YOGA POLICE

An Expose on the Yoga Alliance

Can you imagine if a secular personal training certification organization required trainees to read the Bible along with performing supervised practice of the Christian lifestyle under the supervision of a Pastor? There would be outcry across the nation! Yet this kind of religious control is exactly what all registered yoga instructors are required to submit to... and yet yoga industry publications and certification organizations constantly insist that yoga is “not religious.” As a former yoga teacher, I offer an inside view. My yoga teacher told me that many Christians became certified in yoga (Anusara yoga) and that studying yoga would not compromise my faith. However at the Rice Hotel in Houston, this founder of a national yoga certification organization instructed all 120 of us to give our souls “completely to Shiva” I quit. I realized that I had been deceived about this certification and went on to discover that most, if not all yoga certifications are deceptively represented. Why? Because to be registered as a yoga school, all certification organizations must include the study and practice of classical yoga philosophies. What are those philosophies? Go to wholyfit.com and see “Yoga Versus the Bible.” http://www.wholyfit.com/christian_alternative_to_yoga/yoga-vs-bible

Buddha Baggage To examine the physical evidence below, here is some background about the fitness industry. The Yoga Alliance Registers Yoga Schools, which in turn, certify yoga instructors. Yoga Alliance Registration requires the study AND PRACTICE of yoga philosophies, which I will show in this article, are in direct conflict with Bible teachings.

Here are the questions this e-book will address:

1. Why would any Christian who wants to teach a fitness class, want to be registered by any organization, which promotes anti-Christ philosophies?

2. Why would a Christian want to be associated with an organization that deceives people?

This article provides proof that people in the general public simply do not know how the yoga industry works. John explains the second possibility: John 12:42-43 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. Don’t get me wrong. Certification in the fitness industry is good. It’s a way of standardizing the profession for safety and consistency. Certification helps the career of the fitness professional because clients are assured of the trainer’s expertise in leading exercise; But what happens when certification violates your Christian faith? This is exactly the dilemma I faced when pursuing yoga certification. Since I’ve begun WholyFit certification, a Christian alternative to yoga, I’ve learned the first hand stories of many other people who had similar experiences. Discrimination in the workplace is just one problem with yoga certification, but this is just a symptom of deeper problems innate to yoga. I have researched most big yoga certification organizations and many small ones and cannot find any yoga certification organization that omits yoga philosophies. If you find one let me know. What about Yoga Fit? No, even Yoga Fit includes indoctrination in yoga philosophies in the advanced sessions, once interns are highly invested in the program. Yoga Fit started out 10 years ago and it appealed to a niche of us who did not want to include yoga mantras and philosophies in with exercise. I was there looking into getting certified by Yoga Fit over a decade ago and was so impressed with the stance the leader took. However I spoke with a friend who was a master trainer in Yoga Fit (someone who certifies others.) She took the job on the explicit condition that as a Christian, she would not teach yoga philosophies. She had to quit however when Yoga Fit required that she teach them! What happened? The leader of Yoga Fit caved in to market pressure in order to qualify her certification as a Yoga Alliance registered school. What about “Christian yoga”? Actually some of the most disturbing stories have come from friends who pursued what they thought was Christian yoga, only to find out that there was deceptive marketing involved in the claim. I am privy to stories like this from people who have fled to WholyFit out of yoga. Christian Yoga Chakras...Christian Yoga Chakras...Christian Yoga Chakras... Say that 5 times fast... Before discovering WholyFit, “Liza,” paid $2,300 upfront for what was advertised as a “Christian yoga” certification only to find out it was clearly a classical yoga system (Iyengar) run by a person who identified herself as a Christian. The first trainings focused solely on Chakra lessons with little or no training in the concepts of physical fitness. Liza said she would never have signed up in the first place if she had known this from the outset (but that’s how deception works). When Liza spoke out in the training, the leader

replied that Scripture could be used as the basis for Chakra work by associating different scriptures with each Chakra. This is not an isolated incident. “Melissa” told me the same thing happened to her at a YMCA yoga certification. The Y claimed the training would be “secular” but taught the same religious yoga concepts and would not refund when Melissa quit. She also joined WholyFit and quit yoga for good.

