As JMG has said a few times, the problem with East-West hybrids comes from the energetic anatomy of the subtle bodies and how these two traditions move energy in the body, as they do so differently. If you mess up with these energies badly enough people can get seriously injured, sicken and die. So, for example I wouldn't combine a routine that involves kundalini with magical traditions that use energy methods like the Middle Pillar. We don't know yet what causes this imbalance but it does happen.
That said, I wouldn't discard asana to be completely safe either, as they are meant to be done in particular sequences for specific purposes but I have found the general sequences that strengthen the whole body to be ok, but that is just my case. Pranayama is a different story, the only ones I've tried safely is deep breathing and the alternate nostril breathing that usually goes by the name nadi shuddhi as these also have balance and overall wellbeing as a goal. Things more complicated and specific than that I wouldn't mess with, with the exception of devotionals, while pursuing a western approach but I would say even that can create inconveniences if you are putting a lot of time into these things in some cases. Knowing what evolved from culture and tradition and what is more free-form from something that takes centuries to develop is quite tricky! And I am not convinced it is possible at all.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
Re: yoga and chakras
Date: 2021-05-03 10:56 pm (UTC)As JMG has said a few times, the problem with East-West hybrids comes from the energetic anatomy of the subtle bodies and how these two traditions move energy in the body, as they do so differently. If you mess up with these energies badly enough people can get seriously injured, sicken and die. So, for example I wouldn't combine a routine that involves kundalini with magical traditions that use energy methods like the Middle Pillar. We don't know yet what causes this imbalance but it does happen.
That said, I wouldn't discard asana to be completely safe either, as they are meant to be done in particular sequences for specific purposes but I have found the general sequences that strengthen the whole body to be ok, but that is just my case. Pranayama is a different story, the only ones I've tried safely is deep breathing and the alternate nostril breathing that usually goes by the name nadi shuddhi as these also have balance and overall wellbeing as a goal. Things more complicated and specific than that I wouldn't mess with, with the exception of devotionals, while pursuing a western approach but I would say even that can create inconveniences if you are putting a lot of time into these things in some cases. Knowing what evolved from culture and tradition and what is more free-form from something that takes centuries to develop is quite tricky! And I am not convinced it is possible at all.