A couple weeks ago, I did my first Peloton yoga workout. And I loved it. I immediately told some of my friends about this new fix of mine, and I was shocked to find out how touchy of a subject yoga is among Christians. After looking up various articles about it, I realized that some sources claim that yoga opens a person up to the devil. The funny thing is that I felt the exact opposite when I did that first workout. This held true for every workout since.
For me, yoga is a time to rest and connect with the Lord. I’m still exercising, but I don’t leave the mat feeling like a sweaty mess. I feel the good kind of sore instead. I have started to view yoga as a new way for me to connect physically with the Lord. I know that sounds kind of weird at first, but the Bible calls us to love Jesus with all our strength. Check out Luke 10:27–
“The man answered, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
I am interpreting this “strength” that I am supposed to love Jesus with as my body. When I do certain yoga poses, I try to picture myself reaching up to heaven, not just the ceiling. I picture myself reaching out to take God’s hand, not just stretching my side. I don’t care if people judge for me for doing yoga because that is just one of the many ways I connect with God.
If you’re wanting to give yoga a try, I encourage you to check out this YouTube channel for some awesome Christian yoga workouts! Also, don’t worry about what other people think. Do what makes you and Jesus happy.