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Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
The question, “What is holy yoga?” explores the concept of a Christian adaptation of yoga practices, designed to combine physical exercise with Christian worship, prayer, and meditation. Holy Yoga aims to provide a Christ-centered alternative to traditional yoga, focusing on deepening one’s relationship with God while enjoying the physical benefits of stretching, balance, and relaxation. This answer will explore the origins of Holy Yoga, its intended purpose, how it aligns with or diverges from biblical teachings, and how Christians can thoughtfully engage with such practices.
Historical Context: Traditional yoga originated in ancient India as a spiritual practice within Hinduism, aimed at achieving union with the divine through physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation, and ethical disciplines. Over time, yoga became associated with various forms of Eastern spirituality, including Buddhism and Jainism. Each pose, breath, and meditation was originally intended to connect the practitioner with a higher consciousness or nature.
Cultural Context: In recent years, yoga has been embraced in Western culture primarily for its physical benefits—improving flexibility, strength, and mental well-being. Amidst this trend, “Holy Yoga” emerged as a Christian response to the practice. Founded by Brooke Boon in 2006, Holy Yoga seeks to provide Christians with a way to participate in yoga while keeping Christ at the center. The practice involves physical yoga postures combined with Christian worship music, prayer, and Scripture meditation, with an emphasis on connecting with God rather than reaching Eastern enlightenment.
Literary Context: For Christians, the challenge is discerning whether practices like Holy Yoga truly align with biblical teachings or if they inadvertently compromise one’s faith by integrating elements from non-Christian religious practices. This requires a careful examination of what the Bible says about worship, spiritual practices, and the use of one’s body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Several scripture passages provide a foundation for evaluating practices like Holy Yoga:
There are varying perspectives within the Christian community regarding practices like Holy Yoga:
A common misconception is that Holy Yoga is just “yoga with a little Christianity thrown in.” In reality, proponents of Holy Yoga claim to completely reframe the practice by centering it entirely on Christ—using the physical movements as a form of worship rather than a means of attaining spiritual enlightenment as in Eastern traditions. However, even with this intent, the physical movements still mirror those in traditional yoga, which could be problematic for some believers.
Another misunderstanding is that all yoga, including Holy Yoga, automatically involves chanting or meditation on Hindu deities. Holy Yoga specifically avoids these practices, substituting them with Christian worship songs, prayers, and Bible verses. Nonetheless, for some, the concern remains that the physical postures themselves cannot be divorced from their original spiritual purpose.
For Christians considering Holy Yoga, several practical factors should be weighed:
Practical reflections for Christians include:
The question of whether to participate in Holy Yoga requires thoughtful consideration and prayerful discernment. While proponents of Holy Yoga seek to redeem the practice by centering it on Christ and removing any non-Christian elements, concerns about its origins and the symbolism of its postures remain valid for many believers.
Christians are encouraged to approach this issue with a commitment to honoring God in all things, recognizing that not everything that is permissible is necessarily beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23). The goal should always be to love what God loves, hate what He hates, and do everything to His glory. If Holy Yoga helps someone deepen their walk with Christ without causing confusion or spiritual compromise, it may be a tool that God can use. However, if there is any doubt or potential for spiritual conflict, seeking alternative forms of exercise and worship that are firmly rooted in biblical teachings may be the wiser choice.
יהוה (Yahweh's) words are pure words,
Psalm 12:6 F.O.G
As silver smelted in a crucible on the land, Refined seven times.
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