My recent article on a form of Tibetan Buddhist yoga called yantra yoga got me thinking about this question. Many people are now practicing yoga in the West, and other forms of 'contemplative' exercise like Tai Chi. These forms were all originally created as complements to spiritual practice. So I am wondering, do you consider your yoga practice, or any other form of exericise, a part of your spirituality? Does it help you experience the present moment better, or help you to calm yourself in a way that helps you find your spiritual center?

I consider it to be more exercise than spiritual, but I think the two tie together. The whole "your body is a temple" type of idea...

Yea, that sounds similar to how I have always tended to view it - that taking care of my body is an important part of taking care of myself, and therefore sort of indirectly spiritual, in that we experience all of our life, including our spirituality, at least partly through our bodies. But Tibetan yantra yoga, and kundalini yoga in the Indian traditions, are interesting variations on this - the poses are actually meant to trigger openings in the chakras and related channels, providing 'doorways' into profound spiritual realizations. And in some karate forms that emphasize Zen, being one with the movement is also considered a spiritual doorway in and of itself, which I can also relate to.

I began yoga for its physical benefits but think I have stayed with it for its spiritual benefits. Yoga has definitely helped me to slow down and discover moments of inner stillness that indeed feel like the doorway to the divine.