Namaste

This isn’t even a spooky word at all. It means “salutations/greetings to you” like “aloha” or “hello/goodbye.” Nothing scary.

Shalom/Salaam/Shanti

This one I personally received some push back over. All 3 of these words mean “peace” in different languages. When someone says “shanti, shanti” it’s akin to our own “peace be with you.”

We should pretty well know “Shalom” as it’s the Hebrew translation.

Savasana

Another translation for a perfectly acceptable and normal, totally not spooky or new agey type of thing. This on is Sanskrit which just so happens to be the language many of the original yoga teachers spoke and wrote. Loosely, it’s “corpse pose” which means to lay on the floor like a corpse without movement, and is usually cued at the end of practice.

This is another one I’ve dealt with personally, and choose to say “savasana” over “corpse pose” because I don’t aesthetically like the word “corpse.”

Any other Sanskrit names for that matter

Anything in Sanskrit isn’t inherently evil or against our religion. It’s just another language. It’s the same as our brothers and sisters in Christ that speak anything other than English.

Chakras

Energy

God Himself is energy. He is Spirit. He is Love. He is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. This is a higher form of being than we know.

That “energy stuff” we think is so “new agey” and “pagan” and “demonic” could very well be our God, the Holy Spirit, the Breath of Life moving through all things.

Om

Michelle Thielen, the Founder of YogaFaith, wrote a super in depth piece on this. I’ll refer to that here.

Meditation

I’m going to refer directly to the Bible for this one. From Joshua 1:8 (NKJV):

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

And from Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV):

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Vibes/Vibrations

If I’m correct, science has pretty well proven that all matter exists at a certain vibrational level.

This might seem trendy or new agey, and it might be annoying, but this is totally a legitimate scientific fact.

Crystals

You don’t have to ascribe to the belief that crystals have any healing properties in order to appreciate their beauty. They are a magnificent display of God’s creative power – and therefore have their own matter-based vibrational frequency – and can be appreciated as such.

We have a number of crystals in our home, so, you guessed it, I’ve heard about this one too.

Oils

Young Living and DoTerra are making a killing having Christians running around pumping their MLM essential oils down the throat of everyone on their Facebook accounts or in their MOPS group. I think my use of an oil mist or lotion at yoga should be the least of anyone’s worries.

Yoga

Referring back to myself here and here.

Sun/Moon Salutations

More referring to myself, please enjoy.

Sun.

Moon.

I know there are so many more but these are my personal experience.

Christian yogis: what could you add to this list?