Certainly Serpent-y Chakras are supposed energy channels used during yoga to awaken what is referred to as Kundalini: the serpent power within. The serpent spirit supposedly awakens at the base of the spine, then works its way, coiling around the spine, through each Chakra, to finally reach the crown of the head. When this “Kundalini” power progresses through the last Chakra of the crown of the head, the yogi supposedly reaches Samadhi, or enlightenment, which is said to be a union with the Universal Spirit (the Divine Self, Shiva, Brahman…) >Why is ”Christian Chakra” practice is an anti-christ concept? The practitioner believes he/she can to do something physical in order to get to God. Liza reasoned, “You are already united with God when you accept Christ as your Savior.” I agree with Liza. What’s more, God is not a serpent, satan is. Liza was caught in an emotionally stressful situation and a spiritually dangerous one at that (...and yoga is supposed to be relaxing?) The “Christian Yoga” leader would not give Liza her money back because she signed a document to that effect during registration. She says it was an

expensive lesson, but well-learned. Liza quit that “Christian yoga” training in order to pursue WholyFit Christian Alternative to Yoga where she received more of the physical anatomy as well as more of the worship/prayer aspect of physical fitness. Liza received better training by WholyFit (for less money) than yoga certification! So Why do all Yoga Certifications require classical yoga philosophies? In the past 20 years or more, in order to be registered with Yoga Alliance, every yoga school curriculum has been required to include extensive indoctrination into yoga religions. Have you heard differently? Of course you have! This is deliberate on the part of the yoga industry. After all, requiring religious study would be against workplace law in the US! The public face of yoga insists that “yoga is not a religion.” “yoga is just exercise.’ Evidence to the contrary follows.

EXHIBIT A: Quote from Yoga Alliance:

“Vision of the Yoga Alliance: Yoga Alliance supports the study and teaching of yoga, a set of disciplines and practices originating in ancient India that integrate the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of human experience and lead to liberation from suffering.” http://www.theyogashalact.com/pages/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TT-Info-and-Application-2013-14.pdf Those “practices originating in ancient India” are Hinduism and Buddhism and many other religions that coincide with the teachings of the yoga Bibles: the Bahgavadgita and Patanjali’s Sutras. Only Jesus offers true freedom. (John 8:36) Jesus Himself said that He alone is the only way to God and yet yoga teaches “many paths” contradicting the words of Jesus, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”- Jesus (John 14:`6)

Feeding the Yoga Beast Yoga teachings lead people away from Jesus, directly challenging His Words and equating the Only Son with all the so-called teachers of endless pathway choices leading to supposed “enlightenment.” The bible teaches that Jesus is the light of life (John 8:12) but people like to walk in darkness so their deeds will be hidden. You have heard that yoga is not a religion. In the Sivinanda Companion to Yoga the author describes her meeting with a “being of white light” in one chapter and claims that yoga is not a religion in another. The yoga bibles are highly spoken of in publications by Yoga Journal, while claiming consistently that yoga is not religious. One such article quotes John Friend of Anusara Yoga, my former teacher praising the concepts of the Bahgavadgita and Patanjali’s Sutras. http://www.yogajournal.com/wisdom/2565 One of the yogic “Niyamas” is not to lie. It was just made public last year that John Friend was actually a Wiccan Coven Master who performed sex rituals with the yoga instructors he certified in order to “raise energy” in his classes. I had no idea when I took his classes. He told me outright at the time that being certified in yoga would not violate my Christian faith! He was actively dedicating “every posture” to “the goddess” or “the mother” or “Shiva the Destroyer.” Is this not religious? The yoga industry continually

insists yoga is not a religion, but rather a “philosophy” or “ethical approach to life.” This word play is very common in yoga and can is the earmark of deception for financial gain. If the truth were made known about the religious nature of yoga, the market in the US would dry up.

Wolves in sheeps. Jillia, who escaped Dahn yoga by fleeing to WholyFit, had escaped Dahn after witnessing demon possession during a class. She also was exposed to weird healing rituals that were neither medical nor fitness based. Dahn yoga has now been exposed as a cult and there is legal action for racketeering being taken. http://www.8newsnow.com/story/12013067/fraud-racketeering-action-filed-against-dahn-yoga I base my opinions on eye witness testimony from people I know and my own personal eye witness, but I can also provide physical evidence that all registered Yoga teachers have been forced to undergo indoctrination into yoga philosophies. Here is how I came upon this physical evidence: Back when I did yoga, the YMCA asked me to be Yoga Alliance registered (200 Hour RYT). I refused on the basis of religious freedom. They agreed. Since then, I’ve been keeping up with the public image Yoga Alliance presents for over a decade now. I will share the foundation of Yoga Alliance, the history and facts that are not visible to the public. Below is an actual table of the Yoga Alliance’s historical requirements (with explanation following.) These requirements are intrinsically the same world-wide for all YAs. EXHIBIT B:

Explanation: In order to be a RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) a yoga instructor must attend a Yoga Alliance Registered yoga school (RYS). RYS Yoga Schools are required to provide supervised study AND PRACTICE of classical yoga philosophies within their certification curriculum: Traditional Yoga Alliance requirements curriculum in Registered Yoga Schools includes 75 hours required in “Category 1, Techniques Training/Practice” as follows:

Asanas (yoga exercises) Pranayamas (yoga breathing) Kriyas (yoga health practices and cleansings) Chanting (“Ohm” gesture an invitation for Brahman to unite with the

soul) Mantra (The repetition of the “Ohm” sound) Meditation (Transcendental Meditation teaches the use of the names

of Hindu deities as mantras) and other “traditional” yoga techniques (traditional=classical with

philosophies in tact)

These hours must be a mix between • analytical training in how to teach and practice the techniques • guided practice of the techniques themselves • Quote: “both areas must receive substantial emphasis.”

“Guided practice” refers to “Contact Hours.” In other words, according to the above grid, 50 practice hours in traditional yoga techniques must be accomplished in the presence of senior yoga instructors dedicated to the promotion of classical yoga. Contact hours provide incentive and opportunity for indoctrination of trainees who depend on the certification for their livelihood. What the general public does not understand is that such guided practice allows for spiritual transference, a person-to-person transfer of spiritual energy. Transference is highly valued by classical yogis. EXHIBIT C: Mike Shreve’s article in Charisma Magazine entitled, “Stretching the Truth About Yoga” exposes the reasons that he quit teaching yoga. (Mike Shreve highly recommends WholyFit as a biblical alternative to yoga certification.) http://www.charismamag.com/life/health/19347-stretching-the-truth-about-yoga

I used to defend yoga to fellow Christians but ended up putting my foot in my mouth. To avoid this do your own research about yoga before basing your opinion solely on what our culture promotes about it. So many Christians I know think that yoga teachers just teach exercise, but the truth is that due to the process of (RYS) certification, every yoga instructor (RYT) has been super exposed to anti-christ yoga philosophies for a long period of time and have spent many hours in the classical yoga environments dedicated to the traditional religious teachings of yoga:

• spiritual transference

• spirit channeling (Kuhndalini) • transcendental meditation • mantras and chanting (invocations of spiritual entities like Shiva, Brahman) • idolatry (goddess worship, worship of the sun god) • the presence of idolatrous statues in the workout area

Yoga Alliance was founded in order to maintain the historical purity of yoga and therefore has historically required all yoga certification organizations to teach classical yoga philosophies in an environment dedicated to the promotion of traditional yoga values. EXHIBIT D:

