Yoga, Naked Men, and Feral Cows

Today, I learned a little about Hinduism.  More specifically, I learned about Yoga, naked men that are revered, and feral cows roaming India.

For whatever reason, I have been living under a giant rock and always thought that Yoga was the practice of sticking one's foot up one's bum and chanting peacefully.  My Yoga friends are super chill, so I figured it must work, but, alas, the BRG's foot does not bend so well in the opposite direction.  I have always opted for Pilates.

But, apparently, there are different types of Yoga.  Who knew?

The goal of Hinduism, in a very teensy nut shell, is to avoid being reincarnated (Moksha).  Or, if you must be reincarnated, your goal is to come back as something better than you are in this lifetime.  As a Christian, I obviously don't buy into these ideas, but, the getting there, the doing it part, well, now, that is pretty fascinating and worth a try.

My information, by the way, was gathered in my Baptist Sunday School class.  Our pastor (also the chaplain at the school) is really open minded about all world religions and is an academic to the core.  I am jealous that students get to listen to him while I prance around trying to get seniors to adore Chaucer's hilarious references to medieval flatulence.  Anywho.  His presentation was informative and, as usual, I grabbed some paper and jotted down notes. Those, however, are in the van, and it is 1:20AM and I am already in my pajamas.  So, I have to remember most of what he said, and, of course, consult Ye-Old Wikipedia.

But, before I go into how much a I admire the different Yoga disciplines...I must just note that I had no idea there were hoards of naked men wandering around India.  These men are so holy and have achieved such perfect balance with the world that they don't need clothing or its earthly implications.  On the yearly pilgrimage, they gather on these stairs next to water and then cleanse themselves.  My only question is whether they do that any time they near steps and water or if that is reserved for just that day.  If the former is true, yay.  If the latter is true, the sight of these men on the day before they bathe is likened to the mental image I possess of nudist colonies.  Unpleasant is an understatement.

The other thing I learned about were cows.  I knew that cows are venerated in India much like we venerate the Bald Eagle here in the States.  Actually, it makes a boat load of sense, but I have always felt that way.  Cows are cute and useful.

What I didn't know, though, was that because there are cows all over the place, the, um, substance of cows is all over the place, too.  AND...if the stench stirring up in my nostrils isn't enough...apparently there are about 50,000 cows that are "loose" and roaming the streets.  Feral cows.  Who knew?  So, these boys (literally, cow boys) go around and try to catch the cows.  They return cows if they know of the owner, but what happens to the feral cows?  Is there an SPCC?  Surely, they are not euthanized, but, hmmm, where do all the wild cows go?

So, anyway, back to Yoga.

Here is what Wikipedia says:

Yoga (Sanskrit, Pāli: योग yóga) is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India.^[1][2] The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on the Supersoul.^[3] The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Jainism, andBuddhism.^[4][5][6]

Within Hindu philosophy, the word yoga is used to refer to one of the six orthodox (āstika) schools of Hindu philosophy.^[7][8] Yoga in this sense is based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and is also known as Rāja Yoga to distinguish it from later schools.^[9] Patanjali's system is discussed and elaborated upon in many classical Hindu texts, and has also been influential in Buddhism and Jainism. The Bhagavad Gita introduces distinctions such as Jnana Yoga ("yoga based on knowledge") vs. Karma Yoga ("yoga based on action").

Other systems of philosophy introduced in Hinduism during the medieval period are bhakti yoga, and hatha yoga.^[10][11][12]

The Sanskrit word yoga has the literal meaning of "yoke", from a root yuj meaning to join, to unite, or to attach. As a term for a system of abstract meditation or mental abstraction it was introduced by Patañjali in the 2nd century BC. Someone who practices yoga or follows the yoga philosophy with a high level of commitment is called a yogi oryogini.^[13]

The goals of yoga are varied and range from improving health to achieving moksha.^[14] Within the Hindu monistschools of Advaita Vedanta, Shaivism and Jainism, the goal of yoga takes the form of moksha, which is liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death (samsara), at which point there is a realization of identity with the Supreme Brahman. In the Mahabharata, the goal of yoga is variously described as entering the world of Brahma, as Brahman, or as perceiving the Brahman or Ātman that pervades all things.^[15] For the bhakti schools of Vaishnavism,bhakti or service to Svayam Bhagavan itself may be the ultimate goal of the yoga process, where the goal is to enjoy an eternal relationship with Vishnu.^[16]

 Now, the Yoga that seems to be the fad in the US is the Karma Yoga - the yoga based on action.  But, I find the Jnana Yoga (based on knowledge) much more fascinating.  There is also a yoga based on service.

So, there you have it.  Today I learned a little more about feral cows, naked dudes, and, most importantly, the various concepts of Yoga.  I just ordered a book on how to learn more about Jnana called The Yoga of Truth 

Truly, Christians share a passion for learning the truth.  I am eager to see how much is similar between the Christian and Hindu ideologies.