Thomas Ryan, CSP
There are a number of questions that often arise around the practice of yoga. Some of the most frequent ones:
Is yoga a religion?
In his audio course on “The Lost Teachings of Yoga,” Georg Feuerstein, internationally known for his many interpretative studies of the yoga tradition and author of thirty books, including The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga, makes it clear from the start that yoga is not a religion. It proposes no gods or saviors; it moves forward on the grounds of experiential confirmation rather than religious faith.
Yoga can be thought of variously as a science, a philosophy, a spiritual and a physical practice. It is a science because its overall effects are predictable if its ways are followed. Thus, the postures with deep breathing are linked with observation, acceptance, and understanding.
As a philosophy, classical yoga has a view of the human being as immortal. In Christian understanding as well, once we are created, we are in existence for all eternity.
As a spiritual and physical practice, yoga is a positive and comprehensive approach to holistic health through the integration of body, mind, and spirit; as such, it is a valuable instrument to promote one’s spiritual well-being. Feuerstein describes it as a “systematic program for peaceful living with sharpened self-awareness.”
In Feuerstein’s teaching, yoga has 2 primary meanings: union and discipline.
Union: the very word “yoga” means to “yoke”, to unite the body-mind in harmony.
Discipline: integral yoga is an approach to life that seeks to unite all the aspects of our living, e.g. our inner, spiritual life and our relations with others.
Putting all this together, one could say that yoga is a system of practices for the development of human potential. It attempts to stimulate our nature’s optimal fulfillment. While it has an eastern origin, it transcends both the cultural and geographical boundaries that initially supported it. It is not necessarily tied to Hindu cultural expressions or even Hindu philosophical understandings such as karma and reincarnation. Thus it has become a valued practice/instrument in the lives of people from all religions or none.
In his book The Deeper Dimension of Yoga, Feurstein acknowledges that some Westerners who are practicing Christians or Jews are concerned about yoga being an Eastern religion. They fear that by taking up the practice of yoga, they might undermine their own religious faith. Feuerstein writes:
Yoga, it is quite true, has historically been associated with India’s three great religious-cultural traditions—Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Thus the teachings of yoga are infused with many concepts that have a Hindu, Buddhist, or Jaina flavor…. In fact, we need not believe in anything other than the possibility that we can go beyond…our present understanding and experience of the world, and more significantly, beyond our current egocentric state of being.
How can yoga enrich the religious or spiritual life of a practicing Christian or Jew? The answer is the same as for a practicing Hindu, Buddhist, or Jaina. Yoga aids all who practice religion, regardless of their persuasion, by balancing the nervous system and stilling the mind through its various exercises (from posture to breath control to meditation). Yoga’s heritage is comprehensive enough so that anyone can find just the right techniques that will not conflict with his or her personal beliefs….
So, practicing Christians or Jews (or practitioners of any other religious tradition), should take from yoga what makes sense to them and deepens their own faith and spiritual commitment (pp. 25, 26).
It is thus understood that practitioners will bring their own understanding to how you “get beyond where you are now”. A Christian, for example, would appropriately see grace working through nature, i.e., would see God working through these practices to open us up to a deeper spiritual understanding of who we are.
Clearly, some practitioners believe in a personal God, others in an Ultimate Reality that is singular and formless, still others refuse to speculate (e.g. Theravadan Buddhists). And yet all of them practice yoga. The irrefutable proof that yoga is not a religion and not necessarily tied to Hindu philosophical convictions is simply the facts on the ground: today Jews, Buddhists, Christians, people of no particular religious affiliation, all—in addition to Hindus—practice hatha yoga. It is therefore best thought of as a software to plug into the hardware of one’s own faith understanding and to be worked with in a way that accords with that understanding.
Where’s the common ground that Christianity shares with yoga?
Christianity and integral yoga share some significant mutual principles and themes. Some of the more basic ways that both of them engage life:
- The Path of Worship and Love: Christians engage in the formal practice of sacred rituals, prayer, communal ceremonies, sometimes a personal devotion to a saint. The devotional joining of the human aspiration to the divine unites and renews. In yoga, through their devotional love, participants pursue the path of bhakti yoga.
- The Path of Service: Christians seek to imitate Jesus who said, “I came not to be served but to serve.” This call to serve is universally recognized by both East and West as a necessary path to full spiritual maturity. In yoga it is the path of karma yoga.
- The Path of Wisdom: Christianity has a long and deep tradition of philosophical and scientific inquiry, of exploring reality, of delving into the recesses of the mind and heart and working with the energy of the body. In short, of pursuing truth and beauty. In yoga this is the path of jyana yoga.
- The Path of Contemplation: In Christian spirituality, all forms of prayer lead ultimately to a simple “resting in God.” Christians on this path gradually transcend their discursive faculties, apprehending Truth more directly in an intuitive, contemplative manner. In yoga this is known as raja yoga, the royal route. In classical yoga, hatha yoga is a subset of raja yoga, providing clear indication that hatha yoga—postures and breathing exercise—was originally developed to help people sit in meditation with a calmer body and a quieter, more focused mind.
