Is yoga ok for Christians to practice?

[heather]

By yoga, I mean, the stretching. Not the meditation aspect. The reason why I'm asking is because I'm pregnant and was told that yoga is good for keeping the stomach and back muscles from tensing up. I want to give it a try but I'm not sure if it's an ok practice or not?

 

[jasoncran]

By yoga, I mean, the stretching. Not the meditation aspect. The reason why I'm asking is because I'm pregnant and was told that yoga is good for keeping the stomach and back muscles from tensing up. I want to give it a try but I'm not sure if it's an ok practice or not?

get it cleared by the doc first, but i see no probems if the yogi doesn teach the hindu side of it.

 

[TheCatholic]

By yoga, I mean, the stretching. Not the meditation aspect. The reason why I'm asking is because I'm pregnant and was told that yoga is good for keeping the stomach and back muscles from tensing up. I want to give it a try but I'm not sure if it's an ok practice or not?

I would say that one needs to be REAL careful here. I am no expert, but I understand that some of the positions have both health purposes and mystical purposes. It would be like kneeling with your hands in a prayer position and trying to seprate the religious undertones from the act.

Generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with ANY kind of excersize. But in Yoga, the acts and the spirituality are often intertwined. I would also be wary of anyone who offers such classes. If I were to do it, I think Id' do it alone at home.

 

[Caroline H]

But doing it alone at home may be dangerous if you don't know how to do it yet. I think she should have someone show her first. I think it is the same thing as eating meat sacrificed to idols... it's about the intent of the heart, which is what God is concerned with. If you aren't being taught any of the hindu things, just are doing the stretches, and you don't even know if they are worshipful to some...then there's no way it is going to be sin to you. That's what I think.

 

[jmespinosa]

She can very easily do it at home. There is nothing wrong with doing it at home. The stretches are basic and simple. Now like others said you have to be careful on what exercises you decide to do because of the motions and the intent behind it. I would look at other exercises before I do Yoga though.

 

[heather]

Normally, I love pilates because of the muscle tone it builds, however, I am not comfortable with doing pilates while pregnant. But I know that the dr's office said yoga is a great way to stretch the abdominal muscles to keep from being cramped up.

 

[jasoncran]

But doing it alone at home may be dangerous if you don't know how to do it yet. I think she should have someone show her first. I think it is the same thing as eating meat sacrificed to idols... it's about the intent of the heart, which is what God is concerned with. If you aren't being taught any of the hindu things, just are doing the stretches, and you don't even know if they are worshipful to some...then there's no way it is going to be sin to you. That's what I think.

uh, martial arts has exercises called kata and it used for self-defense and learning how to strike and block, but these motion can be a medidation if the person doing them wants them to be.

 

[Caroline H]

But doing it alone at home may be dangerous if you don't know how to do it yet. I think she should have someone show her first. I think it is the same thing as eating meat sacrificed to idols... it's about the intent of the heart, which is what God is concerned with. If you aren't being taught any of the hindu things, just are doing the stretches, and you don't even know if they are worshipful to some...then there's no way it is going to be sin to you. That's what I think.

uh, martial arts has exercises called kata and it used for self-defense and learning how to strike and block, but these motion can be a medidation if the person doing them wants them to be.

Right, but if the person doing them has no intention of meditating with them is it harmless?

 

[jasoncran]

But doing it alone at home may be dangerous if you don't know how to do it yet. I think she should have someone show her first. I think it is the same thing as eating meat sacrificed to idols... it's about the intent of the heart, which is what God is concerned with. If you aren't being taught any of the hindu things, just are doing the stretches, and you don't even know if they are worshipful to some...then there's no way it is going to be sin to you. That's what I think.

uh, martial arts has exercises called kata and it used for self-defense and learning how to strike and block, but these motion can be a medidation if the person doing them wants them to be.

Right, but if the person doing them has no intention of meditating with them is it harmless?

yes, just like yoga exercises btw i do some yogi when i do the bjj and mma does it as well. Helps stop the guard being passed to easily. I'm sure judo has those things as well.

 

[RyanT]

Op I'm really sorry for going off topic here, but I got to ask. What's wrong with meditating? If your meditating in order to come closer to God and understand his Word then what's the problem? I think God judges the intent of your heart not the position of your body. If doing head stands while spinning and whisling dixie brings you closer to God in your heart I say go for it.

