I used to do a bit of yoga and I miss it -- it truly makes your body feel great. It's tough to find the time, but also I have some misgivings about some of the deeper meaning involved. Many question whether Christians should practice yoga. Not to be debated here, but it is recommended that Christians look into it more closely and decide for themselves whether the philosophy contradicts their beliefs, or not. I think there are some Christianity-aligned "equivalents" out there, which I've seen advertised at local churches, for those who are interested.
There is a reason why it has become an $80 billion business, but it not just about money. It’s about your soul. Is your health worth the cost of worship to the Hindu gods? Does conjuring up the gods and allowing their spiritual awakening within you really help you or them? Is it worth your soul to worship other gods or should you choose other things to worship the true God?
I thought the exact same thing! This is also why Pilates is my exercise of choice. I have looked into Yoga and try to stay away from it due to the negative spiritual side. I wish more people would offer Pilates for those of us who cannot practice Yoga.
Yes, there is no Christian yoga anymore than there is a Christian golden calf..Praying that Satan's deceit in this area would be exposed.
Biomechanically and physiologically speaking, Pilates is much safer and more effective, anyway. The fact that people get so emotional over yoga shows it's already got a grip on their soul.
There's no Buddhist "worship" in yoga, it doesn't even come out of a Buddhist tradition (which doesn't, at its roots, involve a divine being at all), its roots are in Hindu culture, and isn't about "worshiping" anything, it's about adopting physical poses. There are references to energy channels, but I've done a lot of yoga and never been asked to bow to any "god."
Never.
I'd hate to be so insecure about my faith that adopting some physical poses with foreign names would feel threatening.
Do more research. Yoga is inextricably linked with specific religious/spiritual beliefs. Is it a coincidence that it's growth has matched America's decline? Possible. Look to pilates or alternatives.
I know that not all of your doctors and staff aren’t Christians but a lot are. I appreciate all the protocols and support you have given to millions of people and the interviews you given to places that are not afraid to tell the truth, like Joni’s Table Talk. I’m just sorry to see you have gone to the other side with your woke, new age teaching that has been trying to take you down.
There is a reason why it has become an $80 billion business, but it not just about money. It’s about your soul. Is your health worth the cost of worship to the Hindu gods? Does conjuring up the gods and allowing their spiritual awakening within you really help you or them? Is it worth your soul to worship other gods or should you choose other things to worship the true God?
It's not Christians in general, it's a certain subset of Christians who are cultish and fearful of those outside their cult. Convinced that anyone who mispronounces "shibboleth" is part of some kind of demonic "other," intent on seducing them into the lake of fire.
Having seen the otherizing of vaccine skeptics, I'm *definitely* not on board with this.
There's no such thing as Christian tarot cards or a Christian Ouija board, nor is there such a thing as Christian yoga. All yoga is filled with false pagan religion that glorifies Satan. Isn't it just like Satan to still be the greatest deceiver ever? The first thing he did in the garden of Eden was deceive Eve. 🍎 Praying your mind would be open to realize the truth.
Yoga has been very helpful for my loved one withdrawing from a slew of psychiatric meds prescribed during her struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia over these last three years. Terrible care where if her symptoms were not improving, they’d up the dose or add a new one. No other suggestions for relief. They also never informed her of potential side effects/withdrawal problems etc. Now she’s withdrawing on her own very slowly with no support from drs, suggested alternatives to meds, nothing. I am livid and she has suffered greatly. Group yoga has brought her community, compassion - beyond all the other positive tools of mindfulness, breathing etc. Our mental health system is extremely harmful. The lockdowns were extremely harmful. I recommend this as a healthy practice if anyone is suffering in this way. It takes time but helpful, healthy and long lasting.
$80 billion industry that pays highly trained and experienced instructors $20-$30 per class to teach. These instructors (Myself included) spend thousands on training and hours on study. What’s wrong with this picture 🤷♀️
To put it bluntly, you're dancing with the devil. There's simply no way to take the paganism out of yoga. And there are healthier and safer ways to exercise, anyway.
I love yoga, and I am aware of the Prana energy through my body. I am still working on an article to explain the connection between Prana and the physical world.