Yoga Alliance Quote: “Although Yoga Alliance honors and respects related disciplines and traditions, both contact and non-contact hours are limited to areas that fall within the scope of traditional yoga studies.” Hear the testimony of the yoga experts themselves like Dr. George Feuerstein who says that yoga contains the “complete path” to enlightenment. http://www.traditionalyogastudies.com/about-us/georg-feuerstein/ Sadly, this is a quote from his wife's announcement of his death: "At this time, I would like to request prayers from the worldwide community for Georg’s transition through the afterlife states and for a swift rebirth." (Referring to re-incarnation.) It is so important to tell yogis about Jesus. They are so open, as they are already searching for true enlightenment. We need to shine our light so all will see and point them to the only Way, the Truth and the Light. Instead of allying with those who preach the yoga gospel, we need rather to expose it by speaking the truth in love, with grace and gentleness. The leaders of Yoga Alliance are surely well-meaning, nice people but Yoga Alliance Registration ensures that all yoga certifications will include the study and practice of traditional yoga philosophies and this needs to be made common knowledge. The inclusion of yoga philosophies during yoga certification is an effective strategy to ensure that yoga teachers have all been influenced by classical yoga practices and are more likely to pass them on to generations to come. YA “Contact Hours” requirements facilitate this indoctrination of all yoga teachers by ensuring an intensive, face to face environment dedicated to the process. Yoga Alliance quote from Exhibit B: “Contact Hours in this category must be in a dedicated YTT (Yoga Techniques Training/Practice) environment” A “dedicated yoga environment” prescribes mantras and chanting completed in the traditional yoga methods, as handed down for thousands of years. This is Transcendental

Meditation, or TM for short. Although aggressively marketed as helpful brain-building techniques, TM teachers sell the names of Hindu deities as mantras to their students. Former TM teacher Vail Carruth reveals the intentional deceit behind TM marketing in her book, “Kiss of God.” Besides the fact that religious discrimination of YA requirements during certification is unlawful, it wastes training time. Practically speaking, yoga philosophies have nothing to do with exercise technique, biomechanics or anatomy. In Exhibit B you can see that 30 hours are required in Yoga Philosophy compared to only 20 hours of anatomy. WholyFit Certification is Better than Yoga Certification

There is an alternative to yoga certification for fitness pros who wish to get a consistently professional, high quality exercise certification. The WholyFit Gentle Body Power system is used globally by Christian fitness professionals to train their clients according to industry standards, in gentle, healthy exercise. WholyFit certification offers training that is not just equivalent to, but is far better than Yoga Alliance Registered programs. I make this claim because:

• WholyFit certification and exercise technique training standards are consistent, objective, evidence-based and high quality.

• The WholyFit exercise format is unique, varifiable and consistent world-wide.

• WholyFit exercise practice is biblically based, and therefore, healthier for body, soul and spirit

• WholyFit certification provides focused time dedicated to study of biomechanics, exercise safety and technique

• WholyFit is upfront and transparent about the Biblical content of the program

Yoga RX In envision a future when Drs will refer their patients to WholyFit classes instead of yoga! When Drs recommend “yoga” to their patients …are they really recommending yoga? No, in reality they are using the word ‘yoga’ to communicate the fact that a healing type of exercise would help their patients. Yoga is just a name used in our culture to communicate the concept of stretching and strengthening. No exercise can legally be characterized in a trademarked fashion. A certification organization can trademark it’s name and brand a particular sequence of exercises, but there is no legal trademark on any exercise technique. “Universal” exercise has been ruled available to the public domain and therefore do not have to be called “yoga” at all. In October of 2000, a Manhattan federal district court ruled that Pilates is an exercise technique (and therefore this ruling applies to such techniques as yoga or karate.) Pilates cannot be trademarked or restricted by any single entity and therefore yoga exercises are “universal” as well. After all, you don’t need to be certified in yoga to do a “spinal twist” to look behind you while backing

out of the driveway. You don’t need to have a Black Belt in Karate to do a Karate Front Stance to pick up a coin you have dropped on the ground.

It is legally and scientifically incorrect to state that all healing exercise is ‘yoga.’ It is also a logical fallacy to insist that ‘yoga’ is healing to the body, because yoga classes and teachers vary wildly. In addition to state that yoga exercise is beneficial is flawed in logic as well. Yoga is too undefined to make such claims. There is no control group. There is no guarantee that all yoga classes everywhere are safe. In fact, yoga classes can be downright dangerous by all commonly accepted fitness industry standards! EXHIBIT E See Exercise Physiologist Cody Sype’s assessment of “Yoga for Older Adults.” http://www.wholyfit.com/christian_alternative_to_yoga/powerful-exercise I have personally witnessed contraindicated exercises being taught regularly in yoga classes. I instantly popped both of my knee cap menisci doing full lotus in a yoga class. The first movement in the Bikram Hot Yoga series is an unsupported lateral side bend with no warm up. Unsupported, loaded spinal flexion is a contraindicated movement is designated as high risk in personal training manuals. http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Teaching%20Aerobics/YoungExercise3.pdf Of course, the exercise is never at fault, but only the instructor who applies an exercise incorrectly or uses a modification of an exercise which is inappropriate for the exerciser. The point is that a study claiming the benefits of all yoga is illogical because no control is in place that all yoga instructors are knowledgeable about exercise technique and safety. There is one conclusive statement that can be made about the yoga system as a whole: the lack of a proper warm-up is very common in yoga because there is no cardio inherent anywhere in the system. In our example of Bikram yoga above, the hot environment does not substitute for a proper warm up automatically. In fact a hot environment is contraindicated in all personal training certifications! The dangers of exercising in heat include heat stroke and heat exhaustion. I got heat exhaustion, even as a very fit and acclimatized exerciser, in the middle of a hot yoga class and was in bed for 3 days. My body changed after that and has now become overly-sensitive to heat. EXHIBIT F Dangers of exercising in heat http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/exercising-in-the-heat An instructor must know their participants and understand the appropriateness of each exercise. For example, it would be high risk to instruct osteoporotic women to do Full Triangle as one of the first moves in a group yoga class. Performing this unsupported forward bend with a twist is a high-risk movement for these women and absolutely

dangerous if no proper warm-up is done. Pilates has adopted the yoga Plough, the most acutely dangerous yoga posture of all. The Plough forces all the body weight on the tiny C2 vertebra and if there is momentum added, as in the Pilates Jack knife, the risk is compounded. EXHIBIT G "Bad Karma" Self Magazine, Injuries from Yoga: http://www.self.com/health/2008/06/yoga-related-injuries Studies cannot logically claim that all yoga teachers understand proper exercise technique nor can they guarantee that all yoga instructors understand the structural needs of each person in their class. The bottom line is that no study can ‘prove’ the benefits of ‘yoga’ per-se. Research will always verify that good exercise, which is appropriately applied to an individual, is healing. In fact, what many well-meaning doctors may not realize is that recommending “yoga” may refer their patients to participate in an environment that is dangerous both physically and spiritually. Consider the very meaning of the name of “yoga”…

Yoked In Sanskrit, ‘yoga’ means “yoked,” as in becoming one with the “Universal spirit.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga When a Dr. refers a patient to a “yoga” class, does the Dr really intend to say,

“Take an exercise class to help you become joined with the Universal spirit”? Recommending so-called “Christian yoga” makes even less sense: “Take a Christian exercise class to help you become yoked with the Universal spirit”? When Christian Fitness Professionals submit to YA Registered Certification, they are promoting everything the word, “yoga” stands for and are partnering with the yoga industry as a whole. This is the very state of being unequally yoked as described in 2 Corinthians 6:14.

In conclusion, if you have been confused in the past by the face of yoga, it is understandable. I was deceived too and had to actually be a part of the yoga community to find the truth. It is my hope that public education about yoga will save others from having to undergo the same painful experience. The general public equates all gentle exercise of any kind with the word, “yoga.” It’s ridiculous but that’s how powerful yoga marketing is! When a Christian participates in a class called yoga it can send a mixed message that Biblical teachings and yoga philosophies can co-exist. The example set by Christians participating in yoga can be devastating to new Christians and pre-believers. This was the final and best reason that I quit having anything to do with the word, “yoga.” YA leaders have every right to offer networking to those who believe in yoga philosophies, but why would a Christian promote that vision too? The vision of Christians is to offer God’s Word to the world. Yoga is impotent compared to the saving, healing power of Christ Jesus, the One True and Living God who died to give us life, who is Himself the Prince of All Peace. “John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Ephesians 6:6 not by way of eye service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. 1 Corinthians 2:5”so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. “Lord, help me to look to you for certification and not to people.

