Is Yoga Dangerous?

Is Yoga Dangerous?

I'm sharing this post to foster an open and respectful discussion about different perspectives on yoga and spirituality. The following testimony reflects one individual's personal journey 'from yoga to Christianity' and contains themes of religious conversion, trauma, and spiritual warfare. While I respect everyone's path, I also want to provide context for those who may find such narratives challenging or unsettling.

If you choose to engage, I encourage kindness, open mindedness, and a spirit of mutual respect for diverse beliefs and experiences.

Her words:

“Never knew how dangerous yoga was.

I believed I was connecting to the one who made me. When teaching yoga to students I said, ‘We are chanting to God, creator, universe, higher self, whatever you believe.’ I believed I was in deep devotion to God through 2-hour chanting or mantras, breathing techniques, and wearing all white. We totally wrapped my head because I was told this would secure the connection between my higher self consciousness and the universe, I believed I was receiving codes and downloads from spirit guides, and strengthening self-mastery.

Then after 14 years of ‘yoga teaching and philosophy’, and owing my own yoga studio for trauma healing, I encountered Jesus Christ. I understood quite immediately that all I had done before Jesus Christ was false, and it was both beautiful AND also devastating. Waking up to such deep deception was very hard.

The days of ‘doing a practice’ to connect with God were over. Jesus Christ revealed that He would provide all my needs for healing in a deep and intimate relationship with Him.

And soon, a 3-year journey of deliverance from over 50 demons that had entered through sin, abuse, abortion, trauma, relational dysfunction, and occult practices including yoga, reiki and psychedelic rituals and ceremonies, and more… I was greatly deceived by the practice of yoga. It is Jesus Christ that has given peace and joy, deep healing & transformation. I share this testimony with a prayer that it will reach someone seeking healing, lasting healing & and a new life! There is HOPE and Jesus Christ loves you.”

My response:

Yoga is Not a Religion, and It’s Not Dangerous

Yoga is often misunderstood as a religious practice, but in reality, it is a diverse philosophical and psychological system with roots in multiple Indian traditions. While some forms of yoga (particularly Bhakti and certain interpretations of Tantra) involve devotional elements, yoga itself is not a religion. It is a discipline that incorporates physical postures (asana), breath control (pranayama), meditation (dhyana), and ethical principles (yamas and niyamas) to cultivate self-awareness and well-being.

Historically, yoga has been practiced within Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, but it is not confined to any one of them. Many modern yoga practitioners engage with it in a secular manner, much like one might engage in mindfulness meditation, which also has Buddhist origins but is widely used in clinical psychology without religious affiliation.

The claim that yoga is an “occult” practice that invites demons is not only unsubstantiated but also rooted in fear-based narratives that have been historically used to demonize non-Christian traditions. This perspective ignores the extensive body of scientific literature on yoga’s benefits for trauma healing, mental health, and physical well-being. Studies have shown that yoga can reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression by regulating the nervous system ad promoting self-regulating (Van de Kolk, “The Body Keeps the Score”).

Moreover, equating yoga with “deception” and suggesting that it leads to demonic possession reflects a particular theological interpretation rather than an objective assessment. It is important to recognize that people have different spiritual experiences, and one person’s transformation does not invalidate another’s. If someone finds healing through Christianity, that is valid for them, but it does not mean that yoga is inherently dangerous or deceptive.

Respect for Diverse Paths

It is concerning when spiritual journey are framed in a way that invalidates others’ experiences. True spiritual growth – whether in yoga, Christianity, or any other path – should lead to greater compassion, openness, and understanding, rather than fear and condemnation.

If this individual found peace through Christianity, that is their truth. However, their previous experiences with yoga may have been shaped by specific interpretations that were not reflective of yoga’s broader philosophical depth. Many Christian practitioners, including scholars like Father Thomas Keating and Richard Rohr, have found deep resonance between contemplative Christianity and yogic practices.

Ultimately, yoga does not require belief in any deity, and it is not in conflict with Christianity unless one chooses to frame it that way. Dismissing an entire tradition as “deception” based on a personal theological shift is neither intellectually nor spiritually generous.”