What the Bible says about yoga
“Thou shalt not do yoga, but pilates is permissible” is NOT what the Bible says. It’s no surprise that the Bible doesn’t specifically mention yoga (or pilates). So how do we know whether or not it’s OK to do yoga?
A good place to start is 1 Corinthians 10:23, which says, “‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say – but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’ – but not everything is constructive.” So, having been saved through Jesus, believers are free to do anything (even eat meat that’s been sacrificed to idols), however not everything is beneficial or constructive for us. The passage goes on to point out that if an action affects your conscience before God or leads another to suffer a guilty conscience, then don’t do it.
We can apply these same principles when it comes to our decision about whether or not to do yoga. You can ask yourself these questions:
Is it beneficial?
Does it draw me towards God or away from God, or is it a neutral action in relationship to God?
Does is affect my conscience before God or cause others to suffer from a guilty conscience?
I personally do not believe that performing the movements of yoga and using yoga breathing techniques or mindfulness is in any way sinful. As such, I attend a class at a local yoga studio every week, as well as teaching our Christ-centred movement & meditation classes. However, each person must come to their own conclusion in consultation with the Lord through prayer.
You may decide that yoga is not for you – full stop. It may mean you need to be discerning about which yoga studio you attend as some teachers may espouse philosophy that, while not inherently religious, is not helpful for your Christian faith. Or you might decide to only attend Christ-centred, bible-based classes.
Whether you decide yoga is right for you or not, we can all agree that we have a biblical mandate to care for our body, mind and spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 describes our bodies as “temples of the Holy Spirit”, so calls us to “honour God with your bodies". Likewise, Ephesians 5:29 gives the imperative to care for our bodies: "... no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church".
Similarly, we are urged throughout the Bible to intentionally direct and shape our mind. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is,” urges Paul in Romans 12:2. Philippians 4:8 exhorts us to manage our thought patterns with deliberate focus and attention: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” This is congruent with the mindfulness we practise in Be Still Movement classes. When we fix our gaze in a balance, when we intentionally let go of unhelpful thoughts, when we silently repeat a particular Bible verse throughout a practice, and when we dwell on bible verses in meditation/relaxation, we are practising the skill of transforming and renewing our minds.
In addition to caring for our body and mind, spiritual training is of paramount importance according to God. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come,” writes Paul in 1 Timothy 4:8.
This brings me back to yoga. As mentioned in a previous blog, yoga is the only practice I have found which effectively targets body, mind and spirit in one class. That’s why I have used yoga movements, breath techniques and mindfulness as a framework on which to build our Christ-centred movement & meditation classes. In this chaotic world where it feels almost impossible to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) it is a practice that has enabled me to carve out a space and time to engage with the Lord and his word as an embodied person, made in his image. I pray that our classes might provide a space for you to do the same.
Blessings in Christ,
Bec (Founder & CEO of Be Still Movement)