Vicar who’s banned yoga from church
FOR many of its practitioners, yoga has no religious significance – it’s just an easy way to relax the mind and body.
But an Anglican vicar has banned yoga classes from his church hall because of its historic connections to other faiths.
The Rev James Allison has ordered a weekly class attended by around 15 women and men to move elsewhere.
Instructor Melissa Makan has held the Yoga Nidra sessions at the St John the Baptist Church Hall in Halifax, West Yorkshire, for seven months and was informed of the decision in a text she received ‘out of the blue’.
Yoga originated in India about 5,000 years ago and the ancient spiritual practice has links with Hinduism and Buddhism.
Christians have long disagreed about whether it is appropriate to do what some consider a religious practice. Its proponents say it is simply an effective way to improve relaxation, strength and flexibility.
Miss Makan, 37, claimed the Rev Allison was ‘totally against yoga’ and only found out sessions were being held in the hall when a friend of his wife attended a class.
The ban is not Church policy and decisions are left to the discretion of individual vicars.
The Rev Allison, 57, said several members of his congregation had issues with some yoga teachings and the banning decision was made at a Parochial Church Council (PCC) meeting. However, Miss Makan says her classes focus purely on fitness and relaxation and have nothing to do with spirituality.
She added: ‘Yoga isn’t a religion. If I could explain it to him, or he could come and see it for himself … they haven’t tried to understand it. I’m personally not religious. He probably knows more about Hinduism than I do.
‘Even if it does have Hindu origins, so what? Tea has Chinese origins… you could go on for ever. Where do you want to start and where do you want to stop?’
‘I’m disappointed, I feel he is creating division in a world where there is already plenty.’
Catherine Horsfall, a working mother-of-two and class regular, suffers from migraines and insomnia and said yoga helped her ‘release stress and tension’.
She added: ‘I am worried that if I don’t attend this regularly my health will again deteriorate rapidly. It has no relation to religion whatsoever.’
The Rev Allison, who has been vicar for six years, said: ‘We had a meeting and took the unanimous decision not to renew the yoga class agreement in the hall.
‘Yoga is a rainbow of different experiences and some of our congregation have issues with some styles and teachings.
‘We didn’t kick them out, we offered to continue the agreement until the end of the month to allow time for them to find a new place.’ Miss Lakan said the classes will continue at a nearby community centre. c.brooke@dailymail.co.uk
‘Nothing to do with spirituality’