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Whatsapp Founded in the US, Holy Yoga has arrived in Australia—but is it appropriate?

Christian yoga is not the oxymoron it may at first appear to be. Posing to Bible verses and gospel music originated in the United States and has recently made its way Down Under. But is there something offensive about another religion rebranding this ancient Indian practice?

At first glance it would seem that yoga, an ancient spiritual and physical discipline originating in India, and Christianity, an Abrahamic religion that began in modern-day Israel during the first century AD, have little in common.

These practices have been taken over and put into Christianity, and that is presented as a better way to do them.

Practitioners of 'Holy Yoga', however, might disagree. According to the not-for-profit Christian ministry's website, 'Holy Yoga is an experiential worship created to deepen people's connection to Christ.'

In Holy Yoga, Sanskrit phrases are replaced with Bible verses and stretching is done to the tune of gospel music.

The group, which was founded in the United States and recently expanded to Australia, trains Christian yoga teachers, organises retreats and bible study events, and even sells its own 'Yahweh' branded activewear.

So is there something wrong with rebranding yoga, a practice and philosophy born out of and associated with Buddhism and Hinduism, as Christian?

'What troubles critics about this practice is the way it can—and whether this is intentional or unintentional—communicate a sense of a criticism or a desire to repress yoga's connection to religious practices and traditions from India,' says ANU's Dr Shameem Black, whose research focuses on the cultural politics of yoga.

'There's an either/or quality—these practices have been taken over and put into Christianity, and that is presented as a better way to do them. That presents a troubling message for some people.'

Read more: Do yoga and meditation really work?

The practice of yoga in the west, which dates back to the 19th century, is increasingly being examined as a legacy of colonialism and an example of cultural appropriation.

Last year the cancellation of a yoga class at the University of Ottawa over such concerns generated a mountain of (largely mocking) coverage around the world.

In that context, is Christian yoga really any different from other, less-traditional forms of yoga practiced by the supple and spandex-clad around the world?

Dr Black cautions that in many ways, cultural borrowings are simply part of life. However, she notes the dissonance between 'exotic or exciting' label attached to yoga and other elements of Indian culture and the way people of Indian heritage are treated in the US and elsewhere.

'Many people have encountered forms of discrimination or exclusion,' she says. 'In the post 9/11 era with the war on terror, many people of South Asian descent in the US as well as other areas have experienced very strong forms of hostility and even violence.

'Oftentimes people in India and the Indian diaspora feel like India has in some sense given rise to this really fascinating and wonderful practice that has become popular around the world, but then is not given recognition for that.'

Perhaps, she notes, the key to yoga's appeal, as well as its respectful practice, is the recognition that it's a complete philosophy with deep roots and not merely an exercise class.

'The postures are part of it and an important part of it, but they are really not the sum total. There's something very important to them that has to do with connections to philosophical practices and ethical ways of being in the world.'

Listen to the full interview Dr Shameem Black on the history and future of yoga.

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