In short: We have a multidimensional consciousness that is surrounding this 3D world. The consciousness is awareness, identity, life-energy in many different forms. Via prana we interact with the world around us and with each other.
Prana is like a flow that comes in waves. The waves of breath, wave of the heart, waves of the brain, etc. All have different frequencies and we can measure them. We can also interact with them via sound or electromagnetic waves. By dampening certain frequencies in Anesthesia we can be put to sleep (Stuart Hameroff).
The research into Prana with Yan Xin revealed even more. Due to the culture it is given the name Chi instead of Prana. And by focussing chi he could start chemical reactions, and reverse them. He could even influence the decay of nuclear reactions, also on distances. This shows that if we want to study Chi/Prana scientifically, we have to first acknowledge that it is a phenomenon outside the physical 3D world. And this is also what people discover that look into consciousness related to near-death experiences.
The good news is that we have so much new things to discover. New Thinking Allowed is a great youtube channel with interviews about parapsychology research into these subjects. https://www.youtube.com/@NewThinkingAllowed
Yoga is good for the body, however what is most commonly missed is persons with osteoporosis or osteoarthritis there are certain poses one should not do or may need to modify.
Unfortunately in most yoga studios you are at the mercy of the instructor and whether or not they are aware.
I found out the hard way. The downward facing dog and regular planks are very hard on the hands and feet. I had to have surgery on both hands, a total of 4, because of damage from the poses. I have osteoarthritis in hands and feet. I had to have a toe joint replaced, also my body rejected the titanium joint and I had to have that replaced. In evidenced based medicine they have a one size fits all approach to arthritis pain management. Bottom line, one has to be their health advocate. Just because it may work for most does not mean it works for all.
It is important to have a good instructor. Mine tells the class to listen to their own bodies and not to force themselves into poses that don't feel right. She'll work one-on-one with individuals who have, e.g., shoulder issues, back issues, knee issues, SI-joint issues, and wrist issues. The idea is to help your body, to lead it to greater comfort, flexibility and joy, not to punish it
You can't take the pagan religion out of yoga anymore than you can take it out of and an Ouija board. When you do yoga you're playing with the devil, and there's no way around it.
Furthermore, as an elite athlete for several decades with an BS in Exercise Science, a MS in Exercise Medicine, certified by ACSM, with a career in some of the top facilities in the nation and having won multiple awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Health & Fitness, I can assure you there are safer and more effective ways to exercise. If you like that type of exercise but want it to be safe ~ both physically and spiritually ~ do Pilates instead.
And for the record, I've been a leader in my church and have taught Bible studies for decades. And I've specifically studied the religious aspects of yoga.
So glad for this article, many think it has religious overtones that go against their own religious faith . Not so . As a physician, I tell the patients it’s like a stretching class, keeping you limber and is great for circulation and fine motor movements. I love hot yoga best thing I ever did . There is all sorts of classes to chair yoga , power yoga, hot Bikram yoga ... find what you think you may like , so many options , do your research !
You give no proof of your “not so” … others have made note of why yoga can have religious overtones so will I not rehash. Well grounded christians know with every heresy there is some truth otherwise it could not take hold. We also know that we need to guard our souls, and we know that the adversary can be clothed in beauty — and yoga can be beautiful and has benefit … but at what cost? In this time when evil is running rampant why take a chance when so many other options with no religious overtones or underpinnings are available?
What cockeyed religion does yoga offend? What can you possibly mean by "religious overtones?"
Yoga and Hinduism are part of the culture of the Indian subcontinent, but they aren't the same thing. The food from that region is woven into that culture too. Do you really think that eating Indian food is contrary to your religion because the people who came up with it weren't Christian? That seems completely insane to me.
My comment was not meant to offend - it was a call for discernment to Christians who take their faith seriously. Just a short example from a Christianity Today article.
“We need to keep in mind that, in the traditional Hindu expression of yoga, the exercises are integral to the higher spiritual goal of attaining union with the god Shiva. There are various Hindu approaches such as Bhakti yoga, Raja yoga and Siddha yoga that incorporate postures, meditations, chanting mantras and taking spiritual instruction from a guru (teacher). However, it is apparent in the West today that there are many teaching yoga where the physical and mental exercises are clearly divorced from Hindu faith. Many in the West insist that Hatha yoga, which is centred in the bodily postures and exercises, may be practised without all the trappings and teachings of traditional Hindu faith. This diversity of approaches requires that we do some background checking.”
