledge.

Children from that particular school show best results in average in USA.

What facts are these, yoga in and of itself would do little to make a kid do better on a test, (it may help with test jitters) but it is studying and knowing the subject matter that is a sure fire way to ace a test.

Because you are trained to not seeing whole picture. Read above.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What facts are these, yoga in and of itself would do little to make a kid do better on a test, (it may help with test jitters) but it is studying and knowing the subject matter that is a sure fire way to ace a test.

Mindfulness training has been found to help test scores according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara found that teaching mindfulness through meditation helped improve the GRE scores of students.

"Despite the wide recognition that mind wandering is a pervasive and often disruptive influence in our lives, almost no research has established effective strategies for reducing mind wandering," said co-author Michael Mrazek.

"We set out to find ways to reduce mind wandering and thereby improve performance within educational contexts."

The study recruited 48 college students and assigned half to a meditation class and the other to a nutrition class.

More from GlobalPost: Meditation can speed up the brain, researchers say

The classes convened four times per week for 45 minutes each.

The sessions lasted for two weeks.

The mindfulness classes focused on breathing and paying attention to their senses in order to not let their thoughts wander.

Tests were given before and after for reading comprehension and memory.

The students who took the mindfulness class showed significant improvements in their scores compared to those in the nutrition class.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/health/130327/meditation-can-help-improve-test-scores

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mindfulness training has been found to help test scores according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara found that teaching mindfulnessthrough meditation helped improve the GRE scores of students.

"Despite the wide recognition that mind wandering is a pervasive and often disruptive influence in our lives, almost no research has established effective strategies for reducing mind wandering," said co-author Michael Mrazek.

"We set out to find ways to reduce mind wandering and thereby improve performance within educational contexts."

The study recruited 48 college students and assigned half to a meditation classand the other to a nutrition class.

More from GlobalPost: Meditation can speed up the brain, researchers say

The classes convened four times per week for 45 minutes each.

The sessions lasted for two weeks.

The mindfulness classes focused on breathing and paying attention to their senses in order to not let their thoughts wander.

Tests were given before and afterfor reading comprehension and memory.

The students who took the mindfulness class showed significant improvements in their scores compared to those in the nutrition class.

http://www.globalpos...ove-test-scores

I didnt want to mention all benefits because I would post next 13 pages nothing then links of scientific studies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yoga is a integral part of Hinduism, and this is a fact not just my opinion. To teach yoga is to teach a religion, regardless of how you try to change it or water it down. Schools are supposed to be secular, so you can not teach yoga. Now that being said I don't feel that there is anything wrong with Hinduism or any major religion for that matter, But I don't think it's something that belongs in schools. Why not just go back to basic physical education and recess?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mindfulness training has been found to help test scores according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara found that teaching mindfulnessthrough meditation helped improve the GRE scores of students.

"Despite the wide recognition that mind wandering is a pervasive and often disruptive influence in our lives, almost no research has established effective strategies for reducing mind wandering," said co-author Michael Mrazek.

"We set out to find ways to reduce mind wandering and thereby improve performance within educational contexts."

The study recruited 48 college students and assigned half to a meditation classand the other to a nutrition class.

More from GlobalPost: Meditation can speed up the brain, researchers say

The classes convened four times per week for 45 minutes each.

The sessions lasted for two weeks.

The mindfulness classes focused on breathing and paying attention to their senses in order to not let their thoughts wander.

Tests were given before and afterfor reading comprehension and memory.

The students who took the mindfulness class showed significant improvements in their scores compared to those in the nutrition class.

http://www.globalpos...ove-test-scores

Interesting, yeah I can see on reading for focus maybe, but math or other subjects you simply have to know the material. Thanks for the link. :tu:

Edited by Sherapy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yoga is a integral part of Hinduism.

Not true. Its part of humanity.

Then dont use books, gun powder etc... because religion invented them.

Edited by the L
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suppose there are inter connections between Mind,Body and Soul in Human. Yoga method is all about achieving the higher state of consciousness, and your well being. The human mind is a powerful thing, It works just like a computer, there for every movement from opening your eyes,flexing your muscles and everything we do in life are controlled by it. The inner part of human so called ''Soul'' or the core of energy which located in the chakra areas. There you can channelize your energy how you like it, which in Yoga prioritizing in positive out come, such as focusing in teaching breathing technique to solve the current stress, anger and fear. By releasing the negative energy and replace it with positive energy in your system, you would no longer having the same feeling of stress, anguish etc as long as you maintain your balance in your daily life. So it doesn't surprise me if, there are students out there who are more successful in their exam and out smarted other students in their intelligence by just simply practicing Yoga or meditation whether at home or at school. Remember, mind could take you as far as you want to go!

Edited by Mindscanner
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Odd that there are no numbers from the UCSB experiment, only interpretations about the results of the experiments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not true. Its part of humanity.

I think I understand what they're complaining about now.

Then dont use books, gun powder etc... because religion invented them.

Religion doesn't invent things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.