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Christ... a yogi?

posted on Monday, August 25, 2008 08:33 PM

Author: Sanjay Kumar, Brighton

Legend has it that the missing years in the Biblical account of Christ’s life were spent in Kashmir and Peshawar learning the arts of Hatha yoga.

Some Indian Christians maintain that Christ’s mastery of illusion and apparently occult power derived from his training as a yogi. They cite his ability to walk on water and perform minor miracles, such as turning water into wine, as proof of his yogic prowess, seeing in his powers the siddhis (accomplishments) that are a by-product of yogic discipline.

Above all it is the story of the crucifixion that has fuelled the myth of Christ as siddha (yogic grand master). The legend relates that Christ did not die on the cross, but (through controlled breathing) stopped his heartbeat to simulate the physical condition of death.

As in Hatha Yoga, he used his body as a metaphor for spiritual advancement, taking on it the sins of his devotees, which could then be burnt off by austerity.

According to the same legend, Christ re-animated himself after three days in deep trance and, after appearing briefly to his disciples, returned to Kashmir, where he later died.

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