Yoga and Meditation

[Starfire1]

I do yoga and meditate sometimes and when I shared this with a few of my (Christian) friends they didn't really...approve of it. Like there were sixes stamped all over it. These were some of my close friends so I care more about their opinions, but I don't think there's a problem with it. I just do it to keep me limber and to help me de-stress my mind along with praying. So I haven't quit but I was just this is a topic I come back to when I'm just thinking and I wanted to hear yall's opinion. Thanks!

[starfire]

Well, I meditate. I think that the only bad kind is where you open up your mind to spiritual forces other than God. That's what meditation is. Calming your mind and listening for guidance. If you meditate on God and ask him to open your mind to HIS truth, nothing bad can happen. But be cautious of just meditating without the protection of The Lord. I think that it opens doors that you might want to remain shut.

As far as yoga, I would try pilates. There is no questioning the fact that yoga has its roots in eastern religion. Pilates has the same physical benefits, but i've found lacks much of the spiritual issues that yoga seems to have. I hope I helped!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Why do many Christians disprove yoga by the way? I never really understood yoga

[Locke]

Well, I meditate. I think that the only bad kind is where you open up your mind to spiritual forces other than God. That's what meditation is. Calming your mind and listening for guidance. If you meditate on God and ask him to open your mind to HIS truth, nothing bad can happen. But be cautious of just meditating without the protection of The Lord. I think that it opens doors that you might want to remain shut.

As far as yoga, I would try pilates. There is no questioning the fact that yoga has its roots in eastern religion. Pilates has the same physical benefits, but i've found lacks much of the spiritual issues that yoga seems to have. I hope I helped!

I've been doing Yoga and Pilates for a few years now, you should try pilates!

[Myoti]

I've heard of doing the actual excercises, which doesn'y seem like much of a problem, but the "meditation" part of it is what I don't quite like. You know, the whole "lotus" postition and everything, since the basis of it is to "clear your mind" from anything, including God, which is not true meditation.

[steelbeliever]

i meditate myself and do yoga upon occasion...i see no problem with meditation but i don't believe in chakras and finding your balance and stuff like that...i mean i meditate on God's word, ne?

[CDLviking]

Yoga is very closely tied with Hindu beliefs and practices. While you may not acknowledge any of these it may still leave you open. I agree with others who suggest something like pilates to replace it. As long as you are not meditating according to a nihilstic philosophy of emptying yourself from everything in an attempt to achieve nirvana, I don't see a particular problem with it. Like Steelbeliever said, steer clear of those chakras.

[Silvanis]

I do yoga once a day, and in replacement of meditation I pray. I find it perfectly fine. If I don't do it, my immunity system drops because I don't get enough oxygen. Kudos to you for keeping yourself healthy!

[starfire]

What is a chakra? I saw it on Teen Titans. It's like that thing Raven wears on her forehead I think. I know it's weird but I never understood what it was.

[Fsiphskilm]

[u]Yog

[Slater]

You do meditation in Yoga to find peace from the stress of the world, right? The Bible talks about that... Yes, there is peace in it, but it is written that Jesus brings to us as Christians a peace that the world cannot offer... a true and lasting peace from the one truly pure source. Knowing this, I agree that meditation in Yoga is not something that should be done. It does have its roots in dark religion (I know because a "Yoga evanelist" once spoke to me at Fisherman's Warf in San Francisco), and we need to avoid association with such things.

[steelbeliever]

orange? if i don't know...i probably don't want to...btw...chakras are like nine "diamonds" or spiritual centers int he body...i don't believe it...i studied it for a while as part of a class...

[Starfire1]

What is a chakra? I saw it on Teen Titans. It's like that thing Raven wears on her forehead I think. I know it's weird but I never understood what it was.

If I'm not mistaken, they're supposed to be some kind of "energy points" on your body. I don't know the details of it though.
Wow, thanks for all the replies guys. They all gave me something to consider. I do think I'll give the pilates a try and when I do meditate again, keep my mind on the Lord and not shut it off to EVERYTHING.

[starfire]

While you do have a point, it would be naive to practice something without asking any questions. Obviously Christians cannot be "infested by demons", but that doesn't mean we walk around with a big sign on our back that says "possess me". I can't judge whether or not yoga is right or wrong for everyone, but I do think that people should look at its origins. Then decide whether they feel comfortable with it. For me, anything that has a stretch in which you are giving "salutations" to the sun, is too weird.

It's like some martial arts. Some of my relatives think they're too strange and don't do them, but I may not feel that way. That doesn't mean they're being judgemental, it just means they feel it's wrong. So, it would be sinning for them to do it.

So, that's my two cents.

[meboeck]

I learned yoga from a dance teacher who knew all the scientific stuff about it. Most of the relaxation and clearing of the mind happens because of the way the body works. What you meditate on while you are in that state is the important part to keep in check. I think yoga is a great way to relax while keeping yourself in shape.

[Starfire1]

On second thought, I think I'll give both a rest for a while. The more I read the more uncomfortable I'm feeling about it.

[starfire]

I think you would like pilates better. It seems like a tougher workout. But it's really fun!

[Fsiphskilm]

It's ju

[SP1]

This is a very huge debate, even in the Yoga magazines. Yoga is actually a series of disciplines, 8 of them. Taken together, it is one of the major recognized hindu religions. However, not all of the 8 aspects are religious by western standards. The yoga postures, called the asanas, are what most of us think of when yoga is discussed. These are something like the 3rd discipline. The first two are rules of personal conduct that are somewhat analogous to the Ten Commandments (don't steal, kill, etc.). The reason for the asanas is to promote the general health and physical capability that is needed to pursue the "higher" disciplines like meditation (sort of like, if you can't sit for a long time without a backache, meditation gets more difficult).

