Following Jesus + Yoga: A Beautiful Path
Two questions that Christians who love yoga often get asked, in one form or other:
(from fellow Christians): How do you reconcile yoga with your Christian faith?
(from people of other faiths or no faith): How can you honestly say you practice yoga when you’re not of that religion and culture?
I would like to address these two questions here.
I’m not here to convince you to practice yoga if you have concerns with it. But many believers who are already drawn to yoga may have questions about its origins, purpose, or compatibility with their Christian faith. It is to these people that I write.
The Meaning of Yoga
Yoga means “union” or “to yoke.” It means connecting mind, body, soul, and spirit to each other and to the Divine. I’ve always found this definition meaningful as a Christian, because three of the key tenets of my faith are that 1.) through Christ, I am already united with God, 2.) his yoke is easy, and his burden light, and 3.) that I am to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. My yoga practice is rooted in being united with Christ and loving God with my entire being as a result.
First of all, yoga is different from Hinduism and Buddhism. While Hinduism and Buddhism are considered world religions, yoga is a spiritual discipline or practice. They all originated in India, and many people who would identify as Hindu or Buddhist might also practice yoga, but they are not the same.
Because India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, and yoga, many of the words used in yogic philosophy have been assigned Hindu or Buddhist meanings by default. However, as a Christian, I believe I can honor these concepts while not applying them in the same way a Hindu or Buddhist friend might. Concepts shift based on context. For example, the English language inherited the word “God” from Germanic languages. In that context, no one would have thought of Yahweh when they heard that word; they might have thought of Odin or Thor. However, most Christians have no problem praying to “God,” and when most Americans say “God,” the first being that comes to mind is now the God of the Bible. In the context of the American church, this word now conveys a different concept.
The Purpose of Yoga
Yoga is considered a spiritual path with eight key components or “limbs” that lead to moksha (sometimes translated “liberation”) through union with the Divine. A Hindu person might define moksha as liberation from reincarnation due to karma. As a Christian, I focus not on reincarnation or karma, but rather liberation from the law of sin and death.
I believe the sin of Adam has infected all of humanity with a generational sin consciousness and sin habituation. And I believe Jesus has provided the liberation from this cycle. This is how I personally define moksha: liberation from the law of sin and death, unto the law of love in Christ Jesus. When I look at the eight limbs of yoga, I see not a path to achieve moksha, since I believe Jesus has already achieved liberation for me (“It is finished”), but I do see a beautiful way to walk in the liberty he has already made possible for me.
The Path of Yoga
The eight-limbed path consists of:
Yama
Includes much of what is contained in the Ten Commandments: not killing, lying, or stealing, etc. Basically, moral laws or a moral path.
Niyama
Includes many lifestyle habits that are encouraged throughout the Levitical laws and Paul’s letters, including concepts like cleanliness, purity, contentment, joy, acceptance, devotion, worship, and study.
Asana
Originally meant a comfortable physical posture, one that could be maintained in stillness for extended periods to facilitate meditation and breathing—a “posture of prayer” as Michelle Thielen writes in Stretching Your Faith. Later, this term evolved to include more postures and movement (more on this below).
Pranayama
Purposeful breathing that mirrors and extends to purposeful living. For me, pranayama brings to mind biblical concepts like “In him we live and move and have our being” from Acts and also God breathing into us the breath of life, making us living souls, from Genesis. As the worship song goes, “It’s Your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise.” Breath, like life, can only be given by the Creator, but I have a choice in what I do with this gift. Breathwork is a beautiful living metaphor of this truth.
Pratyahara
Withdrawal of the senses or protecting what you let into your mind from the outside world. For me, this concept brings to mind social media fasts, intentional solitude/silence, and Bible verses about guarding our eyes, thoughts, and minds.
Dharana
Focused attention. For me, this concept brings to mind Bible verses about meditating on God’s Word and fixing our eyes on Jesus.
Dhyana
Meditation so deep that we become intensely conscious of our union with the Divine; reminds me of the Bible verse that tells us that “with unveiled faces we contemplate the glory of the Lord, as we are being transformed from glory to glory” and Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle. As a Christian, one key difference I hold with the 8-fold path here is that I believe the actual union comes first, before the preceding six “limbs,” while in traditional yogic philosophy the preceding six limbs are means to attaining dhyana. In contrast, I believe we continue to grow in our awareness of union as we go “from glory to glory,” experiencing deeper sanctification throughout our lives, but not to grow in union itself.
Samadhi
A state of knowing, and being one with, the Truth, with Ultimate Reality. For me, samadhi is a mind continually fixated on, sustained by, and delighting in Christ, who I believe has already done everything necessary to unite me with the Divine. My samadhi is the bliss, joy, awe, and ecstasy of knowing Christ and being continually transformed more deeply into that knowing by the renewing of my mind.
Fulfilled in Christ
I personally can’t think of greater fulfillment of all these concepts than in Christ! I am reminded of Colossians 1:17—”And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” and Acts 17:27—“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.”
Are these concepts from yoga not excellent examples of the nations feeling their way toward God, and learning that, in truth, he is not far from any of us? And when I think of the goals of yoga—samadhi and ultimately moksha—I can’t help but think of Jesus’ words: “And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you Free.”
But What About Yoga Like I Do at the Gym?
There are many different opinions about when it’s appropriate to use the word “yoga” and when it’s not. Some people believe that most “yoga” classes in the United States shouldn’t actually be called “yoga.”
