The Principle Behind Christian Yoga

The Principle Behind Christian Yoga

Christian Yoga is a style of Yoga practiced for its spiritual benefits by Christians in the East and West. It is a discipline utilized to bring one's spirit and soul closer to God. Christian Yoga practitioners follow the discipline of this Yoga style to heal the mind and body as well. But perhaps even more important than that, it holds the possibility to lead to the discovery of what at the moment is only a potential within you.

Many classes in the U.S teach the practice of yoga as a physical discipline that focuses on postures or asana, and employ no religious teaching at all. Other yoga teachers have training in yoga schools for spiritual focus.

Practitioners say that Christian yoga fills a need for believers who want the health benefits of yoga, but are put off by the practice's ancient Hindu roots and rituals. The exercise of Christian Yoga for them melds the wonderful physical benefits of yoga while adhering to the realm of their spiritual beliefs.

The doctrines and practices of yoga date from the period of the Upanishads. The word 'yoga' originated from Hindu. As a religious practice of Hinduism, through the practice of certain proscribed disciplines, one may achieve liberation from the limitations of the flesh, the delusions of sense, and the pitfalls of thought, and thus attain union with the object of knowledge.

Yoga has been known for many years, and was even practiced by some of the Early Christians during the persecution. The spirit and love experienced within the practice of Yoga touched these Early Christians. The guiding principle of Christian Yoga is about unfolding some of these wonderful possibilities within that each of us hold latent. It is about possibilities so amazing that many early Christians were willing to die in support of keeping a doorway open for other people to claim them.

Though developed in the ancient Hindu tradition, the movements of Christian yoga are so universal that they can adapt to- or be adopted by - any culture or spiritual path.

In the Eastern belief, Christian yoga does not revolve around postures or breathing techniques, but rather aims to open to an influence that can transform and heal. Eastern yoga attempts to drop the ego.

The Christian path aims at transforming the personality. Christian yoga is said to be described as an allegory in the New Testament in the story of Jesus’ life. It is deemed a step-by-step path to transformation and the discovery of a new life. As Jesus promised, this ‘heaven’, this new awareness of your life, is not far away; it is already yours if you know how to find it.

Women played an important role in the practice and teachings of Western Christian yoga from the very beginning. It centers around the universal processes of life, mind and heart. Yet, despite its prevalence, Christian yoga has garnered criticism.

Many Christians say that Christian yoga is incompatible with Christianity, emphasizing that it is not a religion in itself. Other says that there is no such thing as Christian yoga, as it blends two different belief structures. Fearing that the practice of Yoga would lead to other gods and Eastern religious beliefs and influences, Catholic priests in Mexico City, for instance, instructed their parishioners to avoid Yoga classes.

Though critics have charged that yoga's ancient Hindu origins are incompatible with Christian faith, practitioners believe the exercise of this style of Yoga is their ideal vehicle for body-mind connection with spiritual reflection.