Hermenuetics

Comments

I attended a church in my 20s that was very supportive of the practice of "centering prayer," which involves (in part) breathing exercises similar to those in yoga. The idea is to focus on breathing (and only breathing) as a way of simply being present to God--no words, no requests, just becoming aware of God's presence.

I am also very interested in Christian theology of the body, which you touch on nicely here. I think there is a certain "idolatry of the body" in our culture that we need to be cautious about. As you said, we are called to honor our bodies. Yet we live in a culture that often preaches salvation through health, with strident insistence on certain practices (certain diets, exercises, avoiding toxins, etc.) as necessary, as if good health is the supreme value we hold. We need to hold in tension the fact that our bodies are gifts, so treating them well IS important, but they will also surely fail. I touched on this briefly in my breastfeeding post here yesterday, and it's something I'm interested in exploring in more depth.

Posted By: Ellen | April 22, 2010 9:39 AM

Great article.

Posted By: muse | April 22, 2010 12:14 PM

One reason why yoga has such broad appeal is the lack of practical solutions offered by evangelical Christianity to address the modern phenomenon of stress and busyness. Without a Christian answer, Eastern practices prevail.

Posted By: Andrew | April 22, 2010 1:46 PM

I liked your comment Andrew. Most of the responses to stress that have I had encountered in the church were bits of advice like "Just trust God" "Just Let go and let God" or the ever ubiquitous "Ill be prayin for ya". More wisdom is needed I agree.

Posted By: Basil | April 22, 2010 3:39 PM

I was suspicious of Christian yoga - I thought it would be really lame and cheesy. But then I had the chance to take a couple classes with Sarah Riehm of Redeeming Yoga - http://redeemingyoga.com/index.htm and found it to be a prayerful, rejuvenating time for my faith. She incorporated reading Psalms into meditation. Now I don't practice yoga regularly, but I get her e-newsletter - it's very cool!

Posted By: Hannah | April 22, 2010 3:48 PM

In my visit to India a few years ago, "Namaste" was the preferred greeting, used by Christians as well as non-Christians.

Posted By: Matt Stephens | April 22, 2010 5:44 PM

With due respect, your piece makes it seem as though one can easily divorce yoga from its Eastern roots. That is, the writer makes it seem as though you (and by inference the reader) can "eat the meat and spit out the bones" of yoga without choking.

The Christian Research Journal, meanwhile, has a good article cautioning against such attempts: http://www.equip.org/PDF/JAY001-1.pdf

Moreover, I am afraid attempts like this to Christianize Hinduism only Hinduize Christianity, to borrow a phrase.

Posted By: Brian | April 23, 2010 11:25 AM

Brian, WELL SAID. I used equip.org's articles (huge 3-part VERY well-researched) to do a presentation in one of my classes on how yoga IS HINDUISM at its very core. Christians would do well to avoid yoga and instead find other exercise outlets, such as swimming, regular gym workouts, walking/jogging/running, home workouts, jumping on trampolines... plenty of ways to get exercise, burn calories, and become more flexible without joining a pagan system.

For shame, a Christian promoting pagan practices!

Posted By: Lisa | April 23, 2010 12:14 PM

I've had similar reservations but attraction as a Christian. I also abstain from the "om" in my class. Frankly, it's not very Hindu in the way it's practiced at my gym by the instructor that I attend. It's pretty groovy and laid back, more San Francisco than Sanskrit, if you know what I mean...

Posted By: EB | April 23, 2010 12:35 PM

Thanks, all for your comments so far. I'm particularly interested in Ellen's point about idolatry of the body vs. honoring the body. I think that integrating our physical and spiritual selves might be one part of diffusing the idolatry. In recognizing our physical limitations and possibilities, perhaps we also connect to our spiritual limitations and possibilities?

Brian, thanks for the link to the Christian Research Journal. Do you have links to Parts 2 and 3?

I had hoped to argue that Christians need to approach yoga with an understanding of its Eastern roots, but with the greater understanding that the Triune God has power over all things. 1 Corinthians 8 seems to be a helpful passage in thinking this through. Paul doesn't say "you can" or "you can't" eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols. He says, recognize the decision you're making here. He urges the Corinthians to ask questions of how their participation will impact their faith in Christ, and he urges patience with one another and mutual self-giving to one another.

Verses 4-6 read: "So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live."

Similarly, I don't mean to argue that there aren't any problems with yoga, or that all Christians should practice yoga. But I do mean to argue that, by the power of the Spirit, yoga can be used by God for good.

Posted By: Amy Julia | April 23, 2010 1:01 PM

I was a Hindu and have been a born-again Christian for many decades now.

