Check local gyms for yoga. My yoga class has no spiritual content, its yoga poses and stretches.
You’re welcome!
The Church has stated that the positions of Yoga cannot be separated from the religion, whether it is part of the yoga program or not. If witchcraft had specific exercises designed to call demons I doubt we would argue that we are just doing the exercises and not part of the ritual.
The CA "Ask an Apologist area has discussed this a few times. Basically it comes down to the reason for doing the Yoga.
I respect your decision to refrain from yoga poses and stretches. However, there is no spiritual or religious aspect to the yoga class that I take. Child’s pose, down dog, chair, twist in chair - do not bring in any religion.
Citations for those Church statements, please.
This is flat-out false; the Church teaches no such thing. In fact, if the Church took such a position, it would basically mean you could not stretch, as basically any stretch likely has an equivalent position in that system. The stretching system was in place while people in the western world were still living in caves (okay, so I exaggerate, but you get the point). The body only moves so many ways, and they figured that out a long, long time again.
The average Joe that is practicing “yoga” is really just stretching and doesn’t have a clue of Hinduism. It all boils down to intent. You can take your "pure exercise routine"and do so with intent to practice Hinduism, and you would then be practicing what you refer to as “Yoga.” There is nothing inherently spiritual about the moves; you must conscientiously place the intent on the moves.