The diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church has issued leaflets about the dangers of yoga and Hinduism in general.
Yoga is part of the religion of Hinduism, and there is no getting away from it. Many people ask – why not do yoga simply as gymnastics, without plunging into its occult and mystical depths? The word yoga itself comes from the Sanskrit yuj, which means “to match, to bind”. And “religion” is from the Latin religare: “to bind, to unite”. In both cases, it is meant that a person establishes a connection with God – or with some other forces, invisible, but able to interact with people. Thus, to say that yoga is non-religious is simply illogical: “yoga” and “religion” are almost synonymous.
The ROC condemns yoga as part of Hinduism and does not recommend ROC adherents to practice yoga.
Promotional materials were produced by the Kurgan Diocese of the Orthodox Church in Russia.
As we go further, the more the political system in Russia begins to resemble strontism as part of a fascist dictatorship.
The post sparked heated discussions on Russia’s social media and condemnation of orthodoxy.
