Question: "What is the Christian view of yoga?

"

Answer: For many Christians in the West who don't understand the history behind
it, yoga is simply a means of physical exercise, and strengthening and improvin
g flexibility of the muscles. However, the philosophy behind yoga is much more t
han physically improving oneself. It is an ancient practice derived from India,
believed to be the path to spiritual growth and enlightenment.

The word "yoga" means "union," and the goal is to unite one's transitory (tempor
ary) self with the infinite Brahman, the Hindu concept of "God." This "God" is n
ot a literal being, but is an impersonal spiritual substance that is one with na
ture and the cosmos. This view is called "pantheism," the belief that everything
is God, and that reality consists only of the universe and nature. Because ever
ything is God, the yoga philosophy makes no distinction between man and God.

Hatha yoga is the aspect of yoga which focuses on the physical body through spec
ial postures, breathing exercises, and concentration or meditation. It is a mean
s to prepare the body for the spiritual exercises, with less obstacles, in order
to achieve enlightenment. The practice of yoga is based on the belief that man
and God are one. It is little more than self-worship disguised as a high level o
f spirituality.

The question becomes, is it possible for a Christian to isolate the physical asp
ects of yoga as simply a method of exercise, without incorporating the spiritual
ity or philosophy behind it? I don't believe so. Yoga originated with a blatantl
y anti-Christian philosophy, and that philosophy has not changed. It teaches one
to focus on oneself instead of on the one true God. It encourages its participa
nts to seek the answers to life's difficult questions within their own conscienc
e instead of in the Word of God. It also leaves one open to deception from God's
enemy, who searches for victims that he can turn away from God (1 Peter 5:8).

Whatever we do should be done for God's glory (1 Corinthians 10:31), and we woul
d be wise to heed the words of the apostle Paul: "Fix your thoughts on what is t
rue and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and adm
irable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise" (Philippians
4:8, NLT).

Why You Should Stay Away from Yoga

We are bombarded by messages of yoga's peaceful and healthful benefits, but what
we don't hear, specifically in the United States, is the true origins of this t
ype of lifestyle. Laurette made it very clear to me in a recent phone interview.
"These are postures that are offered to the 330 million Hindu gods. Yoga posture
s really are; they are offerings to the gods. If you do these postures and you d
o this breathing technique and this meditation, then you will be accepted by a g
od, little "G." That's the real danger," she said.
Laurette told me that one of her PraiseMoves certified personal trainers visited
India for three months on a mission trip, and she would often see people in the
streets doing yoga poses in front of the statues of the gods.
"Romans 12:1-2 says we are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God," ad
ded Laurette. "Here they are doing something very similar with these postures to
their 330 million gods, and it is scary. So we abstain from things offered to i
dols Acts 15:29."
In yoga they do what they call pranayama breathing. Prana is the Hindu word for
life force, the same concept as the word chi in some martial arts. Yoga breathin
g attempts to manipulate that life energy, which Laurette believes is perilous.
"That is a dangerous thing," she said, "because I think that we are coming out f
rom under the blood of Jesus when we do stuff like that, and we are no match for
the enemy in those areas. I think of what Paul said in Ephesians 2:2, that Sata
n is the prince of the power of the air. We are not talking about oxygen."
A third area of concern in yoga is the concept of emptying the mind, which is co
ntradictory to what Christianity teaches. As Laurette explained, "We are transfo
rmed by the renewing of our minds, not the emptying ."
Along with emptying the mind, yoga guides people into astral travel, which is wh
ere people actually leave their bodies, a practice that Laurette was familiar wi
th and has since questioned. "I wonder with those experiences when I left my bo
dy what got in there when I was gone?" Laurette posed. "As a Christian with the
Holy Spirit in there, we are not going to be possessed, I don't think. But one c
ould easily be oppressed."
Clearly, with this understanding of yoga, Christians should think twice before h
eading to the local gym for a yoga class. But if you are a Christian who thinks
it's all right to attend yoga classes because you think you are strong enough no
t to fall prey to the spiritual deception that's being taught and you enjoy the
physical benefits, Laurette pleads in all seriousness that you to please conside
r a younger believer or weaker Christian who is watching your lifestyle. If you
go to a yoga class, chances are they might be inspired to go also, and they coul
d fall completely off track in their walk with God.
The 'Christian Yoga' Controversy
Can yoga and its religious roots be separated? Some who have been concerned abou
t Eastern influences of yoga have looked to hatha yoga for answers, since hatha
yoga is supposed to simply be the flexibility exercises without the spiritual in
fluences. But Laurette is convinced that yoga and Hinduism are inextricably link
ed, and beyond that, there can be no such thing as Christian yoga.
"Christian yoga is an oxymoron," said Laurette. "It is like saying someone is a
Christian Buddhist or a Christian Hindu. What some people are doing is that they
are trying to make yoga Christian. Even Hindus are saying that you cannot do th
at."
Laurette's Story: Sucked into Yoga and the New Age
Laurette first got involved in yoga as a little girl. Her mother used to give fr
ee yoga classes to the college students, and Laurette was the demonstration mode
l. Laurette loved being the center of attention, so yoga was fun. In addition, t
he exercises really relaxed her mother.
But Laurette warns that yoga's ability to bring a sense of calm is one of its de
ceptive charms: "That's one thing people look at, too," said Laurette. "They say
, 'My doctor, my chiropractor, my physical therapist says to do it. It helps me.
I feel less stressful.' Well, it wouldn't be a hook if it didn't have something
good in it."
Yoga also fulfilled a spiritual need in Laurette's life. Though her family went
to church, Laurette says she never heard the message of salvation preached there
.
"We didn't know about living the victorious Christian life," she explained. "We
were not aware of the deception that is inherent within yoga and its connections
to Hinduism. It seemed so spiritual, so it was fulfilling a void that was in ou
r lives. I have found that any part of our lives that is not submitted to the lo
rdship of Jesus Christ is an open door for the enemy. As I look back, that was t
he open door to the New Age for us. We began getting into Edgar Cayce, Ouija boa
rds, crystals, and all kinds of things."