Another area of resonance with yoga’s classical tradition would be the yamas (the 5 moral restraints or outer disciplines that govern our interactions with others), and the niyamas (the 5 observances or inner restraints that regulate our inner life).
The 5 yamas are Non-Violence, Truth, Not Stealing, Moderation, Non-Hoarding. The 5 niyamas are Purity, Contentment, Zeal, Self-Reflective Awareness, Devotion to God.
When we put these two enduring moral traditions—classical yoga and the Decalogue–in dialogue with one another, we find it’s a friendly conversation and that they have much to share with one another. For more on the yamas and niyamas, click here:
These yogic codes can strengthen our appreciation for the Christian teachings. Should it be surprising that truth converges? The experience of many in intercultural encounters is that when something of value is discovered in another philosophy or worldview or religion, it sends you back with fresh eyes and renewed appreciation for what is analogous to that in your own faith tradition which before you took for granted.
The classical tradition of Yoga represents a valuable gift from India to the world, and what makes it particularly precious is that it can be used selectively with benefit by people of different religious and philosophical understandings.
Why are there so many different kinds of yoga today?
It is important to recognize the difference between classical yoga and what might be called contemporary yoga. Classical yoga or the 8-limbed path grew from a codification of yogic core principles or sutras by Patanjali, a yogi who lived around 200 A.D. It’s goal is to center, ground, make present and aware; to create an inner climate of receptivity.
Contemporary yoga is all about fitness and using yoga as a form of exercise. The focus is more on workout, weight, figure, flexibility, coordination, posture, balance, relaxation—all positive benefits, but in the classical scheme of things, secondary. Many who practice yoga today know only its physical side.
People today do have different reasons for practicing: workout; emotional re-balancing; spiritual path towards awareness of their immortal nature, etc. One needn’t choose between them; they’re all available. Some people may however just be interested in a “feel good” workout, and that’s fine. In order to find an appropriate teacher, it’s helpful to know what you’re looking for as there are several kinds of classes. Classes at your local “Y” or fitness center generally do not include meditation as part of the practice, while in traditional yoga the postures and breathing exercises culminate in quiet sitting in meditation.
As Christians, prayer is important to us. Can yoga help us with some of our difficulties in prayer?
As Feuerstein pointed out, yoga can enrich the life of a Christian—or member of any religion–by balancing the nervous system and stilling the mind. In short, by creating an environment in the body for meditation. Teresa of Avila, a 16th century Spanish mystic, speaks in her writings on prayer about “the fool in the house”—the restless mind. If you’ve ever tried to pray, you know what she’s talking about!
If you find something that relieves tension and stress from your body so you can sit quietly in prayer, something that helps you focus your attention on your sense of God’s presence and hold that focus for a period of time—you’ve found a very valuable practice! That’s what many have found in the practice of traditional yoga. One of the significant contributions it makes on a spiritual level is that it directly addresses two of the greatest obstacles in prayer: the restless mind, and the restless body. That’s part of its attraction for westerners: it gives fidgety activists something to do that is actually very peaceful and calming.
All day long we are absorbing affective charges, whether positive or negative. They are little packets of energy that lodge in our muscles and tissues and organs. And when the cupboard is full, it is very difficult for us to relax our body and stabilize our mind. Physiologists tell us that the most effective way to unload these charges is through contraction and relaxation of the muscles and deep breathing.
Obviously, there are many ways one can do that: a brisk walk, a swim, riding an exercycle, etc. But if you’re talking about unloading tension and stress from the body through contraction and relaxation of the muscles and deep breathing, then hatha yoga is a way par excellence of doing it, because that’s essentially what it does. The word for a posture in yoga is asana, which means “to be stable, still,” and that applies to both muscular and mental activity. Anybody who has ever participated in a session of hatha yoga knows the effect of feeling calmer, more grounded and centered.
So if one of our greatest difficulties in prayer is the restless mind or the fidgety body, the stretching and breathing of yoga empties the cupboard of those affective charges and enables one to sit calmly and quietly in meditation.
In meditating, are we leaving our minds open and empty with the result that the devil might enter in?
This view seriously undervalues the power of intentionality. Meditation in the tradition of Christian contemplative prayer calls for the use of a short prayer word or name of God that serves as an anchor for the attention and continually renews one’s intention to simply be present to God in loving faith with the whole of one’s being. Leaving the mind “open and empty” is not what it’s about.
Our freedom is God’s respect for us. God does not force or impose, only invites. And if God does not force or impose, God will not allow the devil to trample our freedom either. When it is our intention to respond to God’s invitation to deepening communion in faith and love, it is God, not evil, that will fill our hearts and minds.
(See the other articles on meditation on this website)
How can learning to work with your breath help your prayer?
To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds because breath is the bridge from our body to our mind. There is a system of nerves which provides a direct connection between the brain and the heart. These nerves, called the sympathetic nervous system, stimulate receptors in the heart that make it beat faster or slower. Breathing techniques decrease sympathetic nervous system stimulation and thus produce a calming effect on the mind and the body. Because breath is aligned to both, it is the tool which can bring them together in peace and calm.
