by Sandie Pilipiszyn, Focus Yoga Teacher Training graduate
More and more schools are offering yoga as part of their physical education program. But if you’re teaching yoga in a public school, is it ok to say the Sanskrit words such as “Om” and “Namaste”, to hold your hands in the prayer position and to chant? The spiritual aspects of yoga could potentially cause concerns in public school settings. Many people are confused. There is no Church of Yoga. How can teaching yoga in school violate the Constitution?
Is yoga secular or religious? That’s the big question at the heart of a new legal battle in Encinitas, California, over the teaching of yoga in public schools. In a lawsuit filed in February of 2013, a couple with two children in the Encinitas schools charge that the district is unconstitutionally promoting religion by giving yoga classes twice a week to students during the day. School officials insist that the yoga classes are for physical fitness, and have nothing to do with religion or religious indoctrination. The case is set for trial May 20, 2013.
The outcome of the case could impact hundreds of other public schools nationwide that incorporate yoga postures and breathing exercises into their wellness and fitness programs. Because “yoga” is used to describe a bewildering variety of classes and programs in the United States, it’s easy to forget that yoga originated in ancient India as a school of Hindu philosophy.
Many yoga practitioners embrace the religious roots and spiritual meaning of yoga while many others view yoga as a healthy exercise and stress reduction regimen. Public schools, of course, adopt the “healthy exercise” definition in order to comply with the First Amendment’s prohibition of school promotion or endorsement of religion.
Not surprisingly, attempts to completely secularize yoga have met with resistance, and not just from Christian parents. Many Hindus argue that authentic yoga is inseparable from its philosophical roots in Hinduism. The Hindu American Foundation launched a “take back yoga” campaign in 2010 to remind people of yoga’s Hindu origins. Many yoga practitioners view yoga postures and breathing exercises as inherently spiritual, giving spiritual benefits even to those who practice yoga solely for health reasons without and interest in the religious meaning of their practice.
To what extent, if any, yoga practices can be fully separated from religious roots can’t be resolved in a court of law. What courts can do, is determine if a school’s yoga program explicitly conveys religious teachings or messages. This means that the more a yoga program avoids religious language, the more likely it is to be upheld as constitutional.
The White House has embraced Yoga as a worthy physical activity at a time some schools in America are railing against the ancient Indian practice, saying it promotes Hinduism.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama included a “yoga garden” for children and their parents at the annual Easter Egg Roll Festivities telling participants
“Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!”
The Obama’s have hosted a yoga garden before, but this year is was significant because of the ongoing lawsuit in California challenging the teaching of yoga in schools. The presiding judge in the case is a yoga practitioner. “Does anybody have a problem with that?” San Diego Superior Court Judge Meyer was reported asking at the start of the case.
“Yoga has become a universal language of spiritual exercise in the United States, crossing many lines of religion and cultures,” the White House said without reference to the ongoing controversies and lawsuit. “Everyday, millions of people practice yoga to improve their health and overall well-being.
Back in 2004, Fox News did a story on tensions that were developing over the incorporation of yoga into the Aspen Elementary School curriculum in Colorado. Parents of the children in the school complained to the school board, claiming it was a clear violation of the separation of church and state. Fox News reported that the American Yoga Association and the school disagreed. It quoted from the American Yoga Association Web site which states:
“Yoga is not a religion. It has no creed or fixed set of beliefs, nor is there a prescribed godlike figure to be worshipped in a particular manner. Religions for the most part seem to be based upon the belief in and worship of things (God or godlike figures) that exist outside oneself. The core of Yoga’s philosophy is that everything is supplied from within the individual. Thus, there is no dependence on an external figure, either in the sense of a person or god figure, or a religious organization. The common belief that Yoga derives from Hinduism is a misconception. Yoga actually predates Hinduism by many centuries.
The Wellness Initiative back in 2010 worked with the Center for Policy Research to conduct research on the effects of yoga instruction in the schools. The findings are based on a survey of 47 high school students from four schools who participated in 6 to 42 yoga sessions. Their average age was 15, and 70 percent had no previous exposure to yoga. The curriculum eliminated chanting and any Sanskrit.
Among the findings:
More than three-fourths of the students agreed strongly or somewhat with the statement “I feel stressed out a lot of the time.”
