Christianity and Yoga: Conflict or Opportunity?

Yoga is not merely a set of physical exercises; it is a comprehensive philosophical system with deep religious roots. Can a Christian practice yoga without compromising their faith? Where is the line between beneficial gymnastics and spiritual danger?

To answer these questions, we must first clarify what yoga truly is, its historical variations, and how its modern, widely recognized form differs from its ancient traditions.

The Sanskrit word yoga (योग) shares a meaning similar to the Latin religio—a bond, a union. Traditionally, in Indian religious and philosophical texts, yoga referred to a practice of focusing on the divine, encompassing not only psycho-physical exercises but also various disciplines aimed at achieving divine consciousness. For instance, karma yoga is the path of selfless action, where deeds are performed not for personal gain but as an offering to God; jnana yoga is the path of knowledge, seeking divine awareness through philosophy, meditation, and scripture study; bhakti yoga is the devotional path, a loving service to God. There are dozens of other yogic systems, each with its own theoretical foundation and practice.

Yoga is also one of the six orthodox philosophical schools of Hinduism, offering a distinct interpretation of human nature, creation, and cosmic energies in relation to the Supreme Being. The foundational thinker of this system was the ancient Indian sage Patanjali, author of the Yoga Sutras (c. 2nd–4th century AD).

What we call yoga today is only two elements of the eightfold meditative system, known as ashtanga yoga or raja yoga, which, besides asanas (body postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises), also includes adherence to a moral-ascetic code (yama and niyama), the struggle against passions (pratyahara), the practice of concentration (dharana) and contemplation (dhyana), culminating in trance (samadhi). Some of these elements in the Middle Ages branched off into a separate system, hatha yoga, which, in a shortened and adapted form, was brought from India to Western countries in the 20th century. By detaching yoga from its religious foundations, its teachers transformed it into a kind of gymnastics, so today many practitioners may not even be aware of its original context. This presents both advantages and risks.

Potential Dangers of Practicing Yoga

Three key aspects of yoga pose spiritual concerns for Christians.

First, hatha yoga is based on Hindu anthropology, where the body is seen as a temporary vessel for the soul, a tool for mechanistic spiritual transformation. Indian yogis believe in the existence of an internal energy system, with chakras as energy centers, and the possibility of manipulating spiritual states through bodily practices. Christian theology does not contain an equivalent doctrine of chakras, nor does it support the idea that altering the body can directly induce spiritual enlightenment. Byzantine hesychast monks, who practiced physical techniques to aid in reciting the Jesus Prayer, did so within a distinctly Christian framework. Their methods were not about manipulating the body but about using psychosomatic techniques to enhance prayerful focus.

Second, some yoga postures and sequences were originally forms of Hindu worship. The most common beginner sequence, Surya Namaskar ("Salutation to the Sun God"), was historically a devotional offering to Surya, the Vedic solar deity. Other poses are dedicated to Hindu gods associated with specific blessings. A Christian, bound by the First Commandment, cannot engage in acts that honor deities other than the one true God.

Third, many yoga practices involve chanting mantras—sacred phrases that practitioners repeat, often without understanding their meaning. While some Hindu prayers align with monotheistic devotion and could theoretically be addressed to Christ, most invoke specific Hindu deities. Some of these deities, as described in Hindu scriptures, display behaviors and teachings that are incompatible with Christian faith. Distinguishing between acceptable and problematic mantras requires knowledge of Sanskrit—and even then, translations do not always capture the full meaning, sometimes replacing deity names with generic attributes.

As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) warned,

"For these attempts to harmonize Christian meditation with Eastern techniques to be fruitful and not lead to harmful syncretism, they must be subject to constant discernment, carefully distinguishing between the method of prayer and its content."Orationis Formas, 1989

Inculturation of Yoga: A Christian Approach

The Catholic initiative Christians Practicing Yoga states,

"When we practice yoga, we move toward God in the way that God came to us—in and through the body. This is a living experience of God."

Many aspects of Christian practice already resemble Hindu yogic disciplines. Thus, in a sense, inculturation has already begun—we simply need to translate Christian realities into the conceptual language of Indian philosophy.

However, properly adapting yoga to Christianity is not a task for just anyone. Such an effort requires deep knowledge of both the Indian system and Christian ascetic traditions, particularly from the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic mystics. It demands familiarity with Christian theology, anthropology, and the experience of previous inculturation efforts. Western Catholic missions in India, as well as Christian meditation movements, provide valuable insights.

Ideally, many elements of hatha yoga could be fully Christianized, infused with Christian meaning and spiritual focus. Some efforts in this direction have already emerged. In 1956, the Benedictine monk Jean-Marie Déchanet published Christian Yoga: The Silent Path, pioneering a Catholic approach. Since then, Christian yoga practitioners from various churches, including the Catholic Church, have developed their own systems. In some countries, the World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) integrates mantra-based meditation, drawing from the Benedictine tradition of John Main. However, in many regions, such initiatives remain marginal.

Certain forms of yoga are not only compatible with Christianity but have long been an organic part of Christian tradition. In fact, Christianity itself—as a path of love for God and selfless devotion to Christ—mirrors bhakti yoga, the yoga of loving surrender to the Divine.

Yoga and Evangelization

According to Google search data, terms related to "yoga" are searched over 100,000 times per month in some countries, while "meditation" receives over 40,000 searches. That’s more than 4,600 daily searches. This is not just an opportunity for evangelization—it is an unprecedented mission field.

Yet when one searches "yoga and Christianity," most results insist that yoga is incompatible with Christian faith. Unfortunately, many of these authors are unfamiliar not only with yoga itself but also with the Catholic initiatives that have engaged with yoga for decades.

Imagine if churches offered Christian yoga classes, where hundreds or even thousands of seekers could learn not just physical postures but also Christian asceticism, based on the wisdom of the Church Fathers. This would not be a theological compromise, but a strategic opportunity.

Christian communities could take the lead in this new evangelization, establishing Christian yoga centers in cities and towns worldwide. Pilot programs could develop theologically sound approaches, train instructors, and gradually expand. At minimum, the already-approved Catholic meditation program could be implemented—yet the potential extends far beyond that.

As Thomas Merton wrote,

"All truly serious and spiritual forms of religion seek, at least implicitly, contemplative awakening—both on an individual and communal level."The Inner Experience: Notes on Contemplation

Let us reclaim for Christianity what rightfully belongs to it.

Deacon Michael Sheludko, Orthodox Church of Ukraine