Christian Yoga?

One day I was watching BBC News with my parents and one of the reports were on "Christian Yoga". At first I was pretty appalled by it all cuz. why in the world would someone want to change a 5,000 year Hindu practice that has been so beneficial to the people who do it?

Well, that's exactly what the Christian community has decided to do. They've decided to "alter" Yoga because they didn't favor its Hindu background and change it into something more suitable to their faith in Christianity.

Here's an article~! READ PLZ!

Christian Yoga?

By Ashley Forbes

CBN.com – (CBN News) - A lot of American Christians have stayed away from Yoga because of its Hindu origins.

But now Christians are taking Yoga moves, removing the Hindu overtones, and creating a popular new form of physical and spiritual refreshment.

"God our Creator, Jesus our Redeemer, Holy Spirit within us, we praise You."

This is a Monday night Yoga class. But it is Yoga with a difference. It's called "Outstretched in Faith" -- part of a new trend called Christian Yoga.

This class is taught by Fairhope Alabama resident Susan Bordenkircher.

"I approach each class as a way to share with people something great about their faith," Susan said.

But what about the non-Christian roots of Yoga? Yoga comes from the Hindu religion. It was originally intended to teach self-awareness, and finding divinity within oneself.

Even Pope Benedict XVI warned against the practice of Yoga, saying it "can degenerate into a cult of the body."

And that is exactly what Susan, a devout Christian, found when she went to her first Yoga class. She was uneasy with the Hindu-based chanting, but loved the exercise.

"It made me feel uncomfortable. It made me feel as if those were elements that I certainly did not want to participate in," Susan explained.

So she modified it. Susan replaced the Hindu chants with worship to God and verses from the Bible.

Susan instructed her class, "When you breathe, I want you to breathe in the Holy Spirit."

But some people say that Christian Yoga is not Yoga at all.

Subhas Tiwaris, a professor of Yoga philosophy at Hindu University, says Yoga is not something that should ever be edited with the Hindu parts cut out.

"If you take a tree and chop off its roots, then you don't have a tree, do you?" Tiwaris asked. "If you give me a recipe and I alter the ingredients of that recipe and give it back to you, am I giving you the same thing? Clearly not," Tiwari said.

But Susan says Hindu Yoga has not cornered the market on body moves.

"There is no way that you can take a posture that is from a body that God created and say this can only be used for the Hindu faith," Susan asserted.

So Susan and thousands of other Americans make no apology for taking this 5,000-year-old practice and giving it a Christian twist.


So, I was wondering what are you're views on this (India-forum members)? Is this fair to the 5,000-year-old Hindu practice? Do you agree with this whole Christian Yoga phenomenon?

Me personally I don't understand why some Christians would feel as if their belief in Christianity is being threatened when doing Yoga? 😕 I I took Yoga and I'm Punjabi. I never once felt like converting into Hinduism. I just felt more RESPECT for Hinduism that's all.

I think they're forgetting that Yoga originated as a spiritual practice, not as a religion. Its supporters and instructors say that people of all faiths can practice yoga without compromising religious beliefs. To me Yoga is about harmonizing the body, mind, and spirit. I don't think it really has anything to do with one's religion. 🤔

Y'know in a way I think this is another attempt of the Christian Community to "market" their religion. If you think about it ... Yoga has been increasing in popularity over the past couple of years, in fact 18 million people in the United States practice yoga. So, that increase in popularity is getting more and more people interested in the Hindu culture/religion and I don't think the Christian community wants that. 😳 They fear that those "people" who are interested with the Hindu culture will leave Christianity behind and convert into Hinduism.

But that's not necessarily FAIR either. 😒 I mean if people want to learn about other religions and cultures than let them~! Isn't life about learning and experiencing new things anyway? All people should be allowed to choose which religion they want to be in.

I think the Christian community is just basically trying to take the success and popularity of Yoga and make it their own. And that's not fair to the people who came up with Yoga in the first place. 😒 If Christians aren't comfortable with the Hindu background of Yoga than they shouldn't take it! But instead they chose to make it into their "own" religious practice and market it to everyone. 😵 It's a shame really.

So, what do you guys think? Do you think Christians have good reasons for changing a 5,000-year-old Hindu practice just so they can make it more suitable to their own beliefs? Can practicing Yoga really cause someone to want to change their religion anyway? Your views please! 😳

Ami, you completely echoed my thoughts. 👏

Its very true that Yoga has gained immense popularity and Christians feel threatened by it. Pope Benedict in the article says that Yoga is a "cult of the body". (This is the same Pope who thinks Harry Potter promotes the devil and witchcraft without even reading the books 😡)

Whatever they are saying implies complete ignorance of Yoga and the Hindu religion. Yoga is just a way of becoming one with God.

