I've had a somewhat simular experience with yoga. I never have found and instructor but have developed my own yoga routine which I practice to beautiful Christian music and use the quiet time for prayer.

It is all meat sacrificed to idols.

Pam

Pam, I'd like to read some of your routines if you ever get a chance. With the martial arts--all I'd want to do is learn to kick butt in self defense when I have someone attempting to harm my children or myself. I don't want the other mystic stuff to go with it.

At our school, one of our teachers is a 'qualified yoga instructor', and every Monday, they bend themselves in these really painful looking positions. However, if it helps my mind clear of everything not needed, I'm all for it. Any advice from a yoga-challenged sis in Christ? :)
Lisa

Hi Lisa,

Yoga does help relaxation but I practice it because it is such good load bearing, isometric exercise.

You can google yoga postures and find some very basic postures to start with. Start slow and always honor your body and do nothing that hurts but do as much as you can up to that point. Breathing is VERY important and should be done slowly through the nose, be sure to relax and breathe into your poses and then out of your poses, holding each pose for as long as is comfortable, breathing comfortably. After you have learned these basic postures, you can rent videos and learn more difficult ones. It's easier to ignore what doesn't suit your spiritual views when it's on a video and then add these newly learned poses to your routine.

My favorite music to practice my yoga to is Handel's Messiah. The rhythm is perfect for moving me in and out of the poses and the words of the music often fit the poses that I practice. I make my routine a worshipful dance before the Lord with my movements an expression of the words and the music. During the relaxation pose, I pray and hand all of my anxieties over to God. It can be a part of my early morning devotional time as well as physical exercise. It's a good way to start the day.

I hope that helps a little. Have fun!

Pam