Quote of the Week 51 - Yoga and Judaism

“I met two Jewish rabbis of Indian origin. They discussed the Kabbalah, and I better understood the practices of Judaism after talking to them…Yoga practices and the practices of the Kabbalah are similar. After studying the literature, I have concluded that the spiritual practices are identical in all the great religions of the world.”

“The ancient philosophy of Samkhya, which is the basis of yoga, and the philosophy of Kabbalah seem to have the same source. According to the Kabbalistic system, life is associated with numbers. This is an ancient Samkhya concept. Many of the teachings of the Gita are similar to Judaism. These two great religions, Hinduism and Judaism, are similar and are the most ancient religions in the world. The B’hai temple and religion accepts and emphasizes this fact in its monogram and its literature. The concept of Sri Yantra, a highly and scientifically evolved ancient yoga process for enlightenment, centers on the Star of David, also known as the anahata chakra in yoga literature and as the Sacred Heart in Christian practices. Sri Yantra was most probably known to the ancients of the Temple of Solomon. According to the spiritual literature of the ancients, it is a very sacred yoga process. It helps one to establish his relationship with other beings, the universe and its Creator.”

“I believe that yoga is a complete science of life which is equally applicable and helpful for men, women and children. Religions are social sciences which help to maintain culture and tradition and support the lawful structure of human society. Yoga is a universal science for self-improvement and enlightenment. All the methods of self-growth which are found in any religion are already in yoga literature.”

“It is necessary for the religious and spiritual leaders of various groups from different parts of the world to meet, discuss and share their philosophies and ideas. I am very firm in my opinion that all great religions are one and the same, though their ways seem to be different. Diverse are the ways of enlightenment, but the goal is one and the same. If the spiritual leaders meet, discuss and understand other paths, they can help their communities and thus lead them to communicate with different groups and religions of the world. Anyone who says that his religion is the only true religion is ignorant and misguides the followers of that religion. Prejudice is like a poison that kills human growth. Love is inclusive and is the foundation of all great religions.”

“We [practitioners who have progressed through study and practice of the yoga system of Pantanjali, Advaita Vedanta, Sri Vidya and Prayoga Shastra] do not associate ourselves with any particular religion, caste, sex or color.”

--from Living with the Himalayan Masters, by Swami Rama