Monday, May 7, 2012

Is yoga harmless?


Christians should beware the counterfeit of the Holy Spirit found in yoga and the Kundalini spirit. When most people hear the word “yoga,” they understand it to be an exercise. They envision a person on a mat striking poses and practicing stretches to develop the body and relax the mind. But there is more to it than meets the eye. These poses and stretches embody more than physical exercise. Yoga has power to unleash the Kundalini spirit.
What is the Kundalini spirit, and how does it function? How would we know the Kundalini spirit? The Body of Christ is called to be aware and to discern spirits. Our Lord instructs us to obtain godly wisdom.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God…” (James 1:5)

“And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

First of all, exactly what is the definition of yoga? The Encarta World English Dictionary’s primary definition of yoga exposes its connection to religion. Yoga: Hindu discipline; any of a group of related Hindu disciplines that promote the unity of the individual with a supreme being through a system of postures and rituals. The word “yoga” means “to yoke.” Yoga is the act of yoking the practitioner to a Hindu god. This god is called Brahman the “Divine” who is said to enlighten the human soul by uniting with the human body. This "union" is accomplished through intense concentration, controlled breathing techniques, and prescribed yoga postures. Brahman and yoga practitioners are united as one.

To assist the yogi in achieving this “Divine” enlightenment, a mediator between the practitioner and Brahman is invoked. The ancients describe this mediator as the Kundalini spirit. “Kundalini” means “serpent power.” When a person engages in yoga, a chain reaction occurs within the body. The Kundalini spirit is spontaneously activated and spiritual enlightenment is imparted by the “Universal World Soul” also known as Brahman. Yoga authorities say that all yoga is ultimately Kundalini yoga, and yoga is meaningless without it (Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs, p 606).

Who created yoga, and why was it created? The Bhagavad-Gita, part of the Hindu scriptures called the Vedas, is the essence of India’s Vedic wisdom and claims yoga came into our world passed from ancient generations through a series of Hindu gods. Religious rituals implanted within yoga practice are dedicated to seeking union with these Hindu gods.

Unfortunately, most Christians do not understand that by its own definition yoga is an occult religious ritual. It is practiced through postures, mudras (occult hand signals), and mantras (chanted words) which are themselves ancient magical incantations. These ancient magical incantations operate spontaneously on a vibratory and subliminal frequency. Each practitioner upon his or her yoga mat unleashes sonic vibrations throughout a network of energy centers within the body called chakras.

There are seven chakras.  They begin at the tailbone and move upward in “a straight line toward the crown of the head.” The chakra trajectory is located along the spinal cord in the physical body and is the very path taken by the serpent Kundalini as it uncoils from the base of the spine. This Kundalini serpent is activated through yoga postures and brings different levels of enlightenment as it passes each chakra (Total Yoga, pg. 23).

Each chakra is associated with one or more of the Hindu deities. When the chakras are activated by the snake-like motion of the Kundalini, the deities are summoned, and each deity transfers a specific occult power to the yoga practitioner. 

How do the yogi masters define yoga? Yogi masters, devout yoga practitioners, claim that Kundalini serpent power makes them born again and baptizes them into new life. Credit is given to the Kundalini serpent for connecting them to the all-pervading power of “Divine” love.
Christians know that all-pervading Divine love comes from Jesus Christ and only from Jesus Christ. So who is this Kundalini spirit who claims Christ’s power? The Kundalini serpent is a spirit of anti-Christ, not the Lord Jesus Christ.

Through the anti-Christ spirit of the serpent “Kundalini,” Satan positions himself as mediator between heaven and earth. In this position, he fulfills his desire to be worshiped as God. Satan is always attempting to usurp the position of Jesus Christ. Christ is indeed the only mediator between heaven and earth:

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all." (I Timothy 2:5-6)

“And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:15)

Eternal inheritance is union with God in heaven and comes by receiving salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ. But according to New Age swamis, a spontaneous transformation of mankind in union with the “Universal World Soul” will come by way of Kundalini through yoga! Many yoga gurus openly admit they become glorified by awakening the serpent power.

These yogis further prophesy that the New World Order and One World Religion will be led by one unparalleled yoga master who is incarnate. This yogi would be a master of the Kundalini and would teach all people the ancient secrets of self-transformation.

Throughout Scripture we are told to be aware of those “religious” persons, called false prophets, who come as “wolves in sheep’s clothing” claiming to be Christ (Matthew 7:15). Lucifer, that serpent of old, the original wolf in sheep’s clothing, is the one who initiated yoga. His powerful scheme is to counterfeit the Christian’s worship of God. He accomplishes his goal through yoga, which incorporates a worshipful practice of sign language gestures, prayer positions, and bowing, all performed in a religious and reverent manner. 

Devotional bowing postures are part of yoga’s choreographed religious routines. These devotional bows deceive many into believing they are worshiping Christ through yoga, but they are instead worshiping idols. In the book of Corinthians, Paul explains that behind acts of idol worship lurks a receptive demon:

“What am I trying to say? Am I saying that the idols to whom the pagans bring sacrifices are real gods and that these sacrifices are of some value? No, not at all. What I am saying is that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want any of you to be partners with demons.” (I Corinthians 10:19-20, New Living Bible)

Paul was explaining when Christians practice ancient postures rooted in pagan religious rituals they open the door to demons lurking in and behind these ceremonies. Demons receive the practitioners’ sacrifice of worship and consume them for their own egocentric appetites. They accept the offering of worship as if the purpose is to honor them through yoga. Therefore, the yoga practitioner has become a living sacrifice offered to demons rather than to God. 

As Christians, despite our hearts' and minds’ desires to worship only God through Jesus Christ, we are in danger of committing spiritual adultery. We cannot sacrifice ourselves to idols with body language that invokes the Kundalini spirit at the same time that we offer ourselves to God as a holy, set a part, and dedicated sacrifice to Him. Scripture says "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord ’s Table and of the table of demons" (I Corinthians 10:21).


Judy White's personal deliverance out of the New Age movement was the catalyst to her book, The Heart of Yoga Revelaed. As a spirit-filled evengelical Christian, she has addressed several venues including conferences, association meetings, and media interviews. She was privileged to be a guest on a PBS program aired in San Antonio, Texas while serving as chapter president of Aglow International.

The purpose of her book is to make the truth available to as many Christians as possible which includes pastors and churches, ministries and associations, hospital and school administrators and generally wherever yoga is taught or promoted.

www.thevoicemagazine.com

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