Mental and emotional benefits of yoga for Christians

In my previous blog post, we discussed the numerous physical benefits of yoga practice. Did you know that there are mental & emotional benefits of yoga too? Yoga is a helpful tool for navigating stress, tension, anxiety, and depression.  Some of the most powerful mental benefits of yoga include its ability to help manage stress, and stress hormones, which are known to have devastating effects on the body and mind. Research suggests that the practice of yoga helps to reduce the “fight-or-flight” response to stress, which allows the body to stay calm and maintain the opposite response to stress, which is often called “rest and digest”. (Woodyard, 2011)

Not only does yoga promote relaxation, yoga also reduces stress, relieves anxiety & depression, and improves sleep. According to this article, yoga is known to release mood boosting chemicals in the body including brain messengers such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. ‌‌Additionally, yoga is known to ease depression. Studies have shown that the practice of yoga may yield results comparable to other treatments, such as medication and psychotherapy. 

Is yoga dangerous for Christians?

Should Christians do yoga? If you do a search on the internet, you may be scared and confused by well-meaning Christians who voice their concern and errant belief that the goal of yoga is to empty the mind and that this contradicts the Christian faith. Sadly, this belief is a common myth and indicates a misunderstanding about yoga. 

According to The Yoga Sutras of Pantajali, the definition of yoga is “to STILL the turnings of the mind” not to empty the mind! Traditional yoga philosophy teaches that when the mind gets still, we are able to understand and experience our true nature. 

As a follower of Christ, I understand my true nature to be created by God and in the image of God, redeemed and restored by Jesus, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. When I allow my mind to “get still” and turn away from the many distractions of the day, I am able to rest and recognize God’s presence with me. I believe this is the essence of what was spoken in Psalm 46:10 when He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Yoga helps to remind us of this fundamental truth: humans were created by God to live in communion with God. The popularity of the practice of yoga points to the underlying desire of people to find connection and communion with God. Yoga CAN be a tremendously powerful tool for Christians when they have the correct understanding of who God is and who they are in God.

There are many mental benefits of a yoga practice. When our minds are cleared from the distractions of the world and our gaze is still and steady, set on God and who we are in God. There is nothing to fear.

Is yoga helpful for Christians? What are the mental and emotional benefits of yoga?

Should Christians do yoga? You decide! There are MANY mental and emotional benefits of yoga! Yoga helps to calm our thoughts and purify our minds. The meditation practices of yoga involve deep concentration on a single point of focus. From a practical sense, meditation is a tool that can help us to cultivate concentration and focus. With the help of yoga, we can become more aware of our inner-landscapes; the realm of our feelings, emotions, thoughts, reactions, responses, motives, and expectations. Through meditation, we can learn to control our thoughts and attitudes and begin to respond to situations that arise in our lives thoughtfully and intentionally, instead of reacting impulsively. 

From a spiritual sense, yoga helps us to still the mind in order to “know” God and awaken to the Holy Spirit. Meditation helps us to set distractions aside in order to live our lives from an eternal perspective… Scripture commands us repeatedly to meditate on God: his Word, his nature, what He has done, and what He promises to do. The traditional practices of yoga include purifying the mind through various levels of focus including: concentration, meditation, and absorption (collectively referred to as samyama). 

“Christian” yoga and meditation can facilitate the mind to more easily separate the earthly from the heavenly, the temporal from the eternal, and illusion from reality. This is the ultimate goal of a yoga practice, to set distractions aside in order to awaken to Immanuel…  the Divine presence of God with us. 

Curious about learning more about Jesus & yoga? Get your FREE guide here, grab your spot in my signature course Yoga for Christians, or join me for a Christ-centered yoga class in my online studio and get started learning today!