Yoga

But that is not Yoga. If all you're talking about is stretching, that's fine. But Yoga is a whole system in itself. I don't think Christians should participate in mystical stuff, period. Do something else.

 

There are all kinds of "stretching' that can be done without playing around with yoga. There is just no need.

 

But that is my point. I'm betting there are some that slap the name, being completely ignorant of the spiritual mysticism purposes, but use it for fexibility/excercising purposes.

So I think just because something has a "yoga" label to it, we shouldn't jump to the conclusion that they are into eastern mysticism, or whatever.

 

Well, if there's no mysticism attached to it, then it's not Yoga. It's something else. The thread is about Yoga, not stretching.

 

you are correct.

I was just clarifying that I don't think it is the positions, which was being talked about, are bad in themselves. There is intent behind it that makes things bad.

 

You can follow a Yoga video, do the deep breaths and the positions, etc, and realize that there is no spiritual significance to it. Yoga builds flexibility and balance while improving circulation throughout the body. Yoga also encourages deep breathing which is something that was once thought to be the key to good health, though not emphasized much today.

If you just google health benefits of yoga, you'll find many. I've done Yoga before, not with a class but from some instructional videos off of the web, and there was not anything 'spiritual' about it. I think what may be happening, is we are allowing somethings origin to define what it is. Maybe Yoga originated as part of eastern mysticism, but now is practiced by most without any connection to eastern mysticism?

For those who want to watch a free 72 minute Yoga video here is the link :

http://yoga.org.nz/yoga_vidoes_download.htm

Tell me if in this video there is any mention of anything spiritual.

 

Then it isn't yoga.

 

Yoda on Yoga

Much about yoga I know not.
Eastern origins, it has.
Spiritual meaning and purpose, yoga movements and positions have.

Be dangerous, it could, wary yeesssssss.
Morphed into something different in the west, it has. hmmm.

Yoda

 

Sister Donna, that may be true. Maybe what many people are doing today is not yoga, in the true sense of the word. I think when most people speak of Yoga, they are speaking of the yoga that I described, the fitness, non-spiritual version of yoga(maybe we should invent a new term to describe this version of yoga to avoid confusion).

 

Usage determines meaning.

 

I tried yoga once and really
Wasn't my cup of tea.
I am a taebo fan! That is martial arts with aerobics.

 

LOL, I was reading thinking it sounded like yoda, thats a good one.

 

Where did they learn yoga, a video, and trainer? Thenit's yoga. No matter what we call it yoga is yoga.

 

Wow, I must admit I learned something today. I had no clue about yoga or karate. I've tried both and didn't loose any weight so the next day I decided it wasn't worth the effort.

 

After reading all of these responses about yoga, my remote control fell of the Eastern arm of my Lazyboy, and I started to stretch to get it, but didn’t want be called a pagan.
-Just kidding!-

My advice is to pray about it, and if you don’t have a peace about it, don’t do it.

 

Yoga isn't a good way to lose weight, Bro. Buick:0

But it's a good way of increasing flexibility and balance. It's a good thing in the morning, to wake up and do some stretches. That wakes me up instantly!

 

Yoga is an area I address frequently in my ministry. I have discussed it on radio programs, in talks around the country, been interviewed on it and quoted for a Christian women's magazine, and I have 2 articles on yoga on my website:
http://www.christiananswersforthenewage.org/Articles_Yoga.html

http://www.christiananswersforthenewage.org/Articles_YogaHippies1.html


The breathing exercises are not for physical reasons but spiritual and meditative ones (i.e. to induce meditative or altered states). The purpose of hatha yoga, one of my many yogas, is to prepare one for the more advanced yogas. It was never designed as excercise except in the sense of preparing the body to be disciplined for the mind yogas. The purpose is to raise the kundalini, the energy at the base of the spine coiled like a serpent, through the invisible chakras. Each asana is designed to "cleanse" a chakra and also many asanas honor Hindu deities.

Mudras, hand positions, reflect hand positions of Hindu gods and are meant to evoke that deity. We know from the Bible that false gods are demons.

Much yoga is taught today with the eastern terms replaced by seemingly innocuous ones (such as "breathing excercises" for pranayama - the real term) and most people are unaware of this. Yoga was brought to this country in order to bring people into Hinduism; it was a purposeful effort. This is admitted in a Yoga Jnl article from 2000 as well as more recent articles elsewhere.

The benefits may exist but a Christian's criteria for something with spiritual roots and meaning should not be 'does it work?' or "it helps me," but how does it line up with a Christian worldview. Yoga fails in every sense.

I know people who have done yoga innocently and had bad spiritual consequences.

I used to do yoga, btw.

 

Ya'll notice how google has kept up with your discussion??

:laugh:

 

No, thank you Adblock.

 

I noticed google is on the job MK.