I have some thoughts about yoga which I am typically not quiet about. Due to my various health issues, the practice of yoga has been suggested to me by healthcare providers, a life coach, and several friends. I have done my research - a mountain of it - and have found no definitive answer to the question "as a Christian with a broken back and an overwhelming amount of anxiety, is it a good idea for me to practice yoga?"
There are some facts that are practically irrefutable: yoga is a discipline that has its roots in Hinduism and several other eastern religions. From there, things get blurry. Some claim that the practice of yoga in any manner is a bad idea for Christians, because the poses are meant to offer worship to pagan deities and receive metaphysical guidance in return. Others note that many Christians practice yoga as an exercise and direct their poses toward God rather than toward the universe, earth, or pagan deities. I recently read an article in a prominent Christian magazine that detailed the opinions of some Christian yoga practitioners who affirm that their practice of this art has actually brought them closer to God and improved their spiritual lives immensely. I am not sure that I completely agree or disagree with any of these ideologies, and I certainly don't judge others for their participation in this particular form of exercise, but I have always felt that it would be more hindering to my spiritual life than helpful. It seems to me that participating in poses that are a way for some to express gratefulness to and receive guidance from Hindu gods and goddesses and saying that for me, it isn't about pagan worship is a bit like an atheist walking into my church, singing worship songs and filling out the sermon notes, and saying it's not about God, he just likes to sing and write stuff down. It's possible, but it feels a bit ridiculous.
In any case, it's the Year of Yes. So when my darling friend Rachael asked me to come try out her Hot Yoga class, I decided it was okay to check out the gray area to see whether it would push me one way or the other. I also wanted to see if the health benefits were all I'd been told they'd be (and come on, who doesn't want to try something called Hot Yoga?)
I met Rach and another friend at the studio this evening for my first group fitness class since I attempted cardio kickboxing one night in a room of 100 19-year-old women (with space for about 60) during my junior year of undergrad. The yoga room was a balmy 80-something degrees and had just enough space for the 6 participants and an instructor. The tiny, sweet instructor introduced herself to me as Mary, and told me she'd walk around and help me since it was my first time. "Don't push yourself too hard," she said. "Listen to your body."
We started with stretching, which wasn't so bad at all. It felt pretty good, actually, and I enjoyed the soothing atmosphere, low lighting, and directed breathing. My body immediately released tension I didn't even know I had been holding.
After stretching, we moved to some poses. I learned "sun salutation" and "downward dog" - both of which made me giggle. Giggling is apparently slightly inappropriate for yoga and isn't in keeping with the ambiance. I know this because no one else laughed, and I am positive that I was not the only person in that room who thinks the phrase "downward dog" is hilarious.
It was around the time of the third "downward dog" pose that things started getting really sweaty. They call it Hot Yoga because it's very warm, not because we all look so great in those pants. Mary told us that the room had hit about 89 degrees, and that the humidity was 51%. There was zero circulation. Someone announced that "it felt pretty good." I must not have reached that level of spiritual awakening yet, because to me it felt pretty gross. In addition to the heat, the poses got harder. I have to take a moment to say this: yoga is real exercise. You don't get to sit on a mat and stretch your arms into the air and call it a day. These yoga class inventors are pretty sneaky in that they figure out how to combine breathing exercises meant to relax you, impossible leg movements meant to humiliate you, and an abdominal workout meant to kill you. I would not be surprised to find out that there were hidden cameras in there somewhere and that pagan gods were laughing at me in front of a live feed.
Surprisingly, it was a good workout. I did not expect to feel as worn out after an hour of Hot Yoga as I do after an hour of running and lifting weights, but that's what happened. And according to Mary, not only did I build strength, I sweat out a lot of toxins. (These toxins were immediately replaced in my body by Taco Bell.) I didn't feel like I was worshipping any pagan deities, but I also didn't feel like I was connecting spiritually to my own God. At times I felt like I was just getting a great workout, but at other times, I felt that the references to my "life force" and "heart center" were encouraging a spiritual connection with myself rather than any god or God. The biggest issue may have been that I was too sweaty to connect to anything but the mat I kept slipping around on.
As it turns out, I don't have to worry about whether or not yoga is good for me or bad for me and my spiritual walk. Fifteen minutes prior to the end of Hot Yoga, I discovered that an important part of yoga class includes lying flat on your back for a core workout followed by a finishing stretch and relaxation session. Due to my recent back injury, lying flat on any surface is physically excruciating and almost impossible. Problem solved. I couldn't complete a yoga workout even if I wanted to do so.
