Republican party candidate E.W. Jackson is not only running for a position as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor, he’s running his mouth as a highly conservative Christian who firmly believes yoga is a straight path to hell, not health.

Jackson is not afraid to tell the world what he thinks. As a Christian minister, Jackson wants to save our souls by warning the 15 million Americans who practice that “Doing yoga may leave unsuspecting people vulnerable to satanic possession.”

I don’t remember ever coming across any information while researching the benefits of yoga that along with better health, practitioners will start to grow horns and breathe hostility out into the world. In fact, last time I checked, those who practice yoga on a regular basis are happier, less anxious, and more willing to make a positive difference in their community.

Atlantic Wire’s Elspeth Reeve’s comment in response to Jackson’s assertions is the best one thus far. Reeve joked, “Behind the ice-cold eyes of Lululemon princesses burn the demonic flames of eternal hell.” Next time you are in your yoga class you better run and hide, because everyone knows the devil wears Prana.
Read Full Post >

Tonight on Rock Center with Brian Williams, Chelsea Clinton interviews Pastