Is yoga religious?
image shot at Aro Ha
Exploring the Roots and Reality
Yoga has become a global phenomenon. From high-end studios in London to quiet living rooms in the suburbs, millions roll out their mats daily to stretch, breathe, and reconnect. As its benefits are realised, yoga is being introduced to care homes, schools, and other community settings. Despite yoga now being considered relatively mainstream, there is a lingering question that often sparks debate: Is yoga religious?
The origins of yoga
Yoga originated in ancient India over 5,000 years ago. Its earliest references are found in sacred Hindu texts like the Vedas and Upanishads, and it later became deeply intertwined with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. In Sanskrit, the word yoga means “to yoke” or “to unite.” Originally, this union was spiritual, joining the self with the universal consciousness, but even from its early origins, yoga was about stilling the mind to achieve self-realisation rather than following the rules of a particular religion. The original yoga postures were all seated postures and were to improve the mind rather than the body.
Modern day yoga
Yoga was exclusively a male domain for thousands of years; it was not until 1937 that Indra Devi fought against the establishment to become the “first woman of yoga”. Not only did Devi bring yoga away from an exclusively male environment, she also took it out of India, via China, to the United States. In the US at that time, yoga was viewed as a strange, mystical practice from India. Devi was instrumental in demystifying the practice and promoting it as the comprehensive practice for overall wellbeing we know today. A Russian-born aristocrat, forced out by the Revolution, she was determined to help lift the ban of yoga in Communist Russia. The ban was due to the belief that yoga was linked with religion and therefore should not be practised in communist countries. Devi was successful in her campaign, and yoga has now become a global phenomenon with myriad styles each with their unique characteristics and benefits. For a minority, however, the deep-rooted belief that yoga is steeped in religion remains.
My response to this would be yoga (and many aspects of modern life) is what you make it. The ancient world was generally more religious in order to explain what was not fully understood. Science has now answered many questions for us and many still remain unexplained. It is possible to celebrate Easter and Christmas as either occasions with deep religious significance or a chance to stop, spend time with your family and count your blessings. I have friends from different religions who still celebrate Christmas and Easter for these reasons. Yoga can be a spiritual experience for some yet today when most people say “yoga” they mean modern postural yoga, a fitness-oriented version that emphasises stretching, strength, balance, and breathwork, from which everyone atheist, agnostic, deeply or mildly religious can benefit.
