Yoga has greatly assisted me to maintain balanced consciousness, healthy body and a rhythm of life. Can I reconcile my Yogini Self with Anthroposophy?
I innerstand Steiner’s framing of yoga belonging to a past age was thru his observation of Guru centred ashrams (schools) of yoga. The group-soul of humanity past needed guidance from a spiritual leader, such as a guru, to connect with Divinity. We are growing out of that condition. This type of yoga doesn’t work for modern humans. We have seen the abuse of power called out in many guru led yogic institutions. In Steiner’s time this was the kind of yoga promoted by his contemporaries.
Modern postural yoga has become disassociated from spiritual practice. It’s a realm of yoga babes and lycra. If Steiner viewed this outcome, of course it would have been distasteful to him – it’s highly materialistic.
The infamous emphasis on “kundalini awakening” which, I believe was deliberately promoted by Luciferian influence, has distorted the purpose of yoga. Gopi Krishna’s Kundalini: the Evolutionsry Energy in Man (1971) and Yogi Bhajan bringing Kundalini Yoga to America in 1969 fuelled focus on the lower chakras.
Considering all of the distortions above, I return to the significance of my practice and how it has clearly helped me in life.
- It’s a rhythm. It engages me in sunrise and centres me before I sleep.
- I learnt it from Individualists. My teachers blended the best of classical tantra yoga with their Aquarian lifestyle and their intuitive abilities to connect with Angels and Divinity. There is a stream of modern yoga that is freeform while honouring Spirit and abhorring Guru worship.
- My yoga, now viewed through my ever expanding lens of Anthroposophy, brings me strength, clarity and greater contemplative ability on the Path.
Have a look at this – I feel deep yoga is truly aligned with Steiner’s teachings – https://www.satyoga.org/blog/shiva-shakti-adventure/ … These are some brief musings on a very wide and wonderful topic.
Wholeness River Retreat 