Religion that Feels Good: The Appeal of Eastern Spiritual Practices.
© 2012 by Amelia Bacic-Tulevski. Excerpt reprinted with permission.
“Eastern religions” is a catchall term encompassing a vast array of belief systems. Some, including Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism, Shinto, and Confucianism, are theistic (mostly polytheistic). Others, like Buddhism and Jainism, are atheistic. While the various Eastern religions may differ in their definitions of holiness and their ideas on how to achieve it, their spiritual practices are quite similar. Two such practices that have become commonplace in the United States are meditation and yoga. One of the likely reasons for the widespread popularity of these Eastern exercises is the pleasurable impact that they can have on the body.
