The Dangers Behind Christian Yoga

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Former Christian Yoga Teacher repents

Christians and yoga

I am so glad you are here! This is an article dedicated to explaining from my own testimony, years of study, and past yogic background, the truth behind yoga. Specifically, why Christians should not do yoga. There is a truth behind yoga, especially Christian yoga. What really is happening in those classes? FYI, it’s not just exercise.

unite to what?

Yoga simply means union or to unite. Other times you may hear to yolk or to be joined. Joining what? Yolked to who?

If you have ever been to a yoga class I’m sure you’ve heard the teacher say we’re uniting with god or spirit. But I ask you very seriously what god and what spirit?

yoga history

Yoga practices date back over 5,000 years ago with the original roots in the Vedas. The Vedas are a religious text in which Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism were formed. Yoga postures were originally used as a form of worship to unite to the supreme godhead known as Brahma. The postures imitate the many deities within the Hindu religion.

You cannot do a yoga posture worshipping Jesus. It is literally an impossibility. Just as Christians have written hymns to praise the Lord; yogic postures, breathwork, and chanting practices have all accumulated as worship to false gods.

Forms of yoga vary from physical postures, chanting, breathwork, and oftentimes a combination of these.

what is Christian yoga

There is a movement that has been trying to take off known as Christian yoga. Christian yoga is a ‘practice’ that incorporates the physical movements, or postures of yoga, with the mind devotion and prayer to Jesus.

Many women are being deceived into thinking they can do yoga and worship Jesus at the same time. There are multiple Christian yoga training programs out there right now giving yoga certification to women to take back to their church and lead even more astray.

Testimony

I was not always a Christian. Before I came to the Lord with saving faith in Christ alone I was a yoga teacher. I was very involved in the new age movement and occult thought philosophy.

I was a Reiki practitioner with daily occultism practices. Including angel idolatry, working with violet flame decrees, self-based affirmations, automatic handwriting, calling upon masters and angels for help, believing that there is one God and all religions are different paths that lead to the same destination. I worshipped the earth and had many pagan based beliefs. I believed in reincarnation. You name it, I was as out there as one could go. Of course, I dove headfirst into yoga.

I was first introduced to yoga through DVDs. I moved to the Big Island of Hawaii where yoga studios are all over the place. This is where my true yogic journey began. I will admit before I went into the yogic study I was caught in the deception that yoga is simply just an exercise.

There are many different types and forms of yoga. If you go to a studio you will see on the schedule different classes that they offer. Certain forms are similar to each other, while some are completely different. Yoga types may include:

• Hatha
• Restorative
• Vinyasa
• Iyengar
• Kundalini
• Ashtanga
• Bikram
• Yin
• Prenatal
• Anusara
• Buti
• Hot
• Christian

buti yoga

I started a daily practice of yoga in the form of Buti yoga. I received my training soon after I was introduced to it as a Buti yoga instructor. Buti is a form of yoga that incorporates women’s empowerment through movement. It’s basically kundalini yoga meet tribal dance with some plyometrics thrown in there. Buti actually means the key to something hidden or kept secret.

I’ll let you in on the secret because I don’t want it hidden. I want to tell you the secret. Buti and all other forms of yoga open the spiritual door wide open to satanic influence through major oppression if not possession.

This led me further into yoga. I was hooked literally spiritually speaking. My body felt great. I looked even better and I was on a path to telling everyone and their mom how they just had to try yoga.

I signed up for my 200-hour teacher training with the most elite yoga studio on the island. The teacher duo that leads this training is known worldwide for their yoga training. I was already teaching Buti out of the studio and was very excited to go to the training.

I want to note I had only been to a few therapeutic classes before this submersed training. This training was a therapeutic yoga training. It was basically the exact opposite type of yoga that I was practicing at the time.

There are many different types of yoga, varying in intensity levels and forms that they practice. However, they all produce the same result. Opening the door to evilness, wickedness, and blasphemy against the True Living God, Jesus Christ.

“take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.” luke 11:35

At this training, we spent many hours in deep yogic meditation focusing on light and love. There were actually a few Christians at the yoga teacher training. They all had no problem with the posture part of the training but the Krishna chanting some would sit out.

The thing is the chanting and postures are the same worship. Idolatry. Sin. Period.

I started having visions. These were not induced by my imagination in any sense. I had never had a vision before in my life other than dreams while I am asleep. In these visions, I thought I saw jesus. This jesus told me to bring yoga to Christians. Note: the jesus I saw is not the Jesus in the bible.

“And no marvel; for satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 1 corinthians 11:14

At the time I thought to bring yoga to Christians was a genius idea. At that point in my life, clearly lost and living fully in the flesh, I thought Christians needed to experience freedom, self-expression, and learn the true meaning of love.

If only I knew Christ died that we may be set free and that God is love.