How can cultivating the ability to be present in the moment help you in your spiritual life?
The question arises because one of the things we’re doing in practicing yoga is paying attention—to what’s going on in our body/mind as we enter into and hold a pose. Does training the mind to pay attention make any positive contribution to our spiritual lives in general and our prayer in particular?
If we begin by recognizing that there are two fundamental components for a rich spiritual life—our own personal experience, and the Holy Spirit present to us in it all—then learning to pay attention to our experience is critical.
There are many biblical scenes that exemplify how marvelous things happen when people are present in the moment. To cite but a few: the annunciation of the angel to Mary (Lk 1: 28-35Lk 1: 28-35
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
28 The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant.
30 Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you,
31 . and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus.
32 ; . He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was.
33 He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not married!”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God.
WP-Bible plugin); Elizabeth’s awareness of and reaction to the child leaping in her womb when she hears Mary’s voice (Lk 1: 41Lk 1: 41
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth.
WP-Bible plugin); John the Baptist’s reaction to Jesus when he comes to him to be baptized (Matt 3:14Matt 3:14
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
14 But John kept objecting and said, “I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?”
WP-Bible plugin); Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well (Jn 4); Jesus’ communication on the cross with the good thief (Lk 23:40-43Lk 23:40-43
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
40 But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don't you fear God? Aren't you getting the same punishment as this man?
41 We got what was coming to us, but he didn't do anything wrong.”
42 Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”
43 Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.” n paradise: In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this word is used for the Garden of Eden. In New Testament times it was sometimes used for the place where God's people are happy and at rest, as they wait for the final judgment.
WP-Bible plugin).
What we practice on the mat—paying attention—can help us bring a more fine-grained awareness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds throughout the day, and that will lead to a rich spiritual life.
Some other examples of how yoga can help your prayer
When we cue in to the body, it can teach us about prayer and open us to new forms of prayer. Some examples of the things people say when they become aware of how a bodily gesture or posture inclines the heart:
“When I held hands with others in the circle, I felt solidarity and strength.”
“I never knelt in prayer before; it allowed me to express radical dependence.”
“Lying on my back with my eyes closed, I felt held in God’s embrace,
secure.”
“I became aware of how hard it is to open my heart when my hands are clenched.”
“I always thought I had to sit still when praying.”
Such statements teach us that if one accord the body a role in prayer, it will be an ally; if we ignore it, it will be an obstacle.
Praying with beads is another example of how the body makes a contribution to our prayer. Fingering beads aids concentration by occupying and integrating our external senses into our prayer, leaving the mind free to rest in God.
Yoga can invite you to become aware of how different poses incline your heart and mind in different ways, e.g. poses for evening prayer are generally folded in, whereas the morning poses for the sun salutation are reaching up and out. When you identify ways of positioning your body that express something deep in your spirit, remember those poses, go back to them and use them in your prayer.
There is also a linkage between engaging the body and engaging your affectivity. Engaging your body opens up a relationship, e.g., you wouldn’t think of sharing bed, bathroom, and bank account with someone with whom there’s only a relationship on a cerebral level. Similarly, engaging your body in prayer takes it to a deeper level by engaging the heart/affectivity.
For more on why it should it make good sense for Christians to give the body a role in their spiritual life, see “The Implications of an Incarnational Faith” on this site.
What approach do you choose?
We are now living in a global village, and people from other cultures and religions are our neighbors. There are two very different approaches available to us: adversarial, or mutual enrichment. In the adversarial approach, the focus is on where we’re different, and the differences are often used to construct fences between us. In the mutual enrichment approach, the differences are not denied or ignored, but the focus is on the gifts we can offer to one another and the things we can learn from one another for the enhancement of our lives. Which approach do you choose?
Christianity has a wonderfully high theological evaluation of embodied being. But it has not had a similarly high level of actually according to our bodies a significant role in our spiritual lives via particular practices. In our time, we are learning helpful methods and practices from other cultural contexts that can help us implement in practical terms our own faith understanding.
What needs to be understood is that it is incumbent on Christians engaging with practices like yoga or zen or tai chi to work with these disciplines in a way that is coherent with Christian faith and to apply to their practice a Christian understanding. One of the primary understandings that distinguishes the Christian approach to a spiritual practice or method is that whatever beneficial effects accrue are not due simply to the method or to my persevering effort. They are only means. Transformation, both inner and outer, is essentially a work of God’s healing, life-giving, restorative grace.
Good practices, however, have their place as helpful and effective instruments. It is not that one will achieve union with God by dint of one’s own effort, but that through the practice one will put oneself in the place or provide the opening where God’s grace can effectively enter in and do its healing, transforming, and unifying work.
Further, what makes a particular practice Christian is not its source, but its intent. If one’s intent in assuming a particular practice is to deepen awareness in Christ, then it is Christian. If this is not one’s intent, then even the reading of the New Testament loses its authenticity. Intentionality, working in tandem with discerning intelligence and freedom, is key to the place a practice like yoga might find in one’s life and to the contribution it can make.
