by Iyan Nurmansyah from The Jakarta Post

Photo by Napie Moksin

When a Malaysian friend told me that Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council had declared that “yoga is forbidden for Muslims”, I honestly thought he was joking. It was, therefore, surreal for me to see this topic being discussed in the editorial section of this paper.

However, I then began to question whether I and many of my Muslims friend had become closeted Hindus after practicing yoga for years.

As an enthusiast of Ashtanga Yoga, I wondered which part of it has caused some kind of irritation to these ulemas.

If we translate plainly, Surya Namaskara, which is central to the practice of ashtanga yoga, means Sun Salutation. To claim that performing this movement indicates that a Muslim yoga practitioner worships Surya/Ravi (the Sun God), instead of Allah is an insult to our intelligence.

While performing this movement, practitioners concentrate on their bodily movements and breathing. No yoga instructor is trying to corrupt the Muslim practitioner’s mind by suggesting we chant something like “let us pray to the Sun God, and may He give us health and wealth” or something similar.

The very reason why many have argued that yoga is an exercise, which can give us peace of mind, is not because the Sun God plays its trick (or responds), but because during the whole process we concentrate solely on our breathing and the flexibility of our body.

Unlike many competitive sports in which we have to focus not only on ourselves, but also on how to defeat our opponents, yoga is extremely noncompetitive. Practitioners only have to pose and move according to their own bodily ability and flexibility. They do not need to worry whether someone next to them is fitter and suppler.

In a life where most of us are conditioned that it is important to be number one and to be the best whether we admit it or not (i.e. being the best student, having the best job, adhering to the best religion on earth, living in the best country of the world or whatever), practicing yoga is a kind of bliss.

At least for a while, yoga practitioners only focus on how precious their body, mind and breathing are. There is no need to feel that we have to win, to defeat or to be much better than everybody around us.

It is true that there is a part in the exercise in which practitioners chant a mantra. For example, in the yoga class that I sometimes attend, we chant Mantra Mangala.

However, it is wrong to simply translate the Mantra Mangala as a chant directed to Mangala (Mars/the God of War). Instead of throwing accusations that this sort of chanting could potentially make Muslims question their faith, we should actually focus on the content of the chanting itself.

More or less, the chanting includes words such as “may there be peace on earth; may all human beings be prosperous and live in harmony; may the welfare of all people be protected” and so on.

This is a universal message that I believe people from all religions — be they Muslims, Hindus, Christians or Buddhists — are familiar with. If one refuses to see this chanting as something which has a universal value, at least chanting that is better than rehearsing words which would potentially lead people to attack others who do not share their beliefs.

The universality of yoga can also be seen by the variety of participants who join the classes. In my own experience, it is hardly that yoga classes are dominated by Hindus as some rather foolishly think. In fact, there are always people from widely different cultural and religious backgrounds in these classes.

The funny thing is that yoga is actually a heritage of our ancestors. It has gained a remarkable international reputation due to its universal appeal and message. Indonesians should actually feel closer to it, instead of treating it as some kind of alien exercise that can corrupt our minds.

It is not my place to criticize the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) for debating the practice of yoga. However, it is appropriate to question whether this move will even further distance many Muslims from others. Another question is of course whether some actually regard the essence of universality itself a threat against the exclusivity of their faith.

(En)lighten up.

From FREE MALAYSIA TODAY, July 12 2010

By Ken Vin Lek and G Vinod, photo by Ted Adnan

KUALA LUMPUR: Astro had pulled the plug on an episode called Project Alpha which was to feature Yoga instructor Ninie Ahmad.

The episode, which was supposed to be aired on the HITZ.TV channel on July 4, was supposedly scrapped because of the Fatwa Council’s prohibition on Muslims practicing Yoga.

In her blog posting, Ninie said: “(On Sunday, July 4) I was informed that Astro will not air my episode of Project Alpha that is scheduled tonight because the Quality Control (QC) department said that under Fatwa law, they could not air a Malay person teaching yoga.”

This is not the first time that she has faced such problems with regards to Astro.

Back in June 2008, Ninie was invited to be a guest on the talk show called Ek Eleh hosted by comedian Afdlin Shauki, but Astro did not screen the recording.

“To my utmost surprise and biggest horror, they replaced my (almost 20 minutes of full-on) interview with ‘the best footage’ out of all 26 episodes…

“They could have had the courtesy to at least call and inform me in advance. I feel sorry for them for they feel the need to do this and for the Malaysian media which still feel reluctant to feature me and help promote yoga even though it’s not banned in Malaysia,” she said in a blog posting then.

Despite numerous attempts, FMT could not contact Astro’s officials for comments.

In November 2008, the Fatwa Council declared that Muslims are prohibited from practicing Yoga because of its Hindu roots.

The move drew flak from several quarters, including the royalty, with Negeri Sembilan’s Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaffar asking, “Where do we draw the line?”

“Islam is a progressive religion and the ulama (scholars) should be confident of the followers’ faith rather than micro-managing their way of life.

“If I go to a church or a Buddhist temple, is there any fear of me converting?” he said.

On Nov 26 that year, former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Muslims could continue practicing Yoga, minus the chanting of mantras.

Fatwas or religious edicts are not legally binding, but they are highly influential in Malaysia, where Malay-Muslims form just over half of the country’s 27 million people.

Photo by Anna-Rina

When I told people that I am taking a year of break from KL to see the world, many raised eyebrows and concerns. Among the reactions that I received were,

“Why? You have everything going for you here!”

“You must be one of the participants for The Amazing Race Asia 4!”

“Are you pregnant?”

.   .   .   .   .   .

You want the truth?

Photo by Joe Low

I am tired of KL.

Forget about the system that doesn’t work and the embarassing political nuisance – I am mostly sick of people’s ignorance.