Like the author, I was very hessitant about practising yoga because of my Hindu past. However, I have found it to be a great benefit - physically and spiritually.

The breathing and stretching exercises are wonderful. And I noticed that the yoga exercises really helped me in my tendonitis problems!

At first I felt uncomfortable with the one line chant of 'OM', since that term has been used often in Hindu prayers. However, I have realized that 'OM' calls on the supernatural one - God. When I chant 'OM', I think of the one and only true God in Jesus Christ.

I ceased to attend a particular yoga group in India when they expected me to join in certain exercises that acknowledge the sun and moon as gods.

I found it interesting to note that the yoga's most popular guru and authority in the discipline - Swami Ramdev - stated that chants are not necessary in the practice of yoga.

Yoga, in some ways, has made me a better Christian. It helps me to think wholesomely of the body, soul and spirit.

I recommend it highly!

Posted By: Devanand Bhagwan | April 23, 2010 5:40 PM

Yoga is an Eastern RELIGIOUS practice devoloped to gain contact with the Brahman or "God Consiousness" which is reiterated in occult movements like the New Age Movement. Many Christians have not done their homework in regards to discovering the true root of Yoga...that it was actually given to mankind by Krishna, also known as the Destroyer in Hindu lore. It was designed by the spirit world to induce demon possession and anyone who thinks that they can infuse this pagan, occult practice to their Christianity needs to seriously examine it against the Word of God and not just "the way that seems right unto a man". Read 1 Timothy 4:1.

Posted By: Andrew B | April 24, 2010 12:55 AM

Amy Julia, thank you for this timely and thoughtful post. I actually participated in my hot yoga class last night, pondering much of what you illuminate in your insightful article. Having enjoyed yoga for the past two months, I've been able to use it as a helpful reminder of my need to relinquish control and submit to God. I especially love your relationship of Psalm 46:10 to the very miraculous act of breathing.

I'm so thankful to Betsy Metcalf for putting me in touch with you and your blog; your words, thoughts, and questions, both eloquent and honest, give me nourishment each day. THANK YOU.

Posted By: Carter T | April 24, 2010 6:22 AM

Meat is just meat. Can't ever be anything more than meat. Even if it's been offered to idols, it's still just meat.

Yoga postures are Hindu worship. Can't ever be anything else. Even if we say we're not worshiping Hindu gods, the effect of the postures--progressive openness to union with false gods--doesn't change. (And Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10, calls false gods demons.)

The author asks, "What to do with all of Scripture's warnings against worshiping false gods and listening to a false gospel?" Maybe paying attention and heeding them would be wise.

Posted By: Diane Stortz | April 24, 2010 4:59 PM

you should not do the sun worship posture nor chant Om as you will cause Hindus to think you are ok with this as a Bible believer - all the rest of it the breathing and the relaxation is ok.

Posted By: Bible Believer x | April 25, 2010 3:06 AM

I agree with Carter T.
If I want to justify the things I do, I can always pick up a few verses from the Bible... What about to ask God first, whether He likes it or not?
It realy scares me when I read articles like this one, I see new age spreading among Christians in it, and it is like cancer, deadly.
Yoga is spiritual bondage, I was also caught in such a spiritual staff and couldn´t get rid of it. Finally I had to pray and fast and then I was released. From that moment it has no atraction to me anymore. God gave us a lot of things to enjoy and I do not have to be involved in idolatry or unclean things.

Posted By: Pavel | April 26, 2010 2:13 AM

Sorry I misunderstood the system here, I wanted to say that I agree with Diane Stortz.

Posted By: Pavel | April 26, 2010 2:15 AM

Can We Separate the Exercise From the Philosophy?

"There is a common misconception in the West that hatha-yoga, one of about ten forms of Yoga that supposedly leads to self-realization, is merely a neutral form of exercise, a soothing and effective alternative for those who abhor jogging and calisthenics ...

"[However], Hatha-yoga is 'one of the six recognized systems of orthodox Hinduism' and is at its roots religious and mystical. It is also one of the most difficult and potentially dangerous [spiritually] forms of Yoga. "The term hatha is derived from the verb hath, which means 'to oppress.'... What the practice of hatha-yoga is designed to do is suppress the flow of psychic energies through these channels ["symbolic, or psychic, passages on either side of the spinal column"], thereby forcing the 'serpent power' or the kundalini force to rise through the central psychic channel in the spine (the sushumna) and up through the chakras, the supposed psychic centers of human personality and power. Westerners mistakenly believe that one can practice hatha-yoga apart from the philosophical and religious beliefs that undergrid it. This is an absolutely false belief. ...

