 1 Cor 10:31 I was in the middle of a discerning season - spending time studying in the Word and listening in prayer once again on the topic of yoga and faith - when that sweet woman of God slid in beside me at church. Through the dimly lit room, she whispered the very question that was at the root of my exploration...
Can Christians do yoga? Should Christians do yoga? I hesitated as my eyes begin to slowly gaze around the room. Irrational skepticism filled the pause, "had someone put her put her up to this?" I wondered. She had no way of knowing that I was in the middle of wrestling this topic to the ground. And when my gaze finally settled back on her face...I could see her expression carried nothing but innocent inquiry. She simply wanted to know my perspective. It's a study I've done before...before deciding to pursue my instructor certification, but fresh dust had been kicked up...which warranted a fresh examination a little further along in the journey - now serving as an active instructor with nearly 2 years of experience under my belt. If you know me, you know that I take following Christ very seriously and believe what the Bible says is wholly useful and true. That doesn't mean that I live it out perfectly, but dang it, I try (and I never tire of grace). So if I'm ever questioned about whether something I'm doing or saying doesn't line up with the Word of God or character of Christ - I pray I will always remain humble and allow God to come in and do His refining work. So yes...when the dust flies...I think it is important to engage in the discussion. To address the question here, I'll share a short series of blog posts. In no way will I touch on every aspect and I might not do it with the eloquence of a theologian, but I will do it with sincerity, genuinely seeking Truth. I hope it will bring some understanding, common language and mutual respect. Like everything, I think it is important to critically engage with our faith and culture and realize that even when we do, we might interpret things a little differently and be convicted by the Holy Spirit uniquely - all the while serving the one true God. First things first - let's realize that we have people on both ends of the spectrum and everything in between. On one end there are those people, including Christians, who don't realize there is a controversy, wondering "isn't yoga just exercise?" And on the other end are those who believe yoga is in direct contradiction to the Christian faith due to the spiritual influences and ties to Hinduism. Where do I land on that spectrum? Tune in next time to find out. Just kidding - I'm somewhere in the middle and I look forward to the dialogue. Do you have specific questions? Please join the conversation - email me and I'll try to address the big questions I receive throughout this series.
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