I've never meditated in my life and know nothing about it, but I don't see any problem with it.

 

[jasoncran]

Op I'm really sorry for going off topic here, but I got to ask. What's wrong with meditating? If your meditating in order to come closer to God and understand his Word then what's the problem? I think God judges the intent of your heart not the position of your body. If doing head stands while spinning and whisling dixie brings you closer to God in your heart I say go for it.

I've never meditated in my life and know nothing about it, but I don't see any problem with it.

not that. the meditation that tells you clear your mind and focus on nothing, no good or bad, just nothing and learn from that, aint in the best thing for a christian as well demons can influence thoughts.

 

[RyanT]

well, I never thought of it that way. See you do learn something everyday.

 

[TheCatholic]

But doing it alone at home may be dangerous if you don't know how to do it yet.......

Well, its not like doing gymnastics: I don't think you'll break any bones if you don't get it just right

Better to do it at home then have some Swami feeding you a bunch of eastern cock'n'bull

 

[GojuBrian]

It's all in the intent. Keep your intentions pure and you won't have a problem.

Yep, judo has some strange strethching. I have other problems with it as well. They bow to a picture of Jigoro Kano all the time.

 

[Free]

Op I'm really sorry for going off topic here, but I got to ask. What's wrong with meditating? If your meditating in order to come closer to God and understand his Word then what's the problem? I think God judges the intent of your heart not the position of your body. If doing head stands while spinning and whisling dixie brings you closer to God in your heart I say go for it.

I've never meditated in my life and know nothing about it, but I don't see any problem with it.

not that. the meditation that tells you clear your mind and focus on nothing, no good or bad, just nothing and learn from that, aint in the best thing for a christian as well demons can influence thoughts.

There are forms of meditation in the Christian tradition that do involve clearing the mind, centering down, and such, but the point is to meditate on Scripture, on something Jesus has done or on God himself. There are points of convergence and divergence with other forms of mysticism and spirituality in Christian spirituality.

Yoga exercises certainly are healthy. I am torn between whether or not yoga can be done strictly as an exercise simply because there is so much spirituality associated with it. I think one should do sufficient research to know what the moves mean and if they can be done apart from eastern mysticism or done from a Christian form of mysticism. In the end, one should research and pray and do what they feel God is telling them to do.

 

[jasoncran]

again that type is meditating on something , not nothing at all, The thoughts are directed to the Lord in the case you bring up, but not in the typical eastern meditiations.

 

[krazy_kurly]

Yoga exercises certainly are healthy. I am torn between whether or not yoga can be done strictly as an exercise simply because there is so much spirituality associated with it. I think one should do sufficient research to know what the moves mean and if they can be done apart from eastern mysticism or done from a Christian form of mysticism. In the end, one should research and pray and do what they feel God is telling them to do.

ha I've seen plenty of articles where it's Yoga for your Butt or Yoga for your Abs or Yoga for your Thighs...so, it seems like it can be done strictly as exercise, although kinda boring.

The whole 'point' of yoga nowadays it seems is to focus your mind on your breathing, and relaxing into the stretches as you breathe. At least that's what a couple videos have said. I have yet to try a video where they coach you to practice transedentalism; it's just about the poses and stretching. Same with classes at the rec or Y; those are there for the bandwagon. Unless you go to an actual Buddhist yogi and get personal practice, I think your spiritiuality's safe in downdog.

 

[jasoncran]

There are some actual yogi that are trained in india, i know of one, and he tells that most americans dont know how teach yoga properly. He does the whole deal.

 

[Feldew]

By yoga, I mean, the stretching. Not the meditation aspect. The reason why I'm asking is because I'm pregnant and was told that yoga is good for keeping the stomach and back muscles from tensing up. I want to give it a try but I'm not sure if it's an ok practice or not?

Even the meditation aspect is fine. It's a relaxation technique, a stress reliever, and to be quite honest, does not need to involve Hindu gods. Sure it usually is, but you can mediate and keep your focus on God. See what I mean?

 

[jasoncran]

really with the chanting and the real way of that yogi stuff. The lighting of incense and candles and so on. I dont see how one can think of the lord if ones is being told think of nothing empty yourself and focus on nothing.

Never mind the concentrate on this chakra think of the color that it produces and what aura it will be ie the white or blue aura and the chakra on the head is the closest level to enlightment.