Some of you may have read the article that appeared in the Clarion Ledger on Saturday the 25th of September. In this article entitled “Yoga dangerous, theologian warns” the journalist quotes the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President, Albert Mohler from his blog in which he writes, “Christians are not called to empty the mind or to see the human body as a means of connecting to and coming to know the divine.” I have issue with this statement on many levels. First; I seem to remember reading in my Bible; “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body,” (1 Cor. 6:19-20), so what better way to connect with our “divine” than by honoring and caring for our human body? Second, if our minds are full of clutter how are we supposed to pray or hear the answers to our prayers; (1 Peter 4:7) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” But these are both my personal views and each of us need to study, pray, meditate, contemplate, etc. and find our own answers.
I understand a person of faith not wanting to participate in anything that would possibly go against those beliefs, but I also feel that it is not our place, as Christians or as Human Beings, to judge, interject our own views or to provoke fear.
My real concern here is that there is nowhere in this article that speaks to the difference between Hatha Yoga and other aspects of the Yoga tradition. Hatha is a Sanskrit term which means physical. Hatha Yoga is the actual workout that most of us here in the United States practice. It is a series of postures linked together to create optimal health in the body. Isn’t this true of any workout? A basis step aerobics class is a series of postures linked together to create health, so is a basic kickboxing class, spin class, aerobics class, aqua class, etc.
Let’s take kickboxing, for instance, where most of the postures practiced comes from martial arts and has origins in Asian cultures. I can participate in a kickboxing class without having to study or practice the Asian culture or religious beliefs of the people. So is the same with Yoga, which originated in India, one can take a Hatha Yoga class and enjoy the great health benefits without ever having to study or practice the culture or beliefs of the people.
In a recent research study it was noted that the series of postures practiced in a typical Hatha Yoga class, along with the breathing techniques practiced, moves the body through complete range of motions needed for optimal health; skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, digestive and internal, but with this one article, written out of ignorance and ego, I fear that a lot of people who may have given Yoga a chance and would have benefitted greatly will never step foot into a class and that is my biggest fear.
Originally Written by: Barbara Nobles in 2010
Comments