It’s unfortunate that some Christians don’t think things through before deciding that something is unChristian. I’ve been given the “Yoga is not Christian because it’s based on pagan beliefs” spiel, and I always tell them, “Like that stop celebrating Christmas and Easter. Because they’re based on pagan celebrations.”

Also, many Christians don’t realise that they’ve been practising simple Yoga poses all their lives. And how can stretching undermine your faith?

I’m a Roman Catholic by birth (for those who don’t know, the Roman Catholic Church is universally acknowledged as the most orthodox, hardcore and rigid of all the churches). My parents are both devout Catholics; my mother received her education in a mission school run by Catholic nuns and brothers, and she was a teacher and taught for many years in a mission school. In fact my mother even thought about being a nun herself before she became a teacher. My grandmother (father’s mother) never missed a Sunday mass in her entire life, even when she became paralised due to a stroke. I was the one who brought her up to receive Holy Communion every Sunday as a child.

And despite coming from such a devoutly Catholic family, never did my parents, or any one of my relatives (who are also mostly Catholics) ever said anything negative about practicing Yoga, even the meditation part. No one in my family also had any objection in me following friends to Buddhist or Hindu temple or the Mosque to see how people from other religions practice their faith. When I brought my parents to visit Batu Caves we light fires at the alter and gave thanks, and never did it cross our mind that we are turning into Hindus; we were just paying our respects for entering a sacred ground. When we visited Buddhist Temples in Thailand we light incense and ask for good health and safe travel; never did we feel that we’re becoming Buddhist. When I followed my friend into a Mosque I sat one side and watch them perform their prayers (because I simply don’t know what to do even if they allowed me to pray with them), and then we shared a meal inside the mosque; never was I expected to perform any Islamic rituals, or asked if I wanted to convert.

I have checked, and there is absolutely nothing in the Catholic Church doctrine which forbids a Catholic from entering the places of worship of other religions, or partaking in their rituals, as long as we are not worshiping their God. Signs of paying respect, or asking for blessing, is perfectly ok.

Those who shun practices perceived to be ‘rituals’ of other faith are those not strong in their convictions, so they put others down to make themselves look more ‘devoted’. In the end, it is you and you alone who has to answer to God.

Anyway, I think that most teachers at YZ (or rather ex-YZ) teach yoga for health reasons. Sun salutation is taught/practised merely for the poses not with the purpose of worshipping the sun.

Lightworks is a no no for me becos the place is full of tarot card reading, spiritual consulting and other scary stuff.

YogaJess says: This is hot topic now! Nevermind, we send our yoga ambassador Cik Ninie to teach him some downward dog so that I can kick him from the backside.