About two-thirds agreed strongly or somewhat with the statement “I put a lot of pressure on myself”
Following participation in yoga classes, at least half the students noted improvements in physical flexibility; feeling positive and optimistic; feeling physically strong; standing up for oneself; self-confidence; being nice to other students and family.
When asked their reaction to yoga, 63 percent said they “love it “ or “like it”, while 24 percent said they “like it somewhat,” and 13 percent said they did not like it at all.
More than a third of the students reported improvement in how they felt about their body; ability to concentrate; feeling good about themselves; feeling less stress; less frustration; eating less junk food; and putting less pressure on themselves.
When asked how often they used various yoga practices outside the class, more than half reported using the breathing exercises; more than 70 percent reported using visualization; about 45 percent practiced positive statements about themselves; and 44 percent practiced yoga poses.
Schools participating in The Wellness Initiative yoga classes in Colorado:
Adams County: Welby New Technology High School, High Point Academy
Arapahoe County: East Elementary School, Pathways Program
Boulder County: Columbine Elementary, Crest View Elementary, Fairview High School, Louisville Middle School, Mesa Elementary, Southern Hills Middle School, Whittier Elementary
Denver: Colfax Elementary, Denver CAMP, Florence Crittenton School, KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy, Knapp Elementary, Munroe Elementary, North High School
On a website blog “Is it just stretching or is it religion?” One person from Columbus, Ohio wrote, “Yoga is about as religious as track and field, which has its history “firmly rooted” in Ancient Greek polytheistic religious ceremonies. Music is used in religious to elicit a spiritual experience, but that does not make music itself religious. Likewise, with Yoga, while it may be used in religious practice, it can just as easily be utilized in a secular manner”
The question of whether yoga practices are inherently spiritual will remain unanswered, and hotly debated. Is yoga still yoga when stripped of all religious trappings? That’s a religious issue the First Amendment can’t resolve.
It seems like the simple solution to all this controversy and debate is to invite the parents to a workshop to discuss and educate them in the yoga practice that their school will be offering their children and answer any questions or concerns they may have. Once the parents are informed, everyone may be able to come to a conclusion that allows yoga and all its benefits to be taught in public schools to their children without stepping on or imposing any religious beliefs.
More and more schools are offering yoga as part of their physical education program. But if you’re teaching yoga in a public school, is it ok to say the Sanskrit words such as “Om” and “Namaste”, to hold your hands in the prayer position and to chant? The spiritual aspects of yoga could potentially cause concerns in public school settings. Many people are confused. There is no Church of Yoga. How can teaching yoga in school violate the Constitution?
Is yoga secular or religious? That’s the big question at the heart of a new legal battle in Encinitas, California, over the teaching of yoga in public schools. In a lawsuit filed in February of 2013, a couple with two children in the Encinitas schools charge that the district is unconstitutionally promoting religion by giving yoga classes twice a week to students during the day. School officials insist that the yoga classes are for physical fitness, and have nothing to do with religion or religious indoctrination. The case is set for trial May 20, 2013.
The outcome of the case could impact hundreds of other public schools nationwide that incorporate yoga postures and breathing exercises into their wellness and fitness programs. Because “yoga” is used to describe a bewildering variety of classes and programs in the United States, it’s easy to forget that yoga originated in ancient India as a school of Hindu philosophy.
Many yoga practitioners embrace the religious roots and spiritual meaning of yoga while many others view yoga as a healthy exercise and stress reduction regimen. Public schools, of course, adopt the “healthy exercise” definition in order to comply with the First Amendment’s prohibition of school promotion or endorsement of religion.
Not surprisingly, attempts to completely secularize yoga have met with resistance, and not just from Christian parents. Many Hindus argue that authentic yoga is inseparable from its philosophical roots in Hinduism. The Hindu American Foundation launched a “take back yoga” campaign in 2010 to remind people of yoga’s Hindu origins. Many yoga practitioners view yoga postures and breathing exercises as inherently spiritual, giving spiritual benefits even to those who practice yoga solely for health reasons without and interest in the religious meaning of their practice.
To what extent, if any, yoga practices can be fully separated from religious roots can’t be resolved in a court of law. What courts can do, is determine if a school’s yoga program explicitly conveys religious teachings or messages. This means that the more a yoga program avoids religious language, the more likely it is to be upheld as constitutional.
