| Yoga is a broad term, but it has many styles that are | | | | mental note of how many young families you see. If |
| encompassed within this health maintenance system. | | | | you see a crowd that is well mixed in age groups - this |
| Most forms of Yoga address physical, mental, and | | | | is a spiritually healthy congregation. |
| spiritual health - while some are a little strong in one | | | | However, if you rarely see any young people, this is a |
| area, but might be a bit lacking somewhere else. | | | | problem. Consider the state of spiritual health within this |
| One example would be Hatha Yoga and its many | | | | age group. Now, consider that Yoga is a viable solution |
| popular sub-styles. When Yoga traveled outside India, it | | | | for a lack of spiritual health, regardless of the religion |
| evolved into non-Hindu cultures who chose to keep the | | | | practiced. Yoga allows the practitioner to open his or |
| spiritual aspect out of Yoga classes. Yoga is not a | | | | her awareness of spiritual health. |
| religion, but Hindu principles do exist within some Yoga | | | | Now, maybe you are concerned that a Yoga teacher, |
| studios. | | | | who guides students toward spiritual awareness, might |
| For example: Yama and Niyama are Hindu principles, | | | | try to convert you to his or her religion. Here is the |
| but many of us would recognize them as universal | | | | solution: If you want spiritual health from Yoga - find a |
| principles within all religions. We are all familiar with not | | | | Yoga teacher who practices the same religion you do. |
| stealing, lying, or killing each other. However, some | | | | Lastly, attend your local church, mosque, temple, or |
| Hindu concepts, such as having multi-Gods did not mix | | | | shrine. Seek spiritual guidance from a priest, rabbi, |
| well with Christians, Moslems, Jews, or Buddhists. | | | | mullah, monk, or minister, in the religion you are |
| Many of these cultures focused on the physical | | | | comfortable with. You do not have to convert to |
| aspects and continued to take care of their spiritual | | | | anything. The answers to spiritual guidance, health, and |
| health in their church, mosque, temple, or shrine. This is | | | | enlightenment are within your religion. |
| fine, but technology and materialism have started to | | | | The sooner we all realize that peaceful co-existence, |
| destroy the family unit. | | | | and tolerance, will bring about world peace, the better. |
| When families are not unified, religion is often cast | | | | These are the universal principles of Yoga, and they |
| aside. This is not always the rule, but when you go to | | | | do not conflict with any religion. |
| a local church, mosque, temple, or shrine; make a | | | | |