I kid you not as I passed by a Pentecostal church I heard a voice say “bring yoga here.” So the next Sunday I went to church there. I had never been to a church like that. It reminded me of the rock concerts I would frequent in my youth except everyone was praising Jesus including me.

I felt the same exhilaration rush through me in worship as I would in a yoga practice. I went to talk to the staff and told them I wanted to teach a Christian yoga class. They told me they needed to pray about it.

Christian yoga

In hardly any length of time, I was teaching but for the sake of discernment, we changed the name of the class to Work Out Worship. I really fought them on changing the name. I was offended that they wouldn’t use the name yoga. They told me since there were other Christians who opposed yoga in churches. So for the sake of teaching, I let it go.

The class structure was not changed, however. I simply just took out the twerking movements I usually had in my Buti classes and instead of playing secular hip hop music I played Hillsong and Bethel.

There were two different types of classes I led. The other one I led was a therapeutic class, which was based in sun salutations. I would lead the class and explain how God wants us to be worshipping his Son through these salutations.

Instead of leading class through a guided feel-good meditation, I led them through scripture using the NIV. I would pray to God and overall it seemed as though we really were Work Out Worshipping.

From a lustful, sensual, flesh-based approach, it was as though yoga and Jesus belonged together.

“for bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things” 1 timothy 4:8

The class was a success. I had more people in the class from the church then I would at any studio or gym. I fell into thinking I had this radical saving experience from the Lord with the previous voice and visions.

Note: Experience does not save you, nor does it grant salvation. Salvation comes from God. Faith alone! Not of works, lest any man should boast. Faith that Jesus died on the cross and paid your sin debt that you may have eternal life.

In just a few short months I was about to launch my own Christian yoga program. Tone thy temple. I was in the beginning stages about to start on the process of filming online classes and a DVD series.

It was my hope to network with other Christian yoga programs and start holding retreats and training on the island where I live. All of course in the name of Jesus seeing people transformed by God. I was convinced I was following my calling and doing God’s work.

But then God…. intervened

Praise the Lord! I got really ill. Like really ill. I couldn’t even practice at home let alone lead a class. I had to stop teaching classes for the first time in 2 years. I started to really seek the Lord concerning the truth behind yoga.

I couldn’t understand why this illness was happening. In new age philosophy, EVERYTHING is a sign. An owl flies overhead and it must be a sign from god. I took my sickness as a sign that maybe yoga for Christians wasn’t a good idea.

I had already witnessed things happen to certain students of mine (I will not go into detail out of respect to them), but know they were contradicting to the promises God gives in his word.

I started to question my own salvation not that I actually understood what salvation meant. I started to wonder had I been born again? The Holy Spirit started to work on my heart and I wanted to know what salvation was and how to get it.

“for if he that cometh preacheth another jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit” 2 corinthians 11:4

Through a series of life-shattering events, Holy Spirit led preaching and continued crying out to God to know the truth. Eventually, this hard heart of mine came to the Lord and I was SAVED!

Praise Him! He softened that hardened heart of mine. It was through the work of the True Holy Spirit that I came to understand the truth behind yoga and repent of my sin.

I also came to understand the deception happening in many churches right now with the infiltration of the anti-Christ spirit. Like I mentioned earlier what spirit was guiding me? Now that I am saved I have to come to understand it was of satanic/demonic influence.

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” 1 Timothy 4:1

Whatever has brought you to this post I hope it has answered some of your questions concerning yoga and Christians. Whether you are a Christian wondering if yoga is safe please steer clear. There are many other forms of exercise one can do for health reasons.

Walking is great. God’s people walked many miles in the wilderness. Plus it gives an opportunity to appreciate His beautiful creation. You can’t help but be uplifted when you look at the sky. HIIT training and simple stretching are also great for the body.

Perhaps you are someone trapped in the deception of Christian yoga or the new age. I encourage you to seek the Lord with all your heart. He is faithful and will bring everyone to Truth who asks.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, truth, and life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” john 14:6

My intention is not causing anyone offense by this article but was prayerfully considered writing it. I understand first and foremost the sensitivity of this topic for those who actively practice yoga. In the past, I used to defend Christian yoga to anyone who opposed it. I thought they didn’t get it. Actually I didn’t get it.

As Christians what we need to be practicing is His Love and telling others the Truth of the gospel message. For that is where real freedom lies. Real lasting transformation begins with salvation.

This understanding of yoga didn’t happen the instant I was saved but rather through the work of the Holy Spirit and sanctification. It has been sought with much prayer, fasting, and tears of repentance.

It is only through His grace that I was able to turn away from yoga and see it for what it truly is. A flesh-based occult practice aiming to get the student to serve the self.

We can worship God through prayer and song. Worship Him all day long with thoughts and meditation on scripture. You don’t need music or a mat to worship.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of god, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obediance of christ.” 2 corinthians 10:5

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