I didn't have the experience of "going into another world" when doing Yoga (perhaps God was protecting me) but I did have the experience of an alteration in the function of the nervous system. The Eastern yogis state in their writings that it is a goal of yoga to alter the nervous system function, in order to allow mystical experiences to occur.
I did recover normal function, but it took months. I achieved this through contacting a yogi who knew how to do it, Swami Satchidananda, and also a group in Seattle who knew how to do it.

Does this happen to everyone who practices yoga? Probably not. But you never know when you go into these practices if you will be one of the "successful" ones.

There is some mistaken information put out by Christian groups about yoga. On the one hand, you have the liberals who think all of it is groovy. On the other hand, you have fundamentalists who do not understand the function of yoga, and think that the "postures" as well as the breathing are likely to produce Satanic manifestations. One of these groups is Lighthouse Trails and their writers, whom I've tried to enlighten on this subject, but they think I'm just a nut. The yoga postures conceivably--in their very advanced state that most people cannot even do--could alter nervous system function. This is not likely. However, the advanced breathing techniques, which practically anyone can learn to do, CAN alter nervous system function, and they can do it pretty quickly. This CAN be reversed but the knowledge of how to do it seems to be pretty "esoteric"--not easily found. I wrote something on it but it was prevented from publication by New Age people who didn't want their "rice bowl" cracked. (figure of speech meaning loss of income). Most things in our "world" are based on keeping the rice bowls intact, and that's understandable in a world based on greed and limiting supply.

One other thing...the question of whether repeating mantras (sacred words) can produce an adverse affect. I forgot to address this in what I wrote above. Yes. This can happen.
The so-called Christian yoga substitutes a so-called Christian word for the sanskrit words used in traditional yoga meditation. Possibly there IS a difference in using a Christian word, it may offer protection, but still, it is the long repetition of the word which produces the hypnotic effect and "altered state of consciousness".
I first got interested in Transcendental Meditation when one of my older students at the community college said she had cured her high blood pressure by doing it. I wasn't always in good health, so I thought it was worth a try.
The original, simple form of TM is to repeat the sanskrit word, while sitting quietly with eyes closed, for twenty minutes twice a day. While I was doing this, I had NO problems arise, and I did feel more relaxed.

Since I had some positive effects from this simple beginning form of meditation, I went on (as many people did) to the more advanced TM courses. These entailed increasing the number of times per day one meditated, and then adding yogic breathing. Aha! Here comes the yoga breathing. The combination of the hypnotic word and the more esoteric breathing led to some really edgy experiences...too much to describe in detail here, but not advised by me. Some people "got away with it". Some people had problems from it. And it was not easily reversed. It could be reversed, but only with knowledge and oversight. It was scary as "hell".

I think this is where Karen Rose meant to comment: God Bless Steven


Karen Rose Wrote:

Blessed Day to all.....Meant to reply on Patti's post, but unfortunately I couldn't find the title which applied to this subject, so I decided to write in the 'new topic' area. While I was reading her post, highlighting on her experiences, wondered how it regarded the *Word of God*, so I began to read and search, for my peace of mind! This is what I found....



Transcendental Meditation, being an off shoot of Hinduism, is a polythesic religion, where not only are there "multiple gods" to worship while meditating, but the human is considered a "divine being" able to reach a higher consciousness simply by looking inward.

There is a supreme god-consciousness that is worship, but is "wholly devoid" of the ability of relationship or personality. The god-consciousness "worship" by TM'ers and Hinders is just that...a divine, passion consciousness, Jesus is simply another teacher. He died just like any human according to TM. Some Tm'ers are more open to other possibility of meditation and in some of these cases the Name of Jesus is recognized as having power as a "mantra", but Jesus is not recognized as the one True and Living God!

According to Mahesh, the Holy Spirit is a "deceptive" persona used by demons to gain access to human (Caruth). The closest alternative to the Holy Spirit in TM would be the encounter of certain gods of deities while meditation or the elevation or "enlightenment" of one's own spirit to a state of holiness or drive.

