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Can yoga be Christian?
- Thread starter IsmailaGodHasHeard
- Start date
Kathryn
It was on fire when I laid down on it.
As a Christian who often attends yoga classes at a gym, here's my take:
First of all, as you can tell by my opening line, I'm not a "purist" when it comes to yoga.
I've never attended a yoga class that was prefaced or marketed as any sort of spiritual experience or quest. I've never attended a yoga class that included any sort of spiritual references, music, etc. I'm pretty sure that my various yoga instructors were not endorsing or promoting any particular religion.
When I first began doing yoga, as a Christian of course I was aware of yoga's spiritual heritage, so I was on high alert for any practice or discipline of the yoga classes I was attending that would be in conflict with my own personal faith. I've never noticed anything contrary to Christianity in those classes.
We can tend to look at Christianity from a strictly Western mindset, but the faith of Jesus Christ and His culture were more Eastern in thought and practice. There is a lot of truth from many eastern religions and spiritual practices and I embrace truth from any source.
First of all, as you can tell by my opening line, I'm not a "purist" when it comes to yoga.
I've never attended a yoga class that was prefaced or marketed as any sort of spiritual experience or quest. I've never attended a yoga class that included any sort of spiritual references, music, etc. I'm pretty sure that my various yoga instructors were not endorsing or promoting any particular religion.
When I first began doing yoga, as a Christian of course I was aware of yoga's spiritual heritage, so I was on high alert for any practice or discipline of the yoga classes I was attending that would be in conflict with my own personal faith. I've never noticed anything contrary to Christianity in those classes.
We can tend to look at Christianity from a strictly Western mindset, but the faith of Jesus Christ and His culture were more Eastern in thought and practice. There is a lot of truth from many eastern religions and spiritual practices and I embrace truth from any source.
zenzero
Its only a Label
Friend Seyorni,
It is only the human mind which craetes differneces and divisions amonsgt beings which are all illusioary in nature and as we see human beings cutting across all divisions of all kinds are taking up yoga is some form or another.
Namaj too is a form of yoga but most namizis may deny it due to their mind set but followers of sanatan dharma are expected to have transcended all mind matters to reach to an existential understanding of dharma and its practices.
Love & rgds
The point raised has been a historical mindset as the original followers of Sanatan dharma never meant it to be limited to any section of human beings but as had mentioned the guiding point is EXISTENCE itself reagrds to following dharma and every being folows it consciously or unconsciously through evolution or revolution.
It is only the human mind which craetes differneces and divisions amonsgt beings which are all illusioary in nature and as we see human beings cutting across all divisions of all kinds are taking up yoga is some form or another.
Namaj too is a form of yoga but most namizis may deny it due to their mind set but followers of sanatan dharma are expected to have transcended all mind matters to reach to an existential understanding of dharma and its practices.
Love & rgds
Maybe what the west calls yoga, which is hatha yoga, should be called something else. However, I think that's pretty unlikely at this stage. It's probably no more than the co-opting of a word. My guess is someone became familiar with hatha yoga and saw it only as movements that gave physical benefits. Probably no different than people practicing tai chi chuan without knowing its roots (I sure don't).
Yoga means yoke, union. There are a lot of English words borrowed from Hindi and Sanskrit... List of English words of Sanskrit origin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia List of English words of Hindi or Urdu origin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My objection, however, is when the Hindu elements are replaced by Christian elements specifically and only to eradicate "paganism" and anything related to "false gods". Just do the āsanas and prānāyāma and call it a day. If you want to be universalist, mentally chant Om Yésave Kristāte namah (as close as I can get to Jesus Christ in Sanskrit dative case) for all I care, but don't openly incorporate non-Hindu prayers or worship. I'll do my Om namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya.
Yoga means yoke, union. There are a lot of English words borrowed from Hindi and Sanskrit... List of English words of Sanskrit origin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia List of English words of Hindi or Urdu origin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My objection, however, is when the Hindu elements are replaced by Christian elements specifically and only to eradicate "paganism" and anything related to "false gods". Just do the āsanas and prānāyāma and call it a day. If you want to be universalist, mentally chant Om Yésave Kristāte namah (as close as I can get to Jesus Christ in Sanskrit dative case) for all I care, but don't openly incorporate non-Hindu prayers or worship. I'll do my Om namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya.
Good question. The latest thing in younger congregations, however, is to close the eyes, and turn palms up as if waiting to receive something. It started in the born-again and pentecostal movements.
No expert here... but do you think the depth or mastery of one's yoga-practice could be stated in this equation?
Yoga = consciousness x breath.... eh? eh?
For the sake of playing with formulaic explanations
You know... for fun's sake
:namaste
SageTree
Ignorance is a hell of a drug
People are only brimming with anger,hate and disgust when they've never actually encountered or even approached the subject with which they feel negatively.
This is my opinion for most people with an adamant bias on many many topics.
apophenia
Well-Known Member
I practice yoga with the Iyengar school. The practice certainly has hindu origins, but I think very few of the hundreds of students who practice where I do would consider themselves hindu.
Doing the postures (asanas) naturally teaches you about your inner responses, and leads towards a patient mindfulness. Much of the benefit comes from dealing with the induced stress of mastering the postures, paradoxically. When you challenge your physical habits, and the current flexibility and strength of your joints and muscles, the practice becomes a very personal encounter with your physical, emotional and psychological habits.
This encounter with yourself happens within the framework of disciplined physical activity. The frame of reference is your body and mind in the here and now. So it is not inherently related to any particular religion or philosophy, except by history.
Simply put, the activity itself produces not only improved health, strength and flexibility but also a calmer detached overview of your reactions and responses to stress. The practice also includes some instruction in meditation, usually in the period of complete rest at the end of a class. The meditation instructions do not include any religious philosophy or language, the aim is deep relaxation and remaining mindful. I cannot see that being in any way incompatible with being a christian.
Doing the postures (asanas) naturally teaches you about your inner responses, and leads towards a patient mindfulness. Much of the benefit comes from dealing with the induced stress of mastering the postures, paradoxically. When you challenge your physical habits, and the current flexibility and strength of your joints and muscles, the practice becomes a very personal encounter with your physical, emotional and psychological habits.
This encounter with yourself happens within the framework of disciplined physical activity. The frame of reference is your body and mind in the here and now. So it is not inherently related to any particular religion or philosophy, except by history.
Simply put, the activity itself produces not only improved health, strength and flexibility but also a calmer detached overview of your reactions and responses to stress. The practice also includes some instruction in meditation, usually in the period of complete rest at the end of a class. The meditation instructions do not include any religious philosophy or language, the aim is deep relaxation and remaining mindful. I cannot see that being in any way incompatible with being a christian.
I for one have no clue. But consider that many (some?) fundamentalist Christian groups consider anything from "pagan" religions evil and the work of the devil.
They're not seeing the forest for the trees, however. If performing yoga asanas and meditation (prayer?) bring you closer to your God, how bad can it be, indeed?
Marble
Rolling Marble
For me, Yoga is a technical term.
It desribes various physical postures (Hatha Yoga) and meditation techniques (Dhyana).
Nowhere I have heard or read that practise of a certain meditation technique requires giving up the worship of Jesus and/or subrscribing to the worship of a Hindu god.
It desribes various physical postures (Hatha Yoga) and meditation techniques (Dhyana).
Nowhere I have heard or read that practise of a certain meditation technique requires giving up the worship of Jesus and/or subrscribing to the worship of a Hindu god.