To yoga or not to yoga

I can't say that I was surprised this morning when, while driving to work, I heard a news report about the Southern Baptist leader who was condemning yoga (click here to read the full report) as being not Christian. "Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler says the stretching and meditative discipline derived from eastern religions is not a Christian pathway to God. Mohler says he objects to 'the idea that the body is a vehicle for reaching consciousness with the divine.' 'That's just not Christian' Mohler told the Associated Press." Sure you're not going to find any of the gospels saying Jesus went out into the dessert and sat in the lotus position but you're also not going to read in the gospels or any where else in the New Testament about how to pray a rosary either and yet using prayer beads, like a rosary have been a part of the Christian tradition as early as the 13th Century. Prayer beads though are not unique to Christianity in it's self and are used also in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism and the Baha'i Faith.

Simply to dismiss yoga because it is a meditative practice of another religion doesn't mean that Christians can't benefit from the practice. Personally, my lack of flexibility makes yoga not as meditative as it should be and more humorous then exercise should be. About the only yoga position I can get into with out pain or a lot of laughter is the Savasana pose or the corpse pose which literally is laying flat on the ground with your arms out. While currently I don't practice yoga, I have in the past and here is what I've learned other than I'm not flexible, actually things that matter to my spirituality and faith life:

Breathe. I never realized how shallow I breath. Yoga has taught me to savor my breathing and to be aware of that very unconscious behavior. This has been significant for my prayer life, especially as I practice Centering Prayer.

Posture. Basically I have grown up in with a very western view of my spirituality include my posture. We kneel, we stand, we sit. For those of you Lutheran's - you know about our Lutheran aerobics. Up, down. But through out our up and downs we are observers in our worship. Yoga has taught me that my whole being can worship and that I need to be aware of my physical part of my being as well as my intellectual and emotional aspects of my worship.

Mediation. Because of my western view of my spirituality yoga has helped me to allow my brain to shut up and allow myself to be in God's presence. Mediation is not a Buddhist practice or a Hindu practice but a prayer practice.

Whether or not you roll out a yoga mat or join a class or do yoga on your Wii you can grow in your relationship with God if what you do you do in the posture of prayer. If you want to stretch because your muscles are tight - fine more power to you. But if what your intention is is to place yourself into the presence of God while doing yoga then that is prayer. Just like if you choose to put yourself into the presence of God while walking or cooking or kneeling is prayer. St. Paul tells us that we are to pray without ceasing, in all things. All things - including yoga, if that's your practice. So Namaste to you.

Full of grace...just not very graceful,

Pastor Jill