Yoga and Legalism

                 Picture courtesty of http://yoga.about.com/od/yogasequences/tp/Yoga-Warrior-Poses-Sequence.htm


Breakpoint posted an article about Yoga on Facebook.  It was interesting to see folks make a few really outrageous comments on the post.

"Yoga is wrong."

"There are a lot of Biblically illiterate Christians out there."

"Yoga is Hindu Worship."


 Wow. This kind of stuff can bring out the worst in folks.

Yoga poses are core strengthening exercises and stretches.  For me, there is NO spiritual component.  I am a Christ follower, so I might pray...but honestly, praying is not something I do during exercising as a matter of habit.   I have breathlessly sputtered "Oh Father, please don't let me die before I make it to the end of this workout!"

What?  I am forty-six years old and working out takes a lot of effort! (Just being real.)

I do think there is a problem with semantics when discussing Yoga.  Some people assume that there is Hindu worship going on the minute you drop into a warrior pose.   For many secular folks, "yoga," is synomynous with eastern meditation.  There are certainly those that do practice the spiritual component of yoga, but generally Christians either omit that part, or they meditate on God's Word instead.

                        Picture courtesy of http://backandneck.about.com/od/yogaforbackpain/a/downdogpose.htm

Yoga poses are defined as yoga because that's where the exercise practice originated from.  A Downward Facing Dog, is well, A Downward Facing Dog.  It's a Yoga pose.  But just because I do a Downward Facing Dog, doesn't not mean I am worshiping anything while I stretch. I mean gosh,  I do a ballet workout once a week, but that doesn't mean I am a ballerina. (Trust me.)

Now that we've cleared up any misconceptions about Christian Yoga, there are some folks out there who just like to judge people. They seem to get a thrill from putting others down.  I've experienced the judgment of someone who just wanted to make themselves feel better about their own choices. They thought that because something was right for them, that it was right for everyone.  Legalism.  Blech. (That's a post for another day.)

We live in a fallen world.  I think we can trust the Lord to judge the heart intentions of believers as they exercise.  Right?

"...God sees not as a man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

Grateful for Grace,