Not sure I understand your question. My wife was semi-horrified that I would take a Yoga class, saying it's a religious practice. I told her "nonsense, it's just stretching" but have been trying to think about it objectively.
I'm in a religious limbo at the moment, and certainly not searching for anything. But, I have to admit that from what I've seen about yoga, it could lead into a spiritual, as well as physical, practice. It's no coincidence that a local yoga studio is called "The Yoga Way".
I don't think I can truthfully say to my wife "I'm taking this class because I am confident that there are no spiritual or religious undertones." Contrast that to say acupuncture or herbalism, which both have similar origins, but in practice have no religious undertones that I am aware of.
I think a lot of this comes down to a lot of what the majority of society believes. I haven't heard from ANYONE that yoga can induce a new spiritual walk or that it is a bad pagan influence. Most of the friends I have are Southern Baptist and many of them do yoga. I think JWs believe this is dangerous because this is what they've been told by the WTS. It doesn't matter what the "World" says, it just matters what they think. But then again, this is the only religious group I know of that thinks little blue stuffed cartoons are demonized too.
The older I get and further away from the WTS I am, the more ridiculous some of these beliefs are. I just cannot believe that my extremely intelligent and emotionally wary father would fall for it. I seriously cannot believe it.
I'm in a religious limbo at the moment, and certainly not searching for anything. But, I have to admit that from what I've seen about yoga, it could lead into a spiritual, as well as physical, practice. It's no coincidence that a local yoga studio is called "The Yoga Way".
Oh good grief!
The choice is yours to make. If the studio you go to is too "spiritual", then find somewhere else to take your classes. You don't have to be "lead" if don't want to. There are various types of yoga. Some focus on the spiritual, some don't.
I love doing yoga (The easy kind, not the Madonna kind, which is killer by the way). Physically strengthing and mentally calming at the same time.