I'd like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Hot Yoga, but the jury is still out on that one for many reasons. I can say that I'm thankful to Rach for getting me out of my comfort zone. I tried something very new, and it was weird and painful and even a little bit fun.
Haha. "Downward dog."
There are some facts that are practically irrefutable: yoga is a discipline that has its roots in Hinduism and several other eastern religions. From there, things get blurry. Some claim that the practice of yoga in any manner is a bad idea for Christians, because the poses are meant to offer worship to pagan deities and receive metaphysical guidance in return. Others note that many Christians practice yoga as an exercise and direct their poses toward God rather than toward the universe, earth, or pagan deities. I recently read an article in a prominent Christian magazine that detailed the opinions of some Christian yoga practitioners who affirm that their practice of this art has actually brought them closer to God and improved their spiritual lives immensely. I am not sure that I completely agree or disagree with any of these ideologies, and I certainly don't judge others for their participation in this particular form of exercise, but I have always felt that it would be more hindering to my spiritual life than helpful. It seems to me that participating in poses that are a way for some to express gratefulness to and receive guidance from Hindu gods and goddesses and saying that for me, it isn't about pagan worship is a bit like an atheist walking into my church, singing worship songs and filling out the sermon notes, and saying it's not about God, he just likes to sing and write stuff down. It's possible, but it feels a bit ridiculous.
In any case, it's the Year of Yes. So when my darling friend Rachael asked me to come try out her Hot Yoga class, I decided it was okay to check out the gray area to see whether it would push me one way or the other. I also wanted to see if the health benefits were all I'd been told they'd be (and come on, who doesn't want to try something called Hot Yoga?)
I met Rach and another friend at the studio this evening for my first group fitness class since I attempted cardio kickboxing one night in a room of 100 19-year-old women (with space for about 60) during my junior year of undergrad. The yoga room was a balmy 80-something degrees and had just enough space for the 6 participants and an instructor. The tiny, sweet instructor introduced herself to me as Mary, and told me she'd walk around and help me since it was my first time. "Don't push yourself too hard," she said. "Listen to your body."
We started with stretching, which wasn't so bad at all. It felt pretty good, actually, and I enjoyed the soothing atmosphere, low lighting, and directed breathing. My body immediately released tension I didn't even know I had been holding.
After stretching, we moved to some poses. I learned "sun salutation" and "downward dog" - both of which made me giggle. Giggling is apparently slightly inappropriate for yoga and isn't in keeping with the ambiance. I know this because no one else laughed, and I am positive that I was not the only person in that room who thinks the phrase "downward dog" is hilarious.
It was around the time of the third "downward dog" pose that things started getting really sweaty. They call it Hot Yoga because it's very warm, not because we all look so great in those pants. Mary told us that the room had hit about 89 degrees, and that the humidity was 51%. There was zero circulation. Someone announced that "it felt pretty good." I must not have reached that level of spiritual awakening yet, because to me it felt pretty gross. In addition to the heat, the poses got harder. I have to take a moment to say this: yoga is real exercise. You don't get to sit on a mat and stretch your arms into the air and call it a day. These yoga class inventors are pretty sneaky in that they figure out how to combine breathing exercises meant to relax you, impossible leg movements meant to humiliate you, and an abdominal workout meant to kill you. I would not be surprised to find out that there were hidden cameras in there somewhere and that pagan gods were laughing at me in front of a live feed.
Surprisingly, it was a good workout. I did not expect to feel as worn out after an hour of Hot Yoga as I do after an hour of running and lifting weights, but that's what happened. And according to Mary, not only did I build strength, I sweat out a lot of toxins. (These toxins were immediately replaced in my body by Taco Bell.) I didn't feel like I was worshipping any pagan deities, but I also didn't feel like I was connecting spiritually to my own God. At times I felt like I was just getting a great workout, but at other times, I felt that the references to my "life force" and "heart center" were encouraging a spiritual connection with myself rather than any god or God. The biggest issue may have been that I was too sweaty to connect to anything but the mat I kept slipping around on.
As it turns out, I don't have to worry about whether or not yoga is good for me or bad for me and my spiritual walk. Fifteen minutes prior to the end of Hot Yoga, I discovered that an important part of yoga class includes lying flat on your back for a core workout followed by a finishing stretch and relaxation session. Due to my recent back injury, lying flat on any surface is physically excruciating and almost impossible. Problem solved. I couldn't complete a yoga workout even if I wanted to do so.
I'd like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed Hot Yoga, but the jury is still out on that one for many reasons. I can say that I'm thankful to Rach for getting me out of my comfort zone. I tried something very new, and it was weird and painful and even a little bit fun.
Haha. "Downward dog."
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