Is Christian Yoga a thing? Yes it is. More importantly, is it a good thing for a follower of Jesus Christ to embrace this practice? Scour the internet and you’ll find the full gamut of opinions. As the writer of this blog, why do I think I can speak to this topic?
I’ve been a Bible-believing Christian since about age 10, and a certified Holy Yoga instructor since 2016. That was a while ago. I don’t know how the instructor training process has evolved over the years, and so I can’t vouch for this organization’s current methodology. However, back when I was trained, the program was very “Jesus first, yoga second”. Anywhere the Bible and yoga philosophy parted ways, so did we.
IS NEW AGE SPIRITUALITY CREEPING INTO YOUR CHRIST-CENTERED YOGA CLASS?
Nowadays, Holy Yoga is Yoga Alliance certified — which bothers me, actually. In an endeavor to prove Holy Yoga’s Instructor Training just as rigorous as its secular (New Age and Hindu-based) counterparts, leadership sought accreditation. This means more yoga philosophy taught alongside biblical truth. A sometimes harmonious but often clashing combination.
When you explore the heart of these two worldviews, they are not, at their core, compatible. How much yoga philosophy do you need in order to teach breathwork and physical posturing to people seeking communion with Jesus (not “the universe”)? None, in my opinion!
All things considered, I believe God-honoring Christians are blessed to embody yoga poses as tools for:
- maintaining healthy bodies
- worshiping God through movement.
Now you know my position, and I happily endorse the type of Christian Yoga that I learned years ago. I was trained through Holy Yoga, and it’s the brand I’m familiar with:
- Bible meditation
- yoga postures
- breathwork
MY INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN YOGA
My introduction to Christian Yoga began with a Holy Yoga class in Phoenix, Arizona back in early 2016. I felt God’s presence as we moved our bodies through gentle (and challenging!) stretches, calming breathwork, and inspirational music. Bible meditation was central to the class.
I knew this was where God had led me! Anxious thoughts left as my mind was washed and renewed in the Word. And so began my journey with Holy Yoga …
What is Holy Yoga, exactly?
Holy Yoga is experiential worship.
The intention? To deepen your connection to Christ — through God’s Word, worship and wellness. Through this practice, instructors blend traditional yoga postures with Scripture meditation, bringing the most important commandment to life:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. – Jesus (Mark 12:30)
Holy Yoga embraces this verse in its entirety, facilitating a holistic worship experience. The Christian flowing from stance to stance presents her entire being to God as a living sacrifice — through the complete devotion of heart, soul, mind and body.
The word yoga means “to yoke with”. On the physical plane, there’s the yoking of breath and movement. But Christian Yoga takes this to a higher level. It is the yoking of your spirit with Jesus — through worship.
Holy Yoga provides world-class yoga training where people’s lives are transformed by the Living God and equipped to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. (quoted from the Holy Yoga website, 2019)
REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
Yoga, when used as a tool for worshiping the Most High God, offers spiritual and physical benefits. Flowing through the various postures helps focus the body’s energy while keeping the mind and heart fixed upon God’s presence.
Can yoga, as a practice preserved for centuries via Hinduism, be redeemed by the blood of Christ and offered to God as an act of worship?
Yes! Just as Paul, in Athens, used “the altar of the unknown god” as a springboard for the gospel, these ancient stretches can also be used to point others to Christ. And, there’s extensive information available on this topic. I’ve compiled a bunch of it, which I’d love to share with you. Please follow my link if you’re interested: Christianity and Yoga.
EXPERIENCE CHRISTIAN YOGA FOR FREE!
How about trying your first class for free — on me? As a registered Holy Yoga Instructor, I offer beginner’s classes on YouTube. Just follow this link to Holy Yoga with Ali.
And while you’re at it, perhaps you need some basic yoga gear to get you started? I’ve done the searching for you. Just take a peak at these three yoga essentials for your first class.
RESOURCES ON HOLY YOGA
Brooke Boon, Holy Yoga’s founder, also provides a marvelous beginner’s guide to Christ-honoring yoga in her first book: Holy Yoga – Exercise for the Christian Body & Soul .
May God bless you and lead you, as you seek His ways and His truth.
In Christ, Ali 🙂