I kept fighting for the yoga I believe in as I know that when MORE PEOPLE DO YOGA + PEOPLE DO MORE YOGA  – they will take care of their health & environment more & this country will be a better place for us all to live in.

And just so when I repetitively asked myself one last time “Am I making the right decision?” and “Am I ready?” – this morning I was informed that ASTRO will NOT air my episode of Project Alpha that is scheduled on HITZ.tv (Astro Ch 705) tonight because ‘QC dept said that under the Fatwa law, they couldn’t air a Malay person teaching Yoga’.

Of course this is not unfamiliar for me.

[ Read THIS ]

WHAT, I can’t play here?

.. I know I am making the right decision here.

.   .   .   .   .

God knows I have done almost everything I can to change what I thought could be changed.

God knows my faith is far from shaken or stirred.

God knows the more Yoga Sutra I read, the more translation of Holy Qur’an I get.

God knows how I feel closer to Him the closer I get to know every fibre in my being.

God knows that by every breath I inhale when I’m on my mat, the more I realize that it is MY responsibility to extend this life and this health I am given.

God knows that the more flexible I get & the longer I can stand on my two hands, the more patient & humbled I become.

God knows how yoga has changed me from a girl who had low self-esteem for always having been the shortest everything in her life – to a person that sees everything positive, that thinks impossible really IS nothing.

My impossible behind one of the world’s seven wonders

I have set my foot in Amsterdam, New York, Toronto for the past month and the further I go, all the more I know my calling is not here.

I have China, India and LA on my itinerary next and I don’t plan to come home anytime soon although a big part of my heart is here.

I’ll come back when you are ready for me.

But as for now, let me go..

I forgive those who just don’t understand whilst,

most girls’ wish list & dreams are to have a walk-in wardrobe, another LV Speedy 25 and to have 3 kids & still have the body & style of Victoria Beckham,

and some boys’ work like no tomorrow to own VW Scirocco in Shadow Blue and to be financially independant to not have to work for someone else anymore,

.. MY short-term plan is to go to India further studying Ashtanga, Vedanta & Ayurveda, leaving no debts and no one depending on me back at home – hopefully before I hit 30,

and dare I say, my lifelong dream is to know exactly when I will leave my body and breathe my last breath – with no painful illness, no gory injury, absolute no hatred and no desire to want or feel anything anymore. Hopefully in a knowing sleep after having finished another round of chanting Holy Al’ Quran.

That is why everyday I wake up, everything I put in my body, every drop of sweat, every word I say to anyone, every affirmation I pray here – is heading to the way and to the dreams I live my life to realise.

So if my last day in this lifetime is tomorrow, I know I have no regret for I would have returned this body He lent me and have served Him with full responsibility.

God willing.

For my birthday last year, I bought myself this book amongst many (every birthday I’d buy myself books significant to my age, so 27 books last year) and found it to have been very helpful with my poor Sanskrit pronounciation and comprehension.

‘COMPLETE A TO Y GUIDE’ – how can I not buy that?

Anyone who’s been practicing yoga long enough would agree that – it is crucial to properly pronounce Sanskrit as it is the language of yoga.

Understanding the meaning and purpose of each yoga asana (pose) helps preserve the terms related to the science of yoga – an understanding that is lost when these asanas are known only by their English names.

Knowing the postures names in Sanskrit allows teachers and students to unambiguously refer to a posture as the same posture may have several different English names (and refer to my title, having joined two different Yoga TTC in China humbled me – when yoga poses were being translated from Sanskrit to Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghai-nese, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese and Tagalog.. Why don’t just translate them to English, you asked? – because most Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and Thai don’t even understand basic English! Aren’t we 1Malaysia lucky?)

adidas Ra’Yoka TTC (Shanghai March ‘08)

God knows I struggle with my basic Sanskrit pronounciation and I’d be happy to be able to name all poses in Ashtanga Primary & Second Series and to be able to count them without second guessing myself.

As a Muslim yoga practitioner, I also find it helpful to understand basic Sanskrit as I can differentiate basic words / actions / verbs with Gods from deities / goddesses’ from Sages names so that I have an option to not say them out loud when I chant / meditate / perform kirtans.

I keep stressing (in my blog) that anything Sanskrit doesn’t necessarily mean Hindu and I personally believe that, The Highest Above understands all languages before we even say it. Hence I make it a point to READ the translation of Al’ Quran as often as I can instead of blatantly singing my prayers in Arabic that I don’t understand (sitting for Arabic For Communication PMR paper evidently doesn’t help).

Back to Sanskrit (before I go ahead, do you know that 80% of Malay words were Sanskrit-based? What do you think ‘guru‘, ‘agama‘, ‘raja‘, ‘sakti‘, ‘sama‘ all came from?) – most yoga teachers instruct asanas in Sanskrit as they were taught, trained and encouraged to do so but in our effort of preserving the art and language of yoga, most students get literally lost in translation as most of them just understand basic Tadasana, Chaturanga, Balasana and Shavasana (err, you don’t get them either?).

So when one of my students shared this over our teh-tarik-post-yoga-class last week, Azmi (Samdjaga) & I can’t stop laughing for minutes!

She said, “I don’t know what exactly the pose name is but it sounds like ‘Pandang Straight Tapi Tengok Sana‘ (from Malay translation, ‘Look Straight But Turn Ahead‘) to me..”

I’m quite sure she meant this pose,

PADANGUSTHASANA

And she wasn’t finished.

She added, “I have one more pose I don’t know how to pronounce. That ‘La Bodega Padan Muka‘ pose itu“.

Azmi & I still can’t decipher that one though.

Love and light.

Lokha Samastha Sukhino Bhavanthu.

Would you believe me if I say that it equally means Gong Xi Fai Chai and Assalamualaikum?