Yoga exercises stretch and strengthen muscles, increase balance, and may reduce stress. As an exercise, it can be beneficial. However, if a class includes Eastern meditations, those meditations may have a non-Christian, religious dimension.
Some meditations simply focus on body awareness. People breathe quietly, and relax muscle groups. The person stops thinking about past and future problems. Instead, he focuses on calm breathing. It’s a simple relaxation technique.
However, Eastern religions do teach mystical connections between living and dead people, animals, and inanimate objects. The Bible does not teach us to communicate with others by projecting our thoughts and feelings through space. We cannot communicate with the dead since “the dead do not know anything,” Ecclesiastes 9:5. Only God knows the future, “Only I can tell you the future before it even happens”, Isaiah 46:10 (NLT).
Mysticism and spiritism are forbidden in the Bible. Deuteronomy 18:10, “No one among you is to…practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery.” Therefore, if a yoga class ends with a meditation and the meditation is mystical, a Christian should not participate in that class.
Finally, if you cannot glorify God while doing yoga exercises, do not do it. We are always to remember: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31.