I think the key to doing yoga asanas, meditation, and breathing exercises is the intent of the student AND (most key) who the instructor is. You may need to shop around for this. Many instructors will discuss this with you. You should not feel uncomfortable (OK, soreness is likely). There are christian yoga instructors out there. If you are chanting hymns to a foreign god, you're in the wrong class.

My church, one of the oldest and most conservative in my bible belt state, sponsored a yoga class for quite a long time until the flegling instructor was able to get her own facility.

[Eriana]

I think you would like pilates better. It seems like a tougher workout. But it's really fun!

I've done pilates. It's a lot of fun. It doesn't incorporate the "Tai-Chi ball" and all the other junk thrown into other Yoga workouts. This really works your entire body, I would recommend it.

[CDLviking]

Yoga is an exersize and a spiritual element.

you CAN do one without the other. Stretching your hand a certain way does not make demons infest your body. Christians being christians (always cautious) will disprove of anything without even thinking. (remember pokemon?)

I myself having done this too, have learned from it at least.

There is NO satanic Color,
There is NO satanic musical instrument.
There is NO satanic exersize,
or plant
or smell
or art style.

So people need to stop dissing on Anime, Yoga, Rock Music, Orange, Lightning, Tamborenes, Hemp, and so forth.

Everything on Earth is from God, the way we move our arms (Yoga) doesn't mean anything.

You are absolutely right, you can do the exercise without the spiritual element. It seems to me though, that you couldn't call it Yoga anymore, but simply stretching exercises.

In chapter 14 of Romans, Paul discusses that there is nothing that is unclean. Those who are strong in their faith know this, but others have weak consciences, and out of charity towards them we should refrain from those things that would offend their weak conscience. So, although there is nothing inherently bad about stretching in a certain way, if it causes offense to others in your friends, family, or church, then it may be more charitable to them to find a different form to do it.

[Eriana]

That's very true.
I have to really side with you on this one CDLviking! ^_~*

[Lynx]

i do yoga and love it. i just kinda do my own version of it though. i do all the poses and breathing normally, but instead focus on God the whole time... basically instead of the clearing of the mind and such, i pray and worship God. it's really great either first thing in the morning or right before bed! ^_^

[~Natsumi Lam~]

i would just pray before each class, so that no unseen influences sneak in.
Just guard your heart,mind and spirit. The devil is sneaky like that, walks in where you dont see him and makes a little home there. Thats my advise if you decide to stick with the class.


~NL~

[Kisa]

If it doesn't affect your faith or makes you feel uncomforatable, its OK. I know there are classes that emphasize the spiritual aspects of it and those that concentrate on the physical and health benefits. Its all how you do it and how God presses on your heart about it.

[Maledicte]

I take yoga myself, if only for its physical benefits. However the meditation stuff never bothered me much--before I took the class my dad said "You can pray instead of meditate", and that's what I do.

[Fsiphskilm]

I always

[Linksquest]

If you do Yoga, just as an excercise... it is ok. But many times Yoga will incorperate spiritual elements to it that are not at all Christian. Just be careful.

[livewire]

The asanas, by themselves are not harmful...as has been said already...pilates is much like yoga except that it uses the asanas in a manner that separates the spiritual from the health benefits. According to my old Yoga teacher (I was caught up in it for a while) and others whom I have known to practice Yoga,

"Yoga is not about self-improvement but rather a practice of self-acceptance. The effort taht is required to break free of self-defeating behaviors, to change and improve ones self often includes the risk of getting caught up in more unhappiness....The main obbjective of Hatha Yoga is to create a balance of the interacting activities and processes of the physical body, mind and energy. When this balance is created, the impulses generated awaken the central force that is responsible for the evolution of human consciousness."

Perhaps it is because I was depressed. Perhaps it is because my roommate was practicing witchcraft in my home and I didn't know. Perhaps it is for other reasons that I am not aware of...but, even though I was using the meditations to pray.... I just became more and more lost in a darkness that was incredibly tangible while I was practicing Yoga.
I do not recommend anyone who is Christian mesing around with this. Yoga, by deifiniton is a spiritual practice. It is new age. It is spiritualism and God warms against practicing such things. As posted in his article for the school newspaper by Mr. Smartypants....you can not follow the ways of the world and still be following the ways of the word.
Do Pilates or find some other flexibility building excercises. But, don't get caught up in Yoga.
There is a quote that I once had written down, but no longer have that says, "It is easy to get used to the darkness once you have been in the light."
Take it from me...someone who has been a Christian ALL MY LIFE....I fell away from God without even realizing that I had done it...
I am not, nor can I completely, blame Yoga for my fall. There were many other factors involved, but, to take a spiritual practice such as Yoga and claim that you can separate the spiritual from the physical...I am not sure that is possible...

sorry if I have said too much....
sorry if no one agrees with me....
sorry if I have crossed any lines....

[The Last Bard]

Livewire:

to take a spiritual practice such as Yoga and claim that you can separate the spiritual from the physical...I am not sure that is possible...

If it's not possible then why are so many people on here claiming they can?

Hey, I work out my muscles doing stretches and such, but I might do some Yoga poses in there, but I don't know they are Yoga positions...So why is there a problem with that?
So the Chinese/Japanese or whoever came up with some great muscle exercises.
Doesn't mean they are evil.
Sure they took it a step further and started meditating. So they meditated on the wrong things...Doesn't mean we have to.
I can meditate on Christ. There isn't anything wrong with "meditation", it's what you meditate on.
And also a Christian's meditation is prayer, not the "Journey to your inner self" ect.

And no offence, but "It is easy to get used to the darkness once you have been in the light." doesn't make much since to me. When you are in the light you can tell light from darkness. When you are with Christ you know right from wrong. You strive to be in the light. If you would; could you explain this to me?