Perhaps my comment was clumsily worded as it was not meant to offend but to provoke thought, something I think is prized at sites like this 😊
BTW - I love Indian food, Indian people (especially the ones I used to play squash with) and people with faiths that differ from mine … and have taken yoga classes that helped me physically and were not in any conflict with my faith. Hope that helps to clarify my initial remarks!
Thank you for that . I wish people would stretch , exercise more (aerobics / anaerobic) eat better and overall take better care of themselves, with their mind , body and spirit. After seeing patients for over 30 years , obesity is a huge problem in our country .
When I recommend Yoga or a stretching class to my patients, some of my patients ask about the types of classes that are out there. That’s all I can say . I go to hot yoga because I feel better …. You Do you and go to whatever classes suit you . 🌞🌞☮️
I used to do a bit of yoga and I miss it -- it truly makes your body feel great. It's tough to find the time, but also I have some misgivings about some of the deeper meaning involved. Many question whether Christians should practice yoga. Not to be debated here, but it is recommended that Christians look into it more closely and decide for themselves whether the philosophy contradicts their beliefs, or not. I think there are some Christianity-aligned "equivalents" out there, which I've seen advertised at local churches, for those who are interested.
There is a reason why it has become an $80 billion business, but it not just about money. It’s about your soul. Is your health worth the cost of worship to the Hindu gods? Does conjuring up the gods and allowing their spiritual awakening within you really help you or them? Is it worth your soul to worship other gods or should you choose other things to worship the true God?
https://praisemoves.com/about-praisemoves/why-a-christian-alternative-to-yoga/yoga-postures-are-offerings-to-hindu-gods/
Yes!!! This! 👆
This is part of the reason I do Pilates. The benefits of Pilates are too numerous to count and there is no Buddhist worship or chakras.
I’ve tried the “Christian yoga” and it’s not very good and also based on the Buddhist practice, though I am no expert in the topic.
Anyway, when I jumped into the comment section and read your comment I was pleased to know others are thinking similarly about yoga.
I thought the exact same thing! This is also why Pilates is my exercise of choice. I have looked into Yoga and try to stay away from it due to the negative spiritual side. I wish more people would offer Pilates for those of us who cannot practice Yoga.
I also want to add that I have no I’ll will towards Buddhists! They’re wonderful people and my hope for them is to find true salvation in Christ!
Yes, there is no Christian yoga anymore than there is a Christian golden calf..Praying that Satan's deceit in this area would be exposed.
Biomechanically and physiologically speaking, Pilates is much safer and more effective, anyway. The fact that people get so emotional over yoga shows it's already got a grip on their soul.
There's no Buddhist "worship" in yoga, it doesn't even come out of a Buddhist tradition (which doesn't, at its roots, involve a divine being at all), its roots are in Hindu culture, and isn't about "worshiping" anything, it's about adopting physical poses. There are references to energy channels, but I've done a lot of yoga and never been asked to bow to any "god."
Never.
I'd hate to be so insecure about my faith that adopting some physical poses with foreign names would feel threatening.
Hindu. Thats right. Thank you.
Do more research. Yoga is inextricably linked with specific religious/spiritual beliefs. Is it a coincidence that it's growth has matched America's decline? Possible. Look to pilates or alternatives.
I know that not all of your doctors and staff aren’t Christians but a lot are. I appreciate all the protocols and support you have given to millions of people and the interviews you given to places that are not afraid to tell the truth, like Joni’s Table Talk. I’m just sorry to see you have gone to the other side with your woke, new age teaching that has been trying to take you down.
May God have mercy on your soul.
Agreed. 💔
There is a reason why it has become an $80 billion business, but it not just about money. It’s about your soul. Is your health worth the cost of worship to the Hindu gods? Does conjuring up the gods and allowing their spiritual awakening within you really help you or them? Is it worth your soul to worship other gods or should you choose other things to worship the true God?
https://praisemoves.com/about-praisemoves/why-a-christian-alternative-to-yoga/yoga-postures-are-offerings-to-hindu-gods/
Who would have expected this would bring so many Christians out of the woodwork? I was expecting to see comments on the expense apparently involved.
