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Can yoga and Catholicism mix?
Some fans incorporate Christ into methodology
By Andrew Junker, ajunker@catholicsun.org
November 6, 2008
CHANDLER — Yoga has surged in popularity in recent years amongst a health-conscious crowd seeking ways to keep fit both in body and mind. It’s offered in gyms, strip mall studios and even college courses.
Anne Marie Kresge, who helps coordinate a mothers’ group at St. Mary Parish in Chandler, thought about incorporating yoga — an old, Eastern physical and mental discipline that claims many benefits — into the group’s monthly meetings.
“We’re always looking for ideas to use in our monthly meetings that will bring moms together and fill a need in a Catholic mother’s life,” she said.
But then, Kresge and the others did a little research into yoga, finding that it was developed as a physical and mental or spiritual discipline and closely associated with the Hindu religion.
The Catholic mothers found that troubling and decided to err on the side of caution. Instead of yoga, they sought other activities.
“The practice of yoga has become so widespread and mainstream in our society that people obviously think of it as harmless,” Kresge said.
But is it?
Yes and no, said Larry Fraher, coordinator and teacher at the Kino Institute.
“It depends on how the individuals understand what they are doing. The concern is that yoga has been tied to transcendental meditation or Buddhism,” Fraher said. “Where it gets blurry is when you begin to adopt the philosophy or religious worldview from which yoga was born.”
In other words, there is a great difference between taking a yoga class at the local gym to increase your flexibility and seriously studying the discipline under a Hindu swami.
Regardless, Fraher said, a Catholic should be grounded in the faith as not to be susceptible to confusing it with Eastern religions.
“If someone is solidly grounded in their beliefs, then yoga shouldn’t threaten that,” he said.
That’s not to say that Christians of all stripes aren’t skeptical of yoga. Deanna Smothers founded Yahweh Yoga in 2006 to promote the many health benefits of the discipline within the Christian community.
“I saw that people who followed Christ were pretty much afraid to do yoga,” she said. “I realized they needed to have a venue.”
The Chandler studio features a large, dimly lit room with wood floors. Students bring thin mats and roll them out as soft music plays in the background. A large picture of Christ sits on the wall facing the participants.
“Yoga is a methodology, not a theology,” Smothers said. “It centers your entire being physiologically through breathing and movement. It centers it in a way where you can be quiet inside.”
The calming and quieting aspect of yoga then facilitates prayer and meditation. Smothers quoted Scripture that she says agrees with the physical benefits of yoga.
The first verse comes from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit?” Smothers paraphrased. Then she quoted from the beginning of John’s third letter.
“Beloved, I wish above all else that you be in good health even as your soul prospers,” she said. “The Lord has told us to be healthy and yoga is one of the healthiest things you can do.”
Khamry Ker teaches a course at Yahweh Yoga and described the offerings there.
“It incorporates prayer and Scripture and encouraging music,” she said. “In the calm atmosphere and the movements — you’re lifting your hands to the Lord. You get a sense of becoming still and centered on God.”
Most of Yahweh Yoga’s courses begin with a Scripture verse that the practitioners then focus on throughout the session. The image of Christ on the wall also helps them stay focused.
“All of it is ministering to you, reminding you that our God is faithful and He is also in control,” Smothers said. “So, let it go, whatever is going on.”
Cathy Westerhoff attends the weekend Gentle Journey class at Yahweh Yoga. It’s a beginning and intermediate class. She’s been coming for more than a year now, and attributes a growth in her spiritual life to yoga.
“It helps get me to that place of peace that I can stay in the rest of the day,” she said. “It’s added to my whole life. I use prayer and meditation, and I come here.”
That’s the sort of benefit yoga holds for many Christians, Smothers said.
“It promotes peace and it’s entirely a spirit-filled practice,” she said.
And yoga practiced this way shouldn’t really be troubling to Catholics, so long as they are firm and knowledgeable in their faith, Fraher repeated.
“If we’re grounded in Christian truth,” he said, “it will help us be able to recognize truth wherever it may be.”
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