CHRISTIAN YOGA AND HOW IT DIFFERS FROM TRADITIONAL YOGA

CHRISTIAN YOGA AND HOW IT DIFFERS FROM TRADITIONAL YOGA

Introduction:  Christian Yoga is unique in nature where both the two religions like Christianity and Hinduism combine. Christian Yoga can be practiced by anyone, maybe he/she is Christian or non-Christian. Afterall, the origin of Christian Yoga has been derived from The Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.

Over the past hundreds of years, our world has gotten smaller and closer when our abilities to travel and communicate with others have become easier and grown faster. As we interact culturally with other people, generally we share small things about our culture, recipes, dresses, families, lifestyle, and broadly our philosophies. With these activities, the people of Western Countries “Christians” adopted the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and developed Christian Yoga/Postural Yoga throughout the Western Countries.

01. Intersection of Christian Yoga and Traditional Yoga:

As the Sun naturally rises in the East and since the Sun is regarded as the

supreme knowledge, it can be understood that supreme knowledge rose from the Eastern Zone of the world Bharat (India) is the center. So, Bharat became the epicenter of knowledge. The rays of this supreme knowledge spread from one corner of East to West, from Asia to Europe to America and Africa.

There was a cultural link between East and West. As per Greek philosophy, it appears that it is an indistinct expression of Indian philosophy. Persian Philosophy was the most advanced and was the center of cultural exchange from East to West for many centuries. It is learned that the Great Philosopher Plato spent 10 years in the East for studies and it is presumed that he studied Indian Sankhya Philosophy and Patanjali Yoga Philosophy in a Persian University.

The lifestyle of Plato was similar to Indian Philosophers and he was contemporary of Lord Buddha.  Yoga system and culture of non-violence of the Lord Buddha was spread throughout Arab, Persia, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and countless other countries. However, Indian Yoga culture was adopted by Plotinus who was a Yogi of Syria and attained Samadhi several times in his lifetime.

It is also learnt that Lord Jesus at the age between 18 to 29 years spent his 11 years in India and these years were neither written in the Bible nor in his Biography. He traveled throughout Kashmir with the Indian Monks and practiced Yoga and other Indian rituals in Indian Monasteries. These details can be found in the Library of an Old Monastery (Himish Math) in Kashmir. The description was published in The Daily News Paper Statesman and different dailies of London and this was published before the 2^nd World War. The ideals of Jesus were similar to those of the Hindu Monks and Buddhists. Hence, we can say that Jesus was inspired by the Hindus and Buddhists.

Later on, Indian Yoga culture moved from India to Western Countries through various Preachers in different formats. The foremost one of them was Swami Vivekananda who brought Vedanta and Yoga to the United States during his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in 1893.

Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj then took the initiative in the 19th century to use Paramahamsa Yogananda, Yukteswar Giri, and Shyama Charan Lahiri to propagate yoga over the globe. Babaji stated, “I am forwarding this valuable Kriya Yoga through you as the revival of the same science which Lord Krishna gave this to his disciple Arjuna,” according to the Autobiography of a Yogi, after that, at the direction of his Guru, Parahamansa Yogananda traveled to the West to spread yoga. There are already hundreds of yoga centers in India and Western Countries.

2. What is Christian Yoga: Christian yoga combines the physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and mindfulness elements of traditional yoga with Christian doctrine and practice. It modifies or replaces postures that are incompatible with Christian doctrine in order to bring yoga into line with Christian principles. To produce a worshipful experience, the practice may include Christian music, scripture reading, and prayer. Within a Christian context, the focus is on using physical activity and attentive awareness to connect with God, offering a comprehensive holistic well-being that incorporates faith.

This Christian Yoga was first coined by A.K. Mazumdar who was born in July 1864 in Calcutta (West Bengal, India) and later converted to Christianity. He developed the traditional Hatha Yoga postures as a tool to pray to God, as Hindus usually use different Yoga Postures while praying to GOD. He used these postures of prayer as a means of uniting with the Almighty.

Fr. Jean Marie Déchanet, a French monk, is another Christian yoga pioneer who studied physical activity and its forms as a means of fostering a relationship with God. Although it is no longer in print, copies of his book Christian Yoga, which was published in the late 1940s, are still in use.

3. How Faith and Fitness Can Align Through Christian Yoga:

Many Christians look for ways to strengthen their faith and preserve their physical health. However, spiritual activities prioritize prayer and meditation, and typical fitness regimens sometimes primarily concentrate on the physical body. By bridging this gap, Christian yoga enables Christians to respect their bodies while maintaining their spiritual foundation.

1. Honoring the Body as a Temple of God: The Bible teaches that the Body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Here Christian Yoga aligns these teachings by encouraging:

• A movement that strengthens and energizes the body.
• Breath control that calms the mind and promotes peace
• The Christ-centered mindset that focuses on worship and gratitude

2. Using movement as a way of worship: Christian Yoga converts physical postures into a spiritual experience by combining:

• Prayerful posture: Every posture can be an act of surrender and praise
• Scripture Meditation: Reflecting on Bible verses while holding poses deepens spiritual awareness.
• Christian Music: Worship songs create a peaceful, faith-filled atmosphere.