2014 Yoga Police Update - USA only Now in the USA, YA has made it possible to be registered without studying exercise at all! It has always been counter-productive for Christian fitness professionals to register with Yoga Alliance and now there is no reason for any fitness professional to register at all. Here is the new YA requirements table with explanation following: EXHIBIT H

1. Techniques, Training and Practice: 100 hours Minimum contact hours: 75 hours Minimum contact hours w/ Lead Trainer(s): 50 hours Topics in this category could include, but would not be limited to: asanas, pranayamas, kriyas, chanting, mantra, meditation and other traditional yoga techniques. These hours must be a mix between: 1) analytical training in how to teach and practice the techniques, and 2) guided practice of the techniques themselves. Both areas must receive substantial emphasis.

4. Yoga Philosophy, Lifestyle and Ethics for Yoga Teachers: 30 hours Minimum contact hours: 20 hours Minimum contact hours w/ Lead Trainer(s): 0 hours Special Requirements: A minimum of 2 of the above contact hours must be spent on ethics for yoga teachers Topics in this category could include, but would not be limited to: ▪ The study of yoga philosophies and traditional texts, such as the

Yoga Sutras and Hatha Yoga Pradipika ▪ Yoga lifestyle, such as the precept of non-violence (ahimsa), and

the concepts of dharma and karma ▪ Ethics for yoga teachers, such as those involving teacher – student

relationships and community Understanding the value of teaching yoga as a service and being of service to others (seva)

https://www.yogaalliance.org/credentialing/standards/200-hourstandards) Explanation: According to newly updated requirements of YA, now yoga schools are free to teach only meditation or only exercise if they so choose. While this may have solved YA’s legal issue of religious discrimination in the workplace, what good is exercise certification that does not provide standardization in the profession for safety and consistency? An exercise certification that does not include study of exercise teachnique and safety does not help the career of anyfitness professional. If clients are not assured of the trainer’s expertise in leading exercise, what good is the exercise certification? I called and checked. It is verified information that YA no longer requires yoga instructors to take any training in exercise at all. Therefore it is no longer valid for any Yoga class participants to a prefer YA registered yoga teacher over any other! USA YA has made a dramatic departure from the International YA organization makeup. There is now no professional reason to seek YA Registration in the US except for networking. Pass it on to fitness pros who may be considering YA registration. What good is a standardization organization that does not standardize? Pass this information on because unfortunately, Yoga schools already have their curriculum in place. Let it be known that now there is grounds to challenge it and change it. There is no longer any reason for yoga philosophies to be included in any fitness certifications! The re-wording of YA requirements is really a no-win situation. At least in the past, YA was upfront with requirements. Now YA registration requirements could change again and again and have become highly subjective. In the future, when yoga schools no longer include yoga philosophies, will YA change the wording back again? After all, the categories still exist. For example, the category entitled, “Yoga Philosophy” does not have to include Yoga philosophy, but what does it include then? It CAN include yoga philosophy? What if it doesn’t? In the Category of “Yoga Lifestyle,” how many hours of the 30 contact hours are required for practice of a yoga lifestyle? Can the practice of a yoga lifestyle be completely skipped? Will 30 hours of study of secular business ethics replace the practice of Kriyas and Karma? The big question is, will a yoga school provide this choice? Will Christian yoga school be able to substitute 30 hours of practicing the 10 Commandments to satisfy this requirement? >The key question is: Who approves or disapproves curriculum in a yoga school? YA does. Forgive stating the obvious: What good are requirements in any organization that makes it’s requirements optional? The only logical conclusion is that Yoga Alliance is

unreliable, double talking and inconsistent as an educational company. The good news? No more Yoga Police! Pass it on.