After extending an invitation to Good Yoga to a fellow gym member one morning, Norbert received some interesting feedback. The woman gave her opinion, followed by a rejection to join us.

“She said she’s not coming to yoga because it’s too religious,” he told me.

Religious: adjective

of, relating to, or concerned with religion:a religious holiday.
imbued with or exhibiting religion; pious; devout; godly:a religious man.
scrupulously faithful; conscientious:religious care.

If we follow her meaning to the first definition, yoga does concern itself with the Hindu religion. Yoga means to yoke. The ancient Indians who ran with Patanjali were trying to yoke themselves with the celestial beings. Through purification of body, mind, and soul, they felt closer to God.

Exploring the second definition of the word religious, we discover another truth yoking yoga to being a religious practice. You can most assuredly do yoga religiously. Again and again. Day and Night. The different sequences are actually designed to be done in the morning, several hours after lunch, and again in the evening before bed. Meditation and art are the same in that they take religious practice to get good at.

At the end of our definite journey, a beautiful description of yoga is found. Scrupulously, faithfully, and conscientiously, we move our bodies in and out of the poses. With a mindful inhale, exhale, the poses are practiced all over the world. Around the world, they are practiced with the same religious care for the present moment.

The word religious does describe yoga. Do you have to subscribe to Hinduism to practice it? Do you have to do it everyday? Do you have to move with acute attention to detail? You do not have to do any of these things.

All you have to do is strengthen, stretch, and explore what feels good. That’s all I’m asking.

Namaste