3. Finding peace through Breath and Stillness: In today’s world, people are stressed and distracted. Christian Yoga helps the people to practice stillness and mindfulness to feel:

• Presence of God
• Release worries and focus on His peace
• Use Pranayama (Deep Breathing) as a reminder of God’s Breath

4. Strengthening both Body and Spirit: By combining faith and fitness, Christian Yoga becomes more than just exercise—it becomes a way to glorify God through movement, breath, and prayer.

• Physical strength enables the believers to serve God with Energy and endurance.
• A clear and focused mind helps to deepen the meditation and prayer.
• Consistent practice helps spiritual growth and peace in min

5. How Christian Yoga differs from Traditional Yoga:

DIFFERENCE OF CHRISTIAN YOGA AND TRADITIONAL YOGA:

ASPECT	CHRISTIAN YOGA	TRADITIONAL YOGA
SPIRITUAL FOCUS	Christ-centered, focused on God and the Bible	Rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy
MANTRAS AND CHANTS	Uses Bible verses or silent prayer	Uses Sanskrit chants and mantras
MEDITATION	Focuses on scripture and prayer	Focuses on meditation for enlightenment and self-realization.
BREATH WORK (PRANAYAMA)	Seen as a gift from God, used for prayer and mindfulness	Used for energy control (prana)
INTENT OF PRACTICE	Worship, gratitude, and spiritual connection with God	Self-realization and inner energy balance
POSTURES AND MEANING	Poses are used as an act of worship and surrender to God	Poses are often linked to Hindu deities or spiritual energies
ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE	Strengthening faith, glorifying God through movement	To achieve self-awareness, enlightenment, and inner peace

 

 06. Benefits of Christian Yoga:

The physical practice of Yoga, especially Christian Yoga or Postural Yoga is helpful in a variety of ways:

As a form of worship:  We are bringing our entire selves—body, mind, and soul—into worship and relationship with God as we take our mats with the goal of honoring him.

As a way to prepare for meditative prayer: We can get physical relaxation, emotional relief, and spiritual rest by performing a few easy yoga poses.

As a practice in cultivating Spiritual Values: On the yoga mat, we can develop patience, sensitivity, nonjudgment, and many other spiritual values. We have the chance to put these values into practice when we deal with our bodies’ limitations and capabilities as well as our ingrained responses to difficulties.

Physical wellbeing: One of the most all-encompassing, holistic health routines is a solid yoga practice. An integrated approach is used to cultivate each aspect of physical fitness. Strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, focus, and deep breathing are some of them.

07. How to Practice Christian Yoga:

Start with Prayer: Devote yourself to the practice of prayer to God.

Start with Scripture-based Meditation: Reflect on Philippians 4:13

Include worship Music: While practicing Christian Yoga, use Christian Worship Music.

Modify Yoga Poses with Christian Intention:

Mountain Pose – Think you are standing on God’s strength

Child’s Pose – While performing this pose, think you are bowing in surrender to God.

Tree Pose – During the practice of this pose, think you are rooted in God.

 

08. Conclusion: Christians may take care of their bodies and maintain their spiritual roots by practicing Christian yoga. It turns fitness into a way to honor God by combining worship, scriptural study, and prayer with physical exercise. By the use of Bible passages, worship music, and deliberate prayer in place of mantras or mystical rituals, Christian yoga maintains Christ at the center, in contrast to traditional yoga, which may incorporate Eastern spiritual components.

Christian yoga enhances posture, flexibility, and stress reduction while improving postures, promoting attentive breathing, and increasing one’s connection with God. It supports the notion that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and enables Christians to engage in physical self-care without sacrificing their spiritual convictions.

Ultimately, Christian Yoga transforms exercise into an act of worship, aligning both faith and fitness in a way that strengthens the body, calms the mind, and nourishes the soul.

FAQs:

Question 1: What is Christian Yoga?

Ans: Christian yoga is the combination of physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and mindfulness elements of traditional yoga with Christian doctrine and practice. It modifies or replaces postures that are incompatible with Christian doctrine in order to bring yoga into line with Christian principles.

Question 2: Can Christians do Yoga?

Ans: Yes, Christians can do Yoga. We approach yoga as “Christians practicing yoga” with a great deal of appreciation and reverence for its long history. The purpose of yoga, which originated in South Asia and India, two countries with a mostly Hindu population, is to experience the union with the divine that is already there but has been obscured by life’s tensions and strains. But, here is a common goal of leading a whole Christian life and getting the results of behaviors that support it.

Question 3: Is Yoga a Religion?

Ans: No, yoga is not a religion, but it has roots in spiritual traditions, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Historically, yoga was developed in ancient India as a philosophical and spiritual practice to achieve self-awareness and inner peace. However, in modern times, yoga has evolved into a widely practiced physical discipline that focuses on stretching, breathing, and relaxation.

Question 4: Is Yoga philosophy compatible with Christian Theology?

Ans: The compatibility of yoga philosophy with Christian theology depends on how yoga is practiced and understood. Traditional yoga has philosophical and spiritual roots in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, while Christian theology is based on the Bible and faith in Jesus Christ. Some aspects of yoga philosophy align with Christian values, while others may conflict with biblical teachings.

Question 5: Whether Christians are permitted to Chant?

Ans: It is nowhere specifically forbidden in the Bible to chant, but whether a Christian should chant depends on what is being chanted and its spiritual meaning. Chanting is common in various religious traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. However, Christians should ensure that any form of chanting aligns with biblical teachings and glorifies God.