Purpose, Postures and Prayer

Yoga should be accustomed to a microscopic lens. Its increased popularity in the past decade has it being examined from every angle and genre. But recently, yoga went under oath. Well, proponents for and advocates against yoga will be under oath. On May 20th in Encinatis, Calif., the Sedlock v. Baird case went to trial.

Christian parents of a child in the Encinatis school district are suing the school superintendent for having free yoga classes in school. They claim the yoga classes are the equivalent to religious indoctrination. The Yoga Alliance (YA) is working together with religion and yoga experts to support the school’s defense. YA released an article summarizing its stance that “yoga may be practiced free from religious ideology,” and “that individuals can practice yoga without performing religious worship.” I am honored to be among the yoga teachers consulted for that article.

I completely agree with YA. Yoga can be practiced without performing religious worship. It can also be practiced as worship. As a Christian who practices and teaches yoga, I am well aware of the inherent spiritual aspects of this unique practice. It is so important to me that I am writing my 500 RYT thesis on this same topic. The title is: Purpose, Postures and Prayer:  Yoga as Experiential Worship. My paper’s whole theme hinges on purpose; intention. What one sets in their heart as the reason for their actions determines the outcome and the experience.

If you wish to use yoga to gain flexibility, calm nerves and lower blood pressure, just get on the mat. These things will happen, and there is scientific proof galore to back me up here. Meanwhile, if you wish to use yoga as a tool to deepen your connection to the Creator, move as a form of embodied prayer and silence the thoughts that hinder an ability to hear His voice in the stillness, just get on the mat. It is your intention that makes the action so. And as a Christian believer, it is my prayerful intention that makes it so.

My yoga practice is a means of Jesus worship—for me and for many. Not for everyone. Just like visiting a church can be a part of a worship experience, or part of a tourist experience. What do you purpose for your time and energy efforts? Yoga is not a religion, though it did “grow up” before and during some of today’s world religion systems. Some religions have even incorporated select yogic practices as part of their religious ritual. But that does not mean yoga is strictly “that religion’s” practice? No. That would be like saying because you burn incense, you practice Catholicism. Catholic religious ritual includes burning incense, and one can light a stick of Nag Champa (my fav) and not be nor become a practicing Catholic. Again, it is your intention, the reason for your efforts, that makes the experience.

I will be speaking more to this topic on the Perfect Peace Yoga blog as I finalize my thesis and cement my workshop presentation. If you are in the DC area, and would like to join me for this free workshop event on July 7, please register here. We will have a discussion and Q&A session on intention and worship and the union of yoga and Christianity. This will be followed by a practice to incorporate our purpose, posture and prayer on the mat.

If you are interested in following the Sedlock v. Baird case, I recommend watching the YA site. Also, check out the Yoga Dork website, which currently features a great write-up of the case and its background. I support the defense in this case. Yoga is not religious indoctrination. But yoga can be an amazing part of a worship experience (and for the plantiffs in this case, an amazing part of a Christian worship experience), if you want it to be.