It's not Christians in general, it's a certain subset of Christians who are cultish and fearful of those outside their cult. Convinced that anyone who mispronounces "shibboleth" is part of some kind of demonic "other," intent on seducing them into the lake of fire.
Having seen the otherizing of vaccine skeptics, I'm *definitely* not on board with this.
There's no such thing as Christian tarot cards or a Christian Ouija board, nor is there such a thing as Christian yoga. All yoga is filled with false pagan religion that glorifies Satan. Isn't it just like Satan to still be the greatest deceiver ever? The first thing he did in the garden of Eden was deceive Eve. 🍎 Praying your mind would be open to realize the truth.
I understand. Just a bit surprised to see them on Substack.
I'm a 67 year young guy here in Toronto Ontario CHINADA.
I don't actually practice yoga but I have combined the types of stretching yoga and Pilates uses.
I'm 6ft 6 inches and 260 lbs and played hard in sports and mostly was a blue collar hard worker.
I call it yogalates or power stretching.
I do this every day because it matters and allows me to still ride my bike hard and lift kettlebells and keeps me mobile.
I don't intend to be a burden on my family.
Yoga has been very helpful for my loved one withdrawing from a slew of psychiatric meds prescribed during her struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia over these last three years. Terrible care where if her symptoms were not improving, they’d up the dose or add a new one. No other suggestions for relief. They also never informed her of potential side effects/withdrawal problems etc. Now she’s withdrawing on her own very slowly with no support from drs, suggested alternatives to meds, nothing. I am livid and she has suffered greatly. Group yoga has brought her community, compassion - beyond all the other positive tools of mindfulness, breathing etc. Our mental health system is extremely harmful. The lockdowns were extremely harmful. I recommend this as a healthy practice if anyone is suffering in this way. It takes time but helpful, healthy and long lasting.
$80 billion industry that pays highly trained and experienced instructors $20-$30 per class to teach. These instructors (Myself included) spend thousands on training and hours on study. What’s wrong with this picture 🤷♀️
To put it bluntly, you're dancing with the devil. There's simply no way to take the paganism out of yoga. And there are healthier and safer ways to exercise, anyway.
I love yoga, and I am aware of the Prana energy through my body. I am still working on an article to explain the connection between Prana and the physical world.
In short: We have a multidimensional consciousness that is surrounding this 3D world. The consciousness is awareness, identity, life-energy in many different forms. Via prana we interact with the world around us and with each other.
Prana is like a flow that comes in waves. The waves of breath, wave of the heart, waves of the brain, etc. All have different frequencies and we can measure them. We can also interact with them via sound or electromagnetic waves. By dampening certain frequencies in Anesthesia we can be put to sleep (Stuart Hameroff).
The research into Prana with Yan Xin revealed even more. Due to the culture it is given the name Chi instead of Prana. And by focussing chi he could start chemical reactions, and reverse them. He could even influence the decay of nuclear reactions, also on distances. This shows that if we want to study Chi/Prana scientifically, we have to first acknowledge that it is a phenomenon outside the physical 3D world. And this is also what people discover that look into consciousness related to near-death experiences.
The good news is that we have so much new things to discover. New Thinking Allowed is a great youtube channel with interviews about parapsychology research into these subjects. https://www.youtube.com/@NewThinkingAllowed
A brisk daily walk.
Yoga is good for the body, however what is most commonly missed is persons with osteoporosis or osteoarthritis there are certain poses one should not do or may need to modify.
Unfortunately in most yoga studios you are at the mercy of the instructor and whether or not they are aware.
I found out the hard way. The downward facing dog and regular planks are very hard on the hands and feet. I had to have surgery on both hands, a total of 4, because of damage from the poses. I have osteoarthritis in hands and feet. I had to have a toe joint replaced, also my body rejected the titanium joint and I had to have that replaced. In evidenced based medicine they have a one size fits all approach to arthritis pain management. Bottom line, one has to be their health advocate. Just because it may work for most does not mean it works for all.
