I’ve been practicing yoga for years and I absolutely LOVE how it makes me feel (mind, body & soul), but I’ve noticed some of my Christian friends get really worried when I mention it! They say things about it opening doors to spiritual dangers or being incompatible with their faith… which honestly makes me so curious about where these concerns come from!
This obviously isn’t all Christians, but it has been noticeable.
Yoga means different things to different people, but I totally respect that some folks see it as having deeper spiritual roots that might conflict with their beliefs has anyone else dealt with this or found ways to have conversations about it that honor everyone’s perspectives?!
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I have a bit of a history with this 
but I will say that most Christians won’t say anything about it. I’ve seen arguments on all sides of it and most of the time I don’t really pay much attention.
Live and let believe. My Yoga class is on Sunday anyway, so it gives you something to do while your friends are in Church.
While yoga offered many benefits, it might not have been ideal for those who preferred highly structured or traditional forms of worship.
Some Christians who found comfort in the familiar rituals and prayers of their faith, the open-ended nature of yoga’s meditative practices might have felt too unstructured or even unsettling, as they sought more direct guidance in their spiritual journey.
The best best best thing about yoga is that it offers such profound tools for inner peace and self-discovery. Some communities prefer to keep their practices exclusive because they worry that if people discover how transformative yoga can be, how it naturally cultivates compassion, mindfulness, and spiritual connection, they might realize that wisdom and healing can flow from many sources.
These warnings often stem from a hesitation toward Eastern wisdom traditions, whether it’s yoga, tai chi, or meditation practices. But oh, how much they’re missing!
Yoga’s gift is its openness and accessibility. It teaches us that peace lives within us already, that our bodies hold ancient wisdom, and that breath itself is sacred. Perhaps that’s what makes some groups uncomfortable yoga empowers us to find our own divine connection through practice, community, and self-exploration.
What I’ve noticed in conversations with Christian friends who’ve tried yoga is that many describe experiencing an internal wrestling match where they genuinely love the physical benefits and stress relief but simultaneously feel this persistent, almost inexplicable unease like they’re trying to convince themselves it’s ‘just stretching’ while bringing scriptures to class or praying during poses, yet still feeling that something fundamental about the practice doesn’t align with their spiritual convictions, which creates this interesting tension between wanting the wellness benefits while feeling spiritually conflicted about the practice itself.
I had this same discussion!
With my friends, some of their perspective connects certain poses and gestures, particularly the bowing motion with ‘namaste’, to biblical teachings about not bowing to other gods or idols.
They just deeply honor their scripture’s guidance about keeping their worship pure and undivided, seeing even physical gestures as spiritually significant. For them, it’s not about judging yoga practitioners but rather about staying true to their own sacred relationship with God, which I find beautifully devoted, even if I practice differently.
I grew up in a church where Frank Peretti’s ‘This Present Darkness’ was super popular, and I remember being genuinely scared that my mom’s yoga VHS tapes were somehow inviting demons into our living room
Now that I’m older, wiser and practice yoga regularly, it’s wild how that book shaped so many people’s fears about yoga being this gateway to spiritual darkness 
I think a lot of the fear comes from not understanding that most Western yoga classes are basically just really good stretching with some mindfulness thrown in no demon summoning required! 
I remember when my aunt first invited me to her yoga class back in 2015, I was suuuuper hesitant because my church group had warned me about these evil ‘Eastern spiritual practices.’ I spent the whole first class worried I’d accidentally start worshipping something! But honestly, we just stretched a lot and I felt amazing afterward.
I can’t remember the Bible saying I shouldn’t honor my body and take care of myself as best as I am able.
I understand where those concerns come from: yoga does have roots in Hindu and Buddhist mystical traditions, and some folks see that as problematic mixing of spiritual practices. But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with appreciating wisdom from different traditions. Plus, most yoga classes in North America are basically just really good stretching sessions with some breathing exercises thrown in.
The most spiritual thing about my Tuesday evening class is when the instructor reminds us to ‘honor our bodies’ while we’re trying not to fall over in tree pose!
Many of my Christian friends who initially felt uncomfortable with yoga found peace when they discovered classes that focus purely on the physical movements and breathing exercises, without any chanting or mantras, which helped them enjoy the health benefits while staying true to their faith.
It’s not like anyone forces you to do the om shanti. Yoga can be adapted to honor different spiritual boundaries, just like choosing which elements of any practice align with our personal beliefs.
Yoga can foster deeper interfaith dialogues (and some Christians and Yogis could use this).
When Christians and practitioners of other faiths come together in a yoga class (something that happens more often than you might think), it often opens up conversations about spirituality, mindfulness, and self-care, which can only mean understanding and respect between different religious communities.
Oh man, this takes me back! Growing up, I remember hearing all kinds of warnings about yoga being spiritually dangerous. Anyone else read Frank Peretti’s ‘This Present Darkness’? That book had everyone in my church convinced that yoga was basically a gateway to demonic possession. Wild times!
Here’s the thing I think a lot of the anti yoga sentiment comes from fear, plain and simple.
People get hung up on the meditation aspect, especially since yoga originated outside Christian tradition. I think Christians can totally do yoga without compromising their faith. Sure, skip anything that feels like actual spiritual worship from other religions, but basic meditation? That’s just focusing your mind, which you can absolutely do while praying.
Nothing scary about that unless you’re not comfortalbe in your own faith.
Ah, the fear of “the other”.
I wouldn’t worry about it, honestly. Go about your practice and let them go about their belief. Just don’t talk about Yoga, and they probably won’t ask.
If they start preaching about how you should go to Church, suggest they come to your studio instead.
The strongest opposition comes from folks who’ve never actually tried yoga themselves, they imagine it as something way more mystical or ‘dangerous’ than the simple stretching and breathing exercises most of us do!
It’s like they picture us shooting energy beams or something when really we’re just trying to touch our toes and not fall over in tree pose. Maybe inviting skeptical friends to observe a gentle class could help demystify what modern yoga practice actually looks like
In some places where Christianity and Hinduism mix, yoga is just seen as a universal thing 
Like in Kerala, India tons of Christians do yoga daily for the health benefits without any faith conflicts. It’s more about wellness than religion 