The White House has embraced Yoga as a worthy physical activity at a time some schools in America are railing against the ancient Indian practice, saying it promotes Hinduism.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama included a “yoga garden” for children and their parents at the annual Easter Egg Roll Festivities telling participants
“Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!”
The Obama’s have hosted a yoga garden before, but this year is was significant because of the ongoing lawsuit in California challenging the teaching of yoga in schools. The presiding judge in the case is a yoga practitioner. “Does anybody have a problem with that?” San Diego Superior Court Judge Meyer was reported asking at the start of the case.
“Yoga has become a universal language of spiritual exercise in the United States, crossing many lines of religion and cultures,” the White House said without reference to the ongoing controversies and lawsuit. “Everyday, millions of people practice yoga to improve their health and overall well-being.
Back in 2004, Fox News did a story on tensions that were developing over the incorporation of yoga into the Aspen Elementary School curriculum in Colorado. Parents of the children in the school complained to the school board, claiming it was a clear violation of the separation of church and state. Fox News reported that the American Yoga Association and the school disagreed. It quoted from the American Yoga Association Web site which states:
“Yoga is not a religion. It has no creed or fixed set of beliefs, nor is there a prescribed godlike figure to be worshipped in a particular manner. Religions for the most part seem to be based upon the belief in and worship of things (God or godlike figures) that exist outside oneself. The core of Yoga’s philosophy is that everything is supplied from within the individual. Thus, there is no dependence on an external figure, either in the sense of a person or god figure, or a religious organization. The common belief that Yoga derives from Hinduism is a misconception. Yoga actually predates Hinduism by many centuries.
The Wellness Initiative back in 2010 worked with the Center for Policy Research to conduct research on the effects of yoga instruction in the schools. The findings are based on a survey of 47 high school students from four schools who participated in 6 to 42 yoga sessions. Their average age was 15, and 70 percent had no previous exposure to yoga. The curriculum eliminated chanting and any Sanskrit.
Among the findings:
More than three-fourths of the students agreed strongly or somewhat with the statement “I feel stressed out a lot of the time.”
About two-thirds agreed strongly or somewhat with the statement “I put a lot of pressure on myself”
Following participation in yoga classes, at least half the students noted improvements in physical flexibility; feeling positive and optimistic; feeling physically strong; standing up for oneself; self-confidence; being nice to other students and family.
When asked their reaction to yoga, 63 percent said they “love it “ or “like it”, while 24 percent said they “like it somewhat,” and 13 percent said they did not like it at all.
More than a third of the students reported improvement in how they felt about their body; ability to concentrate; feeling good about themselves; feeling less stress; less frustration; eating less junk food; and putting less pressure on themselves.
When asked how often they used various yoga practices outside the class, more than half reported using the breathing exercises; more than 70 percent reported using visualization; about 45 percent practiced positive statements about themselves; and 44 percent practiced yoga poses.
Schools participating in The Wellness Initiative yoga classes in Colorado:
Adams County: Welby New Technology High School, High Point Academy
Arapahoe County: East Elementary School, Pathways Program
Boulder County: Columbine Elementary, Crest View Elementary, Fairview High School, Louisville Middle School, Mesa Elementary, Southern Hills Middle School, Whittier Elementary
Denver: Colfax Elementary, Denver CAMP, Florence Crittenton School, KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy, Knapp Elementary, Munroe Elementary, North High School
On a website blog “Is it just stretching or is it religion?” One person from Columbus, Ohio wrote, “Yoga is about as religious as track and field, which has its history “firmly rooted” in Ancient Greek polytheistic religious ceremonies. Music is used in religious to elicit a spiritual experience, but that does not make music itself religious. Likewise, with Yoga, while it may be used in religious practice, it can just as easily be utilized in a secular manner”
The question of whether yoga practices are inherently spiritual will remain unanswered, and hotly debated. Is yoga still yoga when stripped of all religious trappings? That’s a religious issue the First Amendment can’t resolve.
It seems like the simple solution to all this controversy and debate is to invite the parents to a workshop to discuss and educate them in the yoga practice that their school will be offering their children and answer any questions or concerns they may have. Once the parents are informed, everyone may be able to come to a conclusion that allows yoga and all its benefits to be taught in public schools to their children without stepping on or imposing any religious beliefs.