"You cannot separate the exercises from the philosophy. ... 'The movements themselves become a form of meditation.' The continued practice of the exercises will, whether you ... intend it or not, eventually influence you toward an Eastern/mystical perspective. That is what it is meant to do! ... There is, by definition, no such thing as 'neutral' Yoga" —Johanna Michaelsen, Like Lambs to the Slaughter, pp. 93-95).

Posted By: Linda | April 26, 2010 10:57 AM

"Yoga just might support the gospel after all" is an outlandish statement! This is another instance of Christians trying to integrate (i.e., "Christianize") a pet practice from another religion into Christianity. What is so lacking about the faith once delivered to the saints that we have to add an appendage like Yoga into Christianity?

Would Paul or any of the apostles have considered Yoga as at all compatible with the gospel of Christianity? Would Jesus the Christ look at a professed Christian practicing Yoga postures and regard that exercise as reflective of His glory and gospel? A resounding NO!

Yoga, which is of Hinduism, is mutually exclusive from Christianity. There are many other forms of exercise that a Christian may use for fitness and recreation. Christians do a disservice to the witness of Christ by "Christianizing" practices from any other religion.

Posted By: ino | April 30, 2010 7:59 AM

Amy, I would never argue that stretching exercises are not good for the physical well being of our bodies; however, I cannot see how the practice of yoga, a Hindu form of worship, is ever an acceptable format for a Christian to participate in exercise. My understanding of the practice of yoga is admittedly limited, but I do know that the positions are a form of worship of false gods from the Hindu religion. Knowing that at its core yoga is a Hindu worship practice, how do you think participating affects your Christian testimony to those who practice the exercises as an expression of Hindu worship? Even to others who you might attempt to reach for Christ? What about your testimony to other Christians? To use Scripture to rationalize, or excuse, participating in what amounts to a pagan ritual does not change the reality of the participation in a pagan rite. There are ways to exercise that are beneficial to the body without incorporating pagan religious practices into the routine.

Scripture teaches that all are created in the image of God, that Christ died for every person that has been, or ever will be born into this world. Yes, I am to honor that in a person, no matter what they believe, but I cannot participate in the religious practices that do not glorify and honor God.

The prayer position and the accompanying word "Namaste" has meaning to those who are Hindu which has nothing to do with God's truth. I can find no Scripture that says anyone has any light within them until that person comes to Jesus Christ as Savior. (If you, or someone has, please let me know the reference so that I can study it.) References to light that I have found are, in context to mankind, made to those who have come to Christ (1 Peter:2:7-10, and Matthew 5:14-16 for examples).

No matter what other Christians in India might do, were I there, I could not in faith use that greeting. I do not need to "Christianize" pagan practices to honor others whose beliefs are different.

I will close with this: We each must be careful that we do not allow ourselves to be lulled into acceptance of things that are not of God, no matter how innocuous they may seem or how we may be able to rationalize our participation. (Galatians 1:6-9) I find that I must guard my heart daily, and must spend much time in prayer for spiritual discernment.

Posted By: Susan F. | April 30, 2010 9:19 AM

I find it curious that it's so easy for us to compartmentalize ourselves. I guess it's the curse of western culture and philosophy. We like to think that exercise is just exercise, and the origins of that physical practice can't effect us if we chose not to let it. I thinks the borders between our spiritual, physical, and emotional worlds are far more fuzzy than we'd like to acknowledge. Their is a spiritual dimension to life... no, more than that - a spiritual reality that permeates our physical existence. Yoga postures have been crafted and practiced over more than a thousand years. I think it's a bit naive to think that something so saturated in another religion will only affect our bodies and not our spirits. I'm a child of the sixties so I've "been there, done that" with a lot of Eastern thought and practice. I was into TM for a while, and I can attest to the fact that the words you chant - and the postures you assume are not neutral. I do find one other curiosity. I've heard many people say they that they use yoga for meditation and prayer. I have yet heard anyone say that they prayed before they tried yoga, asking God if it was safe for them. I'm not trying to assume a position of spiritual superiority and try to tell people what to do. I'm simply suggesting one thing... ask God if this is right for you or not. Just take a hiatus from yoga and spend some time asking God - and listening. Then be willing to do what He says.

Posted By: Sandy Brownlee | April 30, 2010 1:02 PM

Yes, the only Christ-approved forms of exercise are NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, and over-eating.

Oh, and I almost forgot stupidity, xenophobia, and being parked in front of the TV for hours.

Get out and experience the world, people. That's what Jesus did!

