Christian Yoga | The Beginning of My Yoga & Faith Journey
My first post to capture my journey on Holy Yoga...and a post for the curious.
Believe it or not... for the past 6 years of my yoga practice, I had not heard about its roots or association with Eastern religions. Yes, call me naïve. Call me whatever you want, but that is the utter truth. And unsurprisingly so. I believe there are 2 key reasons.
Gym Yoga Classes do not often draw any religious references but focuses on Yoga as a physical-focussed fitness activity
If you have ever walked into a yoga class at the local gym, you may find the focus of the class centred around 'well being' and 'having a good session'*. Almost as if gyms know that associating any religion to the now popular 'exercise' is not good for business; hardly ever have I been to a yoga class where it openly encourages spiritual connection. Sure, the poses are often referenced back to its Hindi name, but often together with its English counterpart, such as "Reach your arm towards the front of the room, as far as you can, until you can reach no further. Then drop your hand down to touch your shin or ankle, if you can......to get into Triangle Pose ...Trikonasana.
[*Note: I only draw from my own experience attending yoga classes from various gyms with various teachers throughout the last 5-6 years of my practise, with the most recent being classes at Madonna's gym Hard Candy. I've also asked a lot of friends and gym junkies who tend to agree.]By God's grace, He has shielded from exposure to any religious compromise
Perhaps the classes differ in traditional Yoga Studios, which I have not experienced. Only ever at gyms. And perhaps those classes do focus on the spiritual elements. (I'm sure that's how I've heard about 'chanting' and the concept of 'ohm' yoga, but never thought much of it.) The truth of the matter is that I have not been exposed to these to realise yoga's common association with Eastern religions or philosophy. I would even say 'Namaste' together with the rest of the class at the end of a session, thinking it meant 'Thank You' to the teacher. I'm not disputing the fact that for some people, religious compromise may have been apparent in the yoga classes that I have attended. The point I'm trying to make here is that I have never felt that way. I strongly believe this is God's grace pouring over me. He, who has brought me along in this journey, has shielded me from doubting yoga has any form of paganism or idolatry. He has allowed me to see the benefits of yoga through the physical form only, so that I may be here to experience Holy Yoga. Had I had known or even doubted yoga to have any conflict with my focus on Jesus, I would have stopped long ago but He allowed me to enjoy the 6 year journey that made me fall in love with the physical discipline of it, much like others enjoying cross fit, swimming, dancing, singing etc... (And yes, I would later learn out about yoga's connection with Eastern religions and I'll talk about this more later). If you're wondering how naiïveI can be for not knowing, I can only say it's the power of God. Because if it was really that blatantly obvious, only He could have shielded me from it all. Although, point 1 still exists as an influencing factor.
Then, how did I come to find Holy Yoga?
Although I've been to a lot of gym yoga classes, much of my yoga practice has been self-taught via training videos from the Internet. Having a dancing and figure skating background has helped. From a young age, I've always loved and appreciated the body's capabilities and its expression in the physical form. Being blessed with a petite physique has also given me an advantage for these types of activities.
During my second pregnancy, I enjoyed a prenatal yoga program taught by renowned yogi, Briohny Smyth on the Daily Burn. It was this dedicated practice throughout the nine months of my pregnancy that I became interested in becoming a Yoga Instructor.
After giving birth, I was determined to get back in shape and did Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide (more about that here). I loved the results I got from that program and I got back in shape within 4 months post-partum, which is a pretty amazing result. Admittedly, I never enjoyed the training much. I still do some high intensity interval training regularly to stay fit and unlike some others, I never grew to enjoy it. Yoga, on the other hand, I simply LOVE. Before, during and after.
Shortly after deciding to return to my career in digital marketing, I couldn’t help but explore Yoga Teacher Training programs. After learning more them, I realised that a significant part of the program was dedicated to learning about Yoga's roots in Eastern religious philosophies and meditation practices, such as "chanting". I was very confused. So, all this time I was practising yoga, I was oblivious to certain poses honouring ancient gods and meditation that was 'opening up my mind to other gods that are not of the Biblical Christian God I believe in? Sun salutation was honouring Hindu gods? Something that was completely new to me.
What followed were days of conflicting emotions.
Sadness that something that I had loved so much would pose conflict to my beliefs. Disappointment that I had gone down this path and yet God had not sent me any signs of disapproval. It hit me like a truck.
For many nights, I would Google 'Christians view on yoga' and read through countless controversial opinion pieces. None of them provided conviction nor God’s personal revelation for me.
At one point, I gave in. I accepted defeat. I was close to closing doors to yoga in favour of the arguments that yoga was a form of dishonour to our Creator God.
But something deep down was calling on me. I trust it was the Holy Spirit’s nudge for me to pursue something that was more…
I refused to give up and did more research. I then came across Holy Yoga ministry. Brooke Boon the founder of Holy Yoga, explains how yoga has been God's blessing for her. She goes into the depths of Scripture commanding that we worship the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and STRENGTH (body) in Mark 12:30 and plenty more verses that command that we present our body to God, who has blessed us with our bodies, our temples, to do His work in Him and through Him. I shall share more about this in upcoming posts, where I continue to journal my Holy Yoga learnings and emotions.
So Holy Yoga, huh? Is it really Holy? Or is it just another form of paganism as deemed by some Christians? I prayed on this, researched more, prayed more. I continued to seek advice from my parents, friends, my church’s lead pastor to seek His answer on it. After about a month of rigorous seeking for His answer, I pulled out and decided to stop doing yoga altogether.
I spent another month wresting the mixed emotions. I realised I was only fatigued by pursuing this on my own strength without seeking God’s revelation for me on it. So I let go and I surrendered pursuing. Two months after I had first found Holy Yoga online, I believe God led me back to it. This time, with conviction.
Hence, I would then follow my pursuit to finalise my flights to Holy Yoga's retreat in the U.S. and sign myself up for the yoga teacher training.
All of this dove-tailed in with my 2015 New Years resolution priorities - to make this year the real start to my Christian journey, to seek His Kingdom, to seek ministry work, to forego the treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy....and I lay up for myself treasures in heaven...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6 19-21)
Whilst I'm unclear, at this stage, where Holy Yoga will lead me in ministry work. I am faithful that God has His plans for me on this journey.
I am hearing that I must continue this with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
So, here I start. My journey in Holy Yoga - 100% Jesus, 100% Yoga with the study of anatomy a bonus ;)