It is important to have a good instructor. Mine tells the class to listen to their own bodies and not to force themselves into poses that don't feel right. She'll work one-on-one with individuals who have, e.g., shoulder issues, back issues, knee issues, SI-joint issues, and wrist issues. The idea is to help your body, to lead it to greater comfort, flexibility and joy, not to punish it
You can't take the pagan religion out of yoga anymore than you can take it out of and an Ouija board. When you do yoga you're playing with the devil, and there's no way around it.
Furthermore, as an elite athlete for several decades with an BS in Exercise Science, a MS in Exercise Medicine, certified by ACSM, with a career in some of the top facilities in the nation and having won multiple awards for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Health & Fitness, I can assure you there are safer and more effective ways to exercise. If you like that type of exercise but want it to be safe ~ both physically and spiritually ~ do Pilates instead.
And for the record, I've been a leader in my church and have taught Bible studies for decades. And I've specifically studied the religious aspects of yoga.
You want to be healthy and bring others along in your journey- may GOD richly bless you.
But which god do you want to be blessed by considering the 330 million you’re worshiping
There is only ONE TRUE GOD! Worth every moment of our worship!
Who's worshiping 330 million gods? Is that what you said?
I do have a sports medicine degree.
Yoga comes from false religions. All religions are false, dark except Catholic Church founded by Jesus, God.
Try Rosary, from Mother of God. She will get us out of this horror.
Sermon from true Catholic Church, who fought covid depopulation plan from beginning til his death last spring
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cun-YItEtzo
Currently so tiny ( in no way connected to false pope Francis and his wicked fake church)
So glad for this article, many think it has religious overtones that go against their own religious faith . Not so . As a physician, I tell the patients it’s like a stretching class, keeping you limber and is great for circulation and fine motor movements. I love hot yoga best thing I ever did . There is all sorts of classes to chair yoga , power yoga, hot Bikram yoga ... find what you think you may like , so many options , do your research !
You give no proof of your “not so” … others have made note of why yoga can have religious overtones so will I not rehash. Well grounded christians know with every heresy there is some truth otherwise it could not take hold. We also know that we need to guard our souls, and we know that the adversary can be clothed in beauty — and yoga can be beautiful and has benefit … but at what cost? In this time when evil is running rampant why take a chance when so many other options with no religious overtones or underpinnings are available?
What cockeyed religion does yoga offend? What can you possibly mean by "religious overtones?"
Yoga and Hinduism are part of the culture of the Indian subcontinent, but they aren't the same thing. The food from that region is woven into that culture too. Do you really think that eating Indian food is contrary to your religion because the people who came up with it weren't Christian? That seems completely insane to me.
My comment was not meant to offend - it was a call for discernment to Christians who take their faith seriously. Just a short example from a Christianity Today article.
“We need to keep in mind that, in the traditional Hindu expression of yoga, the exercises are integral to the higher spiritual goal of attaining union with the god Shiva. There are various Hindu approaches such as Bhakti yoga, Raja yoga and Siddha yoga that incorporate postures, meditations, chanting mantras and taking spiritual instruction from a guru (teacher). However, it is apparent in the West today that there are many teaching yoga where the physical and mental exercises are clearly divorced from Hindu faith. Many in the West insist that Hatha yoga, which is centred in the bodily postures and exercises, may be practised without all the trappings and teachings of traditional Hindu faith. This diversity of approaches requires that we do some background checking.”
Perhaps my comment was clumsily worded as it was not meant to offend but to provoke thought, something I think is prized at sites like this 😊
BTW - I love Indian food, Indian people (especially the ones I used to play squash with) and people with faiths that differ from mine … and have taken yoga classes that helped me physically and were not in any conflict with my faith. Hope that helps to clarify my initial remarks!
Thank you for that . I wish people would stretch , exercise more (aerobics / anaerobic) eat better and overall take better care of themselves, with their mind , body and spirit. After seeing patients for over 30 years , obesity is a huge problem in our country .
Love yoga and respect whatever one practices. Good health and happiness to all .
When I recommend Yoga or a stretching class to my patients, some of my patients ask about the types of classes that are out there. That’s all I can say . I go to hot yoga because I feel better …. You Do you and go to whatever classes suit you . 🌞🌞☮️