Posted By: Vince | May 5, 2010 8:52 AM

Those concerned about the "demonic" nature of yoga might want to check out Acts 10:1-16 (Peter's vision) and I Cor. 8 (eating food sacrificed to idols). In I Cor. 8:4, Paul says, "So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one." It seems clear from passages like the above that because idols are not real, they have no power over us. Certain kinds of food are not inherently "bad." Rather, our attitudes toward them (i.e., whether we in our hearts dedicate them to some idol or recognize them as the provision of God) can be good or bad.

Similarly, there is no position that the body can assume that is inherently good or bad. In fact, many positions in yoga such as back bends and balancing positions are used in other sports like gymnastics. There is no "kundalini serpent" sitting at the base of our spines, waiting to rise within us if we activate it! That is a falsehood of the Hindu religion. Stretching our God-given bodies in one position or another will not make us susceptible to demonic influence unless we are seeking that influence. Practitioners of yoga who DO fall prey to such an influence are susceptible because their minds are open to it, not because they're stretching their bodies in one way or another. They don't have the Holy Spirit within them and are looking for something else to fill them, perhaps an experience of "divinity" that has nothing to do with the true God. In cases like that, sometimes "something else" sees an opportunity to enter and does. But it has nothing to do with whether the person was doing back bends and balancing exercises!

Nevertheless, Paul goes on to say, "But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled" (I Cor. 8:7). Then, in I Cor. 8:9, he says, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak." Similarly, if you believe that practicing yoga is worship of false gods and will cause you to stumble, don't do it. And if there are people around you who believe it is the worship of false gods, also refrain from it so that they will not stumble.

But if you are not dedicating your practice of yoga to a false god and don't know anyone who is disturbed by your practice of it, then the precedent set in the Bible seems to indicate that you are not doing wrong by practicing it.

Thank you for this great blog! I love how Her.meneutics addresses real contemporary issues that confront Christians in the twenty-first century.

Posted By: TheLordIsMyShepherd | May 21, 2010 3:37 PM

Any Julia,
I am glad you are exercising and breathing. However, assuming any positions that are bowing to the God of the Sun are not good practices. We are to enter the Throne room of our God and bow in the position of fasting and prayer to receive the out pouring of His love. As to stress, we need to pray about our activities and moderate our stress level by limiting out activities.
That said, exercise and breating exercises are necessary.
with love and appreciation for your life.
Ms. H.

Posted By: Susan W Higgins | June 1, 2010 10:06 PM

At first, I thought Yoga stretching would be ok because I didn't chant, or empty my mind. I used a video to do the exercises and, when the Yoga leader said, "The light in me greets the light in you," I said aloud, "Jesus is the Light in me." But, as I continued reading my Bible prayerfully each morning, I came under conviction about being involved with Yoga in any way, shape, form or fashion.

We, true Believers, are to "come out from among them and be separate." Our whole desire should be to please Him Who has done more for us through His life, death and resurrection than we can imagine. Jesus gave His all for us, nailing our sins to the cross and paying the debt each of us owes. "He Who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus."

Does it please Him for us to involve ourselves in any way whatsoever with something which originated with false gods (demons)? He paid a terrible price for our freedom from deception and bondage.

In these last, remaining minutes/seconds before all hell literally breaks loose, let us cling ever closer to the only One Who is able to satisfy every single need and longing we have - spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically.

Posted By: kathleen | June 6, 2010 12:17 PM

More than a comment, a question: How do you address your little ones and kids using the Wii Yoga stretching exercises for fitness? Would love to hear from all of you,
Thanks, Maribel

Posted By: Maribel Aviles | July 27, 2010 11:33 PM

I am finding many of the comments to this blog very confusing. I have heard time and time again that those who go to church once a year...say on Christmas, who don't read the Bible or pray, but CALL themselves Christian are not TRULY Christians. Many believe that because they are not TRULY Christians, they will not be saved. Therefore, simply calling oneself a Christian without actually BELIEVING any of it is simply not good enough.

On the other hand, many of the commenters are saying that going through the motions of another faith (Hinduism) IS sufficient to be considered worship.

While going through the motions of Christianity is not enough to be a real Christian, going through the motions of Hinduism is? I do not understand.

Posted By: Emily | January 7, 2011 1:48 PM

KP Yohannan of Gospel for Asia states, in his book Revolution in World Missions, that he was horrified to find the prevalence of the practice of yoga in North America, being presented for its health benefits (p 157). He states that "yoga is designed for one purpose only-to open up the mind and body to the false gods of the East."

I have also read personal stories of those who were oppressed after the practice of yoga and yes, an energy was awakened in them, with no original intention in this direction on their part.

Don't you think it would be wise to heed the warnings of those who know the culture that yoga originated in?

Posted By: lois | November 7, 2011 7:45 PM