Is Yoga Compatible with Christianity?

Short answer:

Yes.  I believe it is completely compatible.  I have my own experience of my faith deepening immensely when I began my practice sincerely and there are so many other faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints and Christians of other denominations who have found the same deepening of their faith due to their own personal practice.

Long Answer:

I believe wholeheartedly that it most definitely is, but unfortunately some do not understand the strength yoga can provide spiritually and they say no to its compatibility, their reasoning being that:

"The practice of yoga is based on the belief that man and God are one. It is little more than self-worship disguised as high-level spirituality." (Source)

I strongly disagree.  For example:

•  Look at the word "Atonement" more closely = At - ONE - ment: 

"The literal meaning of the word "Atonement" is self-evident: at-one-ment, the act of unifying or bringing together what has been separated and estranged." Jeffrey R. Holland

• The definition of "yoga" comes from the same root as "yoke" and means "union," specifically union with God.

And there are numerous accounts in scripture to help us understand:

• Psalms 82:6 - "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High." 

• Luke 17:21 - "For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

• 1 John 4:16 - "...God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." 

• John 10:34 - "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?"

• John 17:11 - "That they may be one, as we are."
• John 17:22 - "And the glory which though gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one."

I want to point out our egocentric notion of what "Christianity" means with a few quotes:

"... non-Christian faiths teach many truths too ... God raises up wise men and prophets here and there among all the children of men, of their own tongue and nationality, speaking to them through means that they can comprehend; 'not always giving a fullness … of the gospel of Jesus Christ; but always giving that measure of truth that the people are prepared to receive.'” - R. Lanier Britsch

“The world’s religions are not just corruptions of an original message but rather the product of a purposeful plan of God to reach all of his children, meeting them exactly where they need to be met. While some of the truths in other faiths may be the product of the original gospel passed on, many had brand new beginnings in meetings between the founder and his God. Falling into this category would certainly be Nanak, Zoroaster, Abraham, Muhammad, and Baha’u’llah. God seems to have given them new messages designed to raise the people of their day to new spiritual heights.” – Roger R. Keller, Light and Truth: A Latter-Day Guide to World Religions.

“Now we stand in the full blaze of the restoration of the Gospel.  If people in other spiritual traditions and philosophies even without the restored Gospel, obtain such marvelous manifestations as those recorded in the world’s spiritual literature, it may be that many of us have hardly begun to plum the riches and powers of the restored Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.” – M. Catherine Nelson

And finally...Fear not:

• "Fear not the reproach of men." - Isaiah 51:7

• "God hath not given us the spirit of fear."- 2 Timothy 1:7

• "Fear not little flock; for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." - Luke 12:32

*   *   *

Yoga is consistent with Christian teachings and in alignment with Christ-centered values and beliefs, such as taking care of the body and growing closer to God.  There are also reasons why people with no religious affiliations are drawn to it.

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.  We are spiritual beings having a human experience." - Pierre Tiehard de Chardin

When one uses yoga and meditation as a tool to grow closer to God, self-worship is not a part of the picture.  In fact, it is a sacrifice, a personal commitment which develops self-discipline and builds character.  I can see how the adversary does not want that, so I guess there will always be the naysayers.

The Power of Mantras

When I first heard the chanting in Kundalini Yoga, it scared me off to be honest.  But when I looked deeper into the matter (years later) I realized how beautiful the mantras are.  They are all about praising God, plain and simple.  I suddenly knew there was nothing to fear.  Next, something beautiful happened.  Immediately I experienced spiritual blocks falling away.  And this was just from learning about the mantras, later I would go through many more experiences that taught me the power of words and mantra.

A mantra is a word or a sound repeated to help an individual concentrate during meditation.  It is also a slogan repeated frequently.  It is not the same as "vain repetitions" (Matthew 6:7). Vain means to have or show an excessively high opinion of one's appearance, abilities, or worth and, in this case, repetition mean much speaking.  A mantra is the complete opposite.

In Kundalini Yoga and Meditation the mantras are in the language Gurmukhi, and I think they read like Psalms in the bible.  Here is an example:

Mantra Title: Aap Sahaee Hoa

Aap Sahaee Hoa Sachaa Daa Sachaa Doaa, Har, Har, Har

Translation: 

You, Divine One, have become my refuge. True is Your support, Great Creative Infinite

Psalm 91:2 reads:

"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."

Pronouncing these ancient words correctly vibrates different parts of the roof of the mouth, touching on meridian points, balancing and stimulating different parts of the body and brain.  Take the technology part of it and combine it with the command to praise God and you start to see the power behind the practice.  Actually practice it and you will start to feel it.

Sat Nam,

Samantha

Sat Nam....(pronounced Sut Nom)
it's the most frequently used mantra in Kundalini yoga
SAT means truth
NAM means name, identity, to identify with or to call upon
Sat Nam can be translated to mean, "Truth is my identity."  When spoken as a greeting, you are essentially saying, "I see your true nature" or "I recognize the divinity within you."

The Power of Mantras, Part II

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