The Bible and Yoga?
What does the Bible say about yoga? Can I still excercise by stretching and strengthening?
These questions are what brought me to create this website that I hope will be helpful to you as it has to me. As of now, I am trained to teach WholyFit and am very thankful for this good, quality alternative! Below are three main reasons I felt I needed to find an alternative to yoga after studying through the Bible on this subject. Please feel free to share this and the downloadable kit with your church or community. If you'd like to contact me, drop by the Facebook Page. Thank you for visiting and enjoy!
“Might someone young in the faith be watching you and saying to herself, ‘You know, she’s a strong Christian and loves Jesus. She does yoga... I think I’ll take that yoga class being offered down the street... Are we responsible for living our lives in such a way as to be a help or a hindrance to the cause of Christ?”
Grow in your love for God
Strengthen in His Word while moving to the flow of scripture; let Him teach you about what things are important to Him and how you are important to Him. “Do not love the world or the things of the world.” Meaning of love here includes “to welcome,” “entertain,” “pleased or content with.” (1 John 2:15)
Grow in love with other believers by growing together
"...not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” (1 Cor 10:23-33) Keep God’s flavor distinct and savor His seasoning! Let the full brightness of His light shine as it is meant to—unhindered. (Mat 5:13-16). PraiseMoves and WholyFit are two ministries that seek to keep the family of God from the struggle of compromise.
Rest knowing that your choices support growth in others, and are not a possible “stumbling block.” (1 Cor 8, Rom 14)“Some asanas are called after gods...” (B.K.S Iyengar quote—Light on Yoga, pg. 42). In your liberty “...if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple... when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.” (1 Cor 8)
“Donning the Belt of Truth means aligning ourselves with what God says about us, Himself and His Kingdom. Spiritual core determines our spiritual posture and keeps us from debilitating spiritual pain. Just as we concentrate on the position of our bodies for best performance of each exercise, we must also position our spirit for performance.”
Classical yoga meditation...
Seeks to unite us with a “Supreme Universal Spirit” (Light on Yoga, pg. 1); but God Himself paves the way for us into His presence and joy, revealing who He is uniquely, simply by our response to the cross. (Eph 1-3, John 14:2-6, 2 Cor 4:16-18, (Psa 139))
Can yoga be purely physical?
Hatha Yoga is meant to ready us... [for]... the spiritual context which is the “entire essence of the subject.” (Richard Hittleman quote—Yoga Journal, May/June 1993, p. 68) Growing up in church later to be led to the New Age starting with yoga, Laurette Willis created PraiseMoves—a Bible-rooted yoga alternative—after becoming a believer in her adult years. (Today’s Christian Woman, 2005, March/April, Vol. 27, Issue 2, Page 40; also at kyria.com)
Renewed mind, transformation
Whatever view we come from, our bodies feel good when we stretch in particular ways. Why not pursue Bible-integrated exercises that strengthen the body but also build up the mind and spirit? Let the strengthening and rest start inside. Let God’s biblical truths enlighten your understanding that you would “know the hope of His calling.” (Eph 1:18) Let these truths sink in kinesthetically, while you stretch through the “word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Th 2:13, Rom 10:17, Heb 4:12)—resulting in your transformation as your mind is renewed. (Rom 12:2)
“Praise moves God...deeply.”
“Here’s exercise we can do which is good for the ‘temple of the Holy Spirit’ (our body), which also renews our mind on the Word of God, refreshes us spiritually, and moves us to praise our Beloved Lord!”
A gift you know He’ll enjoy
Know who you worship.
“Worship Him is spirit and truth” (John 4:24)
Know what He desires.
“...prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:1-2) “What harmony has Christ with Belial...” (2 Cor 6:14-18) “Touch no unclean thing.” (Isa 52:11). Make Him the foundation. (1 Cor 3:11)
Receive His gift for you
We can “approach the throne of grace boldly” (Heb 4:16) because it’s not our efforts that make us worthy to be in His presence. (Rom 4:4)Step right in to the inner sanctuary—you are already His temple if you’ve received His gift believing He rose from the dead to cover your wrong doings. (1 Cor 3:16)
Give Him your best
Challenge your body physically while challenging your spirit in purity. Run God’s race. (1 Cor 9:24) “...exercise yourself toward godliness... godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.” (1 Tim 4)