I can see it both ways. On one hand, what we typically call “yoga” often fails to encompass the 8-limbed path mentioned above; on the other hand, like I mentioned with the word “God” earlier in this post, it’s a term that—for better or for worse—has already shifted meanings for most people in our cultural context.
What we do at the gym has some roots in what I’ve outlined above. However, most of it derives from Hatha yoga, which wasn’t formalized until the 15th century. Then, when it was brought to the West in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Hatha yoga was emphasized and shaped even more strongly on our side of the world. Many postures from European gymnastics and calisthenics have also informed the approach to yoga that is typically taken in the United States.
The thing is, we often don’t quite know what we’re going to get at the yoga studio or gym until we go. Some yoga instructors seem to only incorporate asana and pranayama; every now and then, we might get some niyama and pratyahara, and even dharana or dhyana (especially with practices like yoga nidra). Some Christians shy away because they want the physical and mental benefits of yoga but are afraid of a spirituality being imposed on them that they don’t align with. I want to address that below.
What If I’m Uncomfortable with Something in the Yoga Class?
Of course, you can always walk out or choose not to return. But I’d like to give you some other tools for your toolbox to consider using (you get to take what you like and leave doesn’t work for you, according to your personal comfort level):
Chanting Om
“Om” is supposed to be the sound of the universe, representing the Ultimate Reality. The Hindu term for Ultimate Reality is Brahman, but for Christians, of course, the Ultimate Reality is Christ. So while you could just choose to stay silent while others chant “Om” and maybe instead repeat in your head something like “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” you could also participate in chanting “Om,” using the sound to meditate on YOUR Ultimate Reality, even perhaps reflecting on His voice speaking creation into existence.
Saying “Namaste”
You could just not say it, or, if you choose to say it, remember that the meaning is something akin to “The light in me honors the light in you” or “I see God in you.” I’m personally comfortable saying it because I do honor my fellow image-bearers in the room, for whom Christ willingly gave up his life, and am happy to say that.
Kundalini
I’ve never specifically taken a kundalini yoga class, so I can’t write from experience here. However, my understanding is that “kundalini” is supposed to be a type of energy that you can awaken. This energy is often depicted as a coiled serpent lying at the base of your spine, and awakening it helps it “uncoil” until it rises through the crown chakra to connect more deeply to the Divine.
I get why Christians might be cautious because of the “serpent” imagery; however, my understanding is that this is a metaphor to help people visualize what’s happening. By participating in a kundalini yoga class, I don’t think you’re going to accidentally invite some snake demon into your body. As always, though, if YOU are uncomfortable with it, maybe just select a different class. Let the Holy Spirit guide you on what is right for you.
Chanting “Shanti”
“Shanti” means “peace.” At the end of a session, the instructor may chant “Om” then “Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.” The three repetitions symbolize peace in mind, body, and soul. If you choose to join in the chanting, you could think of the phrase “Shalom Shalom” which means “perfect peace” in Scripture. Apparently, “Om Shanti Shanti Shanti” is sometimes used to close out a Hindu or Buddhist worship ceremony, so if that bothers you, you could choose not to participate. But as with “Om,” you could also choose to join in the chant while holding the biblical meaning in your heart—perhaps even thinking of the verse about loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength as you do.
Chakras
Chakras are thought to be seven energy centers, ranging from the tailbone to the crown of the head. Each energy center connects with different ideas (like the root chakra connecting to security or the heart chakra connecting to love). It is thought that when we do certain asanas, we bring the related chakra into balance.
If you don’t like the word “chakra” or “energy center,” just think about the physical location. For example, if the instructor says, “Open your heart chakra,” just mentally translate it to the front rib cage and chest expanding while your shoulder blades contract behind you. If they say, “Imagine a line from your crown chakra to your root chakra,” translate it to “Imagine a line from the top of your head down through your tailbone.” Also, if you’re not sure about the existence of such “energy centers,” do some research on how the chakras correspond to various “hubs” within the nervous system. I think you’ll be fascinated!
Appropriation, Appreciation, and Conversation
Some people might be offended by the ideas I’ve written above about how to practice yoga while still fully and wholeheartedly walking the path of Jesus. The idea of Western, often White, Christians incorporating a spiritual practice that comes from India is understandably loaded and sensitive due to English history of imperialism and colonialism. Therefore, someone who claims to practice “Christian yoga” or to be a wholehearted Christian practicing yoga might face accusations of appropriation. However, my aim with what I have written above is to emphasize appreciation and conversation instead of appropriation.
Like I wrote at the beginning, yoga is a spiritual path, not a religion. It “grew up” in a context in which the predominant religions were Hinduism and later Buddhism, and so understandably became intertwined with those systems. Nevertheless, those who brought yoga to the United States never aimed to “convert” anyone, and never did anyone say you must convert to an Indian religion in order to practice yoga. On the contrary, the goal was to make yoga accessible to people of any faith, culture, and walk of life. I view yoga as closer to something like a 12-Step Program. 12-Step Programs may have been invented in the context of the United States, and the literature may often lend itself to a Christian worldview. However, they were designed to be adapted to and used by someone practicing any faith or no faith.
My hope is that the practice of yoga can be even further deepened and enriched by those of a Christ-centered worldview—that we can give back as we have received. We have such a rich legacy throughout the centuries of Judeo-Christian meditation and prayer, both in stillness and in movement and dance. Our faith speaks not only of God giving us breath, but of God the Holy Spirit being breath. How beautiful! And so my hope would be that we can move from accusations of appropriation, to genuine appreciation—and finally to deep, thoughtful, mutually enriching, and mutually respectful conversation.
