By: Jane Angle

Yoga has been described as teaching flexibility, balance, strength and providing stress relief.  Resurrection's Holy Yoga instructor Anna Grabrian adds another element in her faith-based yoga class. Her students pray throughout class time, listen to Christian music, and hear Scripture interspersed along with the physical techniques being taught. Her class provides a tranquil, non-judgmental and non-competitive atmosphere allowing participants to seek Christ as they exercise.

Anna is a registered Holy Yoga instructor and is certified to teach Holy Yoga to Pre and Post-Natal women. She credits Holy Yoga as particularly helpful during her second and most recent pregnancy by giving her more flexibility, less back pains and even an easier labor.

However, her classes are not just for pregnant women. Rather those who attend include males and women of all ages. The age range includes 20-year-olds and those who are past retirement age. Although her original class is full with approximately 25 participants, her second class on Saturday evenings continues to grow. 

Many people think of Yoga and associate it with the Hindu religion. It is a Hindu word, or more correctly a Sanskrit word from the Vedic civilization. That is not a point of contention with Holy Yoga and its philosophy though. As Anna explained, why should Christians not worship with their bodies as well? She quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 that says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

The mission statement for Holy Yoga says this, “Holy Yoga is an experiential worship created to deepen people’s connection to Christ. Our sole purpose is to facilitate a Christ honoring experience that offers an opportunity to believers and non-believers alike to authentically connect God through His Word, worship and wellness.” Anna describes Holy Yoga as different from other types of Yoga in that she says, “The Yoga is the same-Spirituality if the difference.”

Click here to learn more about Holy Yoga at Resurrection.