Did the Pope forget that the Catholic Church forbid Matteo Ricci from creating Confucian Christianity to allow it to be accepted into China? They said it would dilute Christianity.

Then why be hypocritical and allow Christian Yoga? Does it not dilute the actual essence of Yoga itself?

Well, I personally have no problems with Christian Yoga if people understand it better. In the end, God is one and it does not matter what He's called.

If you observe, Mahayana Buddhism is completely different from the practice originating in India (courtesy Siddharta Gautama). But, either way, it has a major following in the Far East.

What irritates me is the hypocrisy by religious leaders. 😡

Agree with u guys.Wonder why these religious heads or people get so insecure about their own religions!!!By doing this they may be able to achieve the physical state they desire but without the chanting and the regular regime the total result can never be obtained. yoga has a set path and these changes are rather stupid.
moreover, practicing yoga doesnt mean u change your religion!!!

ummm guys correct me if I am wrong. But isn't it called "yog" Asana" in our langauge and why do we refer as "yoga"? 😕

As far as I know, the word Yoga is derived from the verbal root "yoke" (called "yuj" in sanskrit). It translates to discipline.

Asanas (postures) are a part of yoga, but I'm not sure if it was originally called Yogasana. My knowledge about the etymology is limited. If it was, then it was probably shortened to "yoga".

Below is abstract from attached article

Well, firstly the word "yoga", I hear this word the first time when I come here, "yoga." It's not "yoga" it's "Yog." And the people here call Yog "yoga." Like they call Ram "Rama." The word is Yog. Now when they say yoga here they imply postural integration, asanas, where they do the Yog asanas, the movement of body in various postures to bring about health. Yog asanas are like a self given shiatsu, self given massage where you press and compress your body, you heal yourself with these asanas. But that is also not yoga, it's correctly knows as yogasanas and is not called Hatha Yog, it's known as Kutastha Yog, the Yog of postural integration of the body. Then there is the Hatha Yog, which is the Sun and Moon breath of the left and right nostril. When you equalize those breaths you get into a state of Tranquil Awareness. That is Hatha Yog. The left nostril signifies the Moon breath. The right nostril signified the Sun breath, which is called the Pingala. The left breath is called the Ida, the Moon breath. Then you have different schools and disciplines of Yog. But, basically and essentially Yog is not postures of integrations of asanas. Essentially the core meaning of Yog is samadhi. It means composed mind. It means the union of the finite with the Infinite Consciousness. When this fusion of the finitized consciousness which is inherent in every
human being, it expands and merges into the Infinite Consciousness, it is called Yog.

https://www.hamsa-yoga.org/audio_hawaii.htm

When I was learning Yogasana in school they taught us the "sandhi" I am not sure if it's called same in Hindi. Sandhi is used to seperate two words, or also used to join two seperate words like here, yogasana is said as Yog+Asana.

Originally posted by: sowmyaa

When I was learning Yogasana in school they taught us the "sandhi" I am not sure if it's called same in Hindi. Sandhi is used to seperate two words, or also used to join two seperate words like here, yogasana is said as Yog+Asana.

Yeah, it is called "sandhi" in hindi as well. I remember from 10th std. Hindi 🤢😆

Your explanation of the Ram/Rama and Yog/Yoga logic makes sense.

Wht i can take essense from the article is that this is a sensitive issue, and the TWISING of one's religious pratice is obvious here. I don't have that much knowledge of yoga as u people have, but i'm strictly against any act that might hurt the feelings of people following the religion. I mean it is unfair to twist and mold a spiritual/religious practice just for their goals and gains and do wht ever they wish to do! Simply not acceptable.

1st- the reason they call it yoga here is because when the british came, they added a to the end of tons of words, like other members said- an example is rama or mahabharata.

i totally disagree with this. i am tired of the west claiming indian things as their own. like henna- they either consider it chinese/japanese or their own. or our clothing- suddenly its so popular here but they cant admit where they got the designs from. and then there are 'anklets'- basically piles. and they copy indian style totally in some companies. i had piles from india and saw a cheap version at a store in the mall.

toe rings, earrings, all sorts of jewelry- its annoying and i am sick of people taking credit for what is not theirs'.

now yoga- hmmm, they are turning into their own thing and years from now they will act like it never was indian!