The concept of "Christian Yoga" dates back over a century. A.K. Mozumdar, an Indian-born Hindu who converted to Christianity, was one of the first to introduce the concept to Western audiences. He saw traditional yoga postures as tools for both prayer and meditation, both in his Hindu and Christian practices. Mozumdar believed that these poses helped him deepen his relationship with God, eventually inspiring him to establish the "Christian Yoga Society" in the early 1900s. Similarly, Fr. Jean Marie Déchanet, a French monk, found yoga a powerful aid in focusing his mind and body on God. His book Christian Yoga, written in the 1940s, explores how physical postures can aid worship and enhance the prayer experience.
The Spiritual Foundation of Christian Yoga
For followers of Christian Yoga, the practice is rooted in the belief that God is the ultimate Creator of all things, including the body and the breath. As outlined in Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1-3, Christians believe that everything originates from God, who created humanity to reflect His image and glory. The aim of Christian Yoga is to honor this creation by using the body as a "temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), aligning physical movements with spiritual intentions to connect more deeply with Christ.
Understanding “Yoking” in Christian Yoga
In Sanskrit, the term "yoga" means "union" or "yoking." While the practice has historical roots in connecting with the divine through a variety of spiritual frameworks, in Christian Yoga, this concept of yoking takes on a distinctly Christian meaning. Practitioners seek to yoke, or unite, their body, breath, and spirit with Christ, recognizing that every movement, breath, and posture can reflect their devotion. The Bible speaks to this unity in passages such as Acts 17:28: "For in Him we live and move and have our being." Christian Yoga offers a framework for fully embodying this scripture through physical postures of prayer and worship.
Biblical Postures in Christian Yoga
Christian Yoga incorporates postures that reflect various biblical forms of worship. Throughout scripture, worship involves physical expressions—kneeling in prayer, lifting hands in praise, or even dancing before God. For instance, King David famously danced before the Lord in 2 Samuel 6:16. This uninhibited worship reflects a heart fully surrendered to God. Christian Yoga uses similar postures to bring the body into alignment with worship. By kneeling, bowing, or stretching upward, believers can engage their entire being in praise, honoring God not just with words but with embodied worship.
The Practice of Christian Yoga
Christian Yoga sessions typically begin with prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit’s presence into the space. Practitioners then move through a series of poses, often with accompanying scripture or prayerful reflections that direct the mind toward God. Breath control, or pranayama, is used to quiet the mind and deepen the sense of peace and stillness, focusing the spirit on Christ.
Each posture in Christian Yoga can be paired with a particular scripture or prayer. For example:
Mountain Pose can symbolize strength and grounding in faith, with a prayer like, "Lord, you are my rock and my salvation."
Child’s Pose is a moment of surrender, as the practitioner reflects on surrendering to God’s will, much like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Tree Pose invites practitioners to meditate on the stability and strength that comes from rooting oneself in Christ, the “true vine” (John 15:5).
Why Christian Yoga?
For many, Christian Yoga offers a form of worship that goes beyond traditional sitting and praying. It is a practice of engaging the whole self—body, mind, and spirit—to honor God. Believers find that this holistic approach strengthens their relationship with Christ as they focus on God’s presence through every movement and breath. This unity of mind, body, and spirit reflects the “yoking” of oneself to God, which is a theme frequently encouraged in scripture.
Moreover, Christian Yoga is a response to the scriptural call to honor God with our bodies. By actively caring for one’s health through mindful movement and meditation, practitioners of Christian Yoga can fulfill the biblical mandate to “glorify God with your body” .