TM meditation refers to its utmost goal as "enlightenment"; the idea of having "inner peace" and calm at all times. The deep root goal of TM is to immerse its participants into Hinduism. Hinduism's idea of "salvation" is to live a "good" life that will lead to a goal "karma", a better reincarnation, or best yet, to be "reincarnated" into the "supreme being" as a facet of the ultimate divinity.

After death, there are numerous reincarnation before, in which one participated in meditation and the gathering of good karma, one transcends on the physical birth and one's spirit is born into the ultimate God-consciousness where one fully receives the divinity and peace of the universe.

TM is a tool used by the devil to steal people's souls without them even knowing it! TM promises inner peace and tranquility in the natural life and ultimately the attainment by divinity, as a part of an unfeeling god-consciousness. *Biblical Christianity promises not only peace in this life by the "presence" of the Holy Spirit and the *knowledge of God's Love and *Grace for humans, but salvation for the soul is the promise of *Heaven.

Salvation in TM is acquired, ultimately, by human effort. Salvation, in Biblical Christianity is offered by God through Jesus's death and atonement for human sins and by Jesus' Resurrection! Salvation is acquired by the *repentance of sin and *believing on Jesus Christ. TM's is a salvation by "works" religion. Biblical Christianity is a salvation by "faith" religion.

"Karma"=Through the practice of yoga, the Hindu burst into God's super conscious mind, the experience of bliss, all knowing perfect silence.

By promising "rejuvenation of the spirit and *especially a healthy body. (which is so prevalent today's society). Yoga draws people in with its innocent approach with not only the intent of drawing people away from *Jesus, but simply "distract" and "allure". Obviously, another current trend in TM is the representation that Transcendental Meditation is the seemingly "harmless" practice of emptying one's mind through the repetition of "mantras". This is yet another deception, as we are told by Vail Carruth, author of "The Kiss of God". The "Mantras Vail *bought when learning TM actually turned out to be a worshipful phrase to a "false"deity, after she was assure the Mantras were meaningless.

My *most ultimate* intent in writing on this subject, is the *hope that it will make people aware of how they can be easily manipulated, into thinking this form of exercise will bring the peace, that they crave in their inner being. For the absolute only way to find wholesome and satisfying peace, is through, if you will, *meditating on the Holy Word of God!!

2Timothy 15,19...Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.(This word *rightly dividing*,which only occurs here in the New Testament, means "to cut straight", as to cut a straight road, or to keep a *straight course"). The *solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: The Lord knows those who are His, and, "Let *everyone who names the *name of *Christ depart from iniquity. Lovingly through Christ, Karen Rose.

I agree with you, Karen Rose! The Hinduism behind TM is NOT a true way to God. TM is primarily another way for Satan to highjack people seeking God. I am grateful that I escaped from it.

I wish there had been a "good" Bible teaching church in my life at the time I became attracted to TM. There was absolutely nothing. This is the primary reason people get attracted to Eastern mystical practices, because the so-called church has not been available to them, for a variety of reasons.

In my case, I was not raised in a Bible reading home. But many church or synagogue-going classmates got lured into Eastern practices as well. We need more Holy Ghost inspired teachers where young people can actually find them. Maybe there are more now than when I was young. I lived in a barren spiritual land. I know the "Jesus Movement" was underway when I was young, but I knew NO ONE who was in it. I just read the diatribes ridiculing it in mainstream publications such as TIME magazine, to name only one. We were all led AWAY from the Bible It's too bad that God is hard to find in some modern environments. People say things like, "well, there were Bible book stores all over, why didn't you read something there?" Probably because my peers and my co-workers all thought such things were wrong.

Just as now, the false is approved by the majority of college educated people, while the true eludes their grasp. Only the Holy Spirit can overcome that!