Relatively new to the list of controversial health topics is the practice of yoga by Christians. Though its Hindu origins are widely understood and agreed upon, the Christian community offers conflicting opinions about yoga's spiritual relevance in the United States today. Those who simply view yoga as an effective way to improve flexibility and reduce stress are met with criticism by those whose stance rings loud and clear: the practice of yoga is spiritually dangerous and should not be taken lightly.
In the West, yoga has introduced itself to the American people as a secular, neutral practice. Yoga is known to improve physical fitness, reduce stress and help relieve chronic pain. The flexibility achieved through yoga reduces a person's risk for injury and can even elongate a person's figure. "America's Next Top Model" winner Eva Pigford claims that she grew two inches after intense yoga training. The deep breathing techniques associated with yoga are also linked to efforts in smoking cessation and migraine relief.
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit term for "yoke" or "union." Historically, the practice aimed to produce an experience of union with Brahman, the impersonal god of Hinduism. Prana is the Hindu label for universal energy, which through yoga is concentrated from the air and distributed throughout the body through various breathing techniques. Through hatha yoga and tantric yoga, prana is allegedly transferred from one individual to another. In other forms of yoga, the pinnacle of enlightenment is called "Kundalini arousal." In Hindu mythology, Kundalini is the serpent goddess who rests at the base of the spine and when aroused, travels up the spine to activate prana. Many adept at manipulating this force are commonly referred to in the United States as shamans, witch doctors or psychics associated with the pagan or occult world.
But yoga's Eastern roots are not the sole cause for controversy. Many Christians in opposition to yoga share the same opposition to any energy healing practice that holds the pantheistic view that everything in the universe is divine. Therapies such as Reiki, Quantum-Touch and Chakra balancing fall into this category. If man is divine, man is his own god and can heal himself. This view removes the separation between God and man, which Christians call sin. Without sin, man would be in no need of Jesus Christ, the Savior. It is the Christian belief that only through God's son Jesus Christ can a man be reconciled to God. The conflict between yogic ideology and Christianity by now should be quite obvious.
Where does this leave Christians who want the physical benefits of yoga without the potentially dangerous spiritual ramifications? Laurette Willis, a well-known author and speaker in the Christian community, left "New Age" practices and developed a deep breathing and stretching program called PraiseMoves, which many have labeled "the Christian alternative to yoga." Improved flexibility can come from any general but comprehensive stretching program, or through classes in gymnastics or ballet. Christians who feel "strong enough in their faith" to practice yoga without succumbing to Eastern religious influence are encouraged to research instructors before they begin a program, and to fully understand which form of yoga the instructor is teaching.
No matter where a person falls on the spectrum of belief, personal motives should be addressed. What void does yoga fill? For some, yoga is only exercise. For others, stress relief. To the Christian opposed to yoga because of its connection to energy healing, yoga is blasphemous and profane. It is the Christian belief that God offered the free gift of salvation through his son Jesus Christ and through Him alone comes healing and true peace. Accepting the free and eternal gift of salvation may not improve your physical flexibility, but for many Christians, the peace found through Christ is all the stress relief and enlightenment they need.
In the West, yoga has introduced itself to the American people as a secular, neutral practice. Yoga is known to improve physical fitness, reduce stress and help relieve chronic pain. The flexibility achieved through yoga reduces a person's risk for injury and can even elongate a person's figure. "America's Next Top Model" winner Eva Pigford claims that she grew two inches after intense yoga training. The deep breathing techniques associated with yoga are also linked to efforts in smoking cessation and migraine relief.
Yoga comes from the Sanskrit term for "yoke" or "union." Historically, the practice aimed to produce an experience of union with Brahman, the impersonal god of Hinduism. Prana is the Hindu label for universal energy, which through yoga is concentrated from the air and distributed throughout the body through various breathing techniques. Through hatha yoga and tantric yoga, prana is allegedly transferred from one individual to another. In other forms of yoga, the pinnacle of enlightenment is called "Kundalini arousal." In Hindu mythology, Kundalini is the serpent goddess who rests at the base of the spine and when aroused, travels up the spine to activate prana. Many adept at manipulating this force are commonly referred to in the United States as shamans, witch doctors or psychics associated with the pagan or occult world.
But yoga's Eastern roots are not the sole cause for controversy. Many Christians in opposition to yoga share the same opposition to any energy healing practice that holds the pantheistic view that everything in the universe is divine. Therapies such as Reiki, Quantum-Touch and Chakra balancing fall into this category. If man is divine, man is his own god and can heal himself. This view removes the separation between God and man, which Christians call sin. Without sin, man would be in no need of Jesus Christ, the Savior. It is the Christian belief that only through God's son Jesus Christ can a man be reconciled to God. The conflict between yogic ideology and Christianity by now should be quite obvious.
Where does this leave Christians who want the physical benefits of yoga without the potentially dangerous spiritual ramifications? Laurette Willis, a well-known author and speaker in the Christian community, left "New Age" practices and developed a deep breathing and stretching program called PraiseMoves, which many have labeled "the Christian alternative to yoga." Improved flexibility can come from any general but comprehensive stretching program, or through classes in gymnastics or ballet. Christians who feel "strong enough in their faith" to practice yoga without succumbing to Eastern religious influence are encouraged to research instructors before they begin a program, and to fully understand which form of yoga the instructor is teaching.
No matter where a person falls on the spectrum of belief, personal motives should be addressed. What void does yoga fill? For some, yoga is only exercise. For others, stress relief. To the Christian opposed to yoga because of its connection to energy healing, yoga is blasphemous and profane. It is the Christian belief that God offered the free gift of salvation through his son Jesus Christ and through Him alone comes healing and true peace. Accepting the free and eternal gift of salvation may not improve your physical flexibility, but for many Christians, the peace found through Christ is all the stress relief and enlightenment they need.
