Yoga is all the rage in fitness circles and gyms throughout the country. Doctors and scientists are banding together to point out the health benefits of this practice, some even to the extent of recommending yoga to their patients. I must admit that the promised relief from stiff and inflexible muscles sounds tempting to me. Many Christians, however, see yoga as evil. Obviously, I agree that any yoga combined with spirituality is something that must be avoided. But what if you take the spiritual component out? Or is that even possible? Could certain movements of the body be inherently evil?
My Mom gave me a yoga workout DVD—Yoga for Dummies. I have watched this DVD and there was no apparent spirituality in it. It seemed to be a very cut and dry explanation of stretching techniques, many which I recognized as sports stretches I had done in track and swimming in high school. It certainly didn’t seem evil. So I don’t know what to think. I definitely don’t want to open myself up to demonic influences or worship Hindu ‘gods’. But I really struggle with this question—how could something that has been shown to be so good for the body and to have numerous health benefits, be completely evil? Any thoughts?
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3 comments:
Don't know if this will help or not, but if you check out Yoga on Christianbook.com you'll find a bunch of DVDs. Not sure what that tells us, but if you do try yoga, let me know how it goes because I've seriously thought about trying it too!
When I am faced with quandaries such as this, I like to go back to a core truth, governing all that is, ever has been, and ever will be. That truth is this: God alone is Creator. Satan IS NOT and CANNOT be a creator, BUT he IS a perverter. All that is, is either truth or a perversion of truth. Eating to survive would be truth... gluttony would be the perversion of it. I could go on, but the point is this: there is a baby in that dirty bathwater. God is pro- health and wellness. Yoga can be intended to be something to relax, to bring oneself into a state of worship and "oneness" with the "heathen" god(s)... OR it could be reclaimed, "unperverted" if you will, and used for a Godly purpose, like our physical health. So I think that the stretching exercises are good to go... just remember to "86" the hailing Krishna part. And, meditating on the beauty of our One and Only, the True God, would be even better!
I worked through this a bit last year, and even just got some crap about it from my online classmates, but i experience wonderful mental, spiritual and physical benefits from yoga...and I still love Jesus. :)
hope all is well! We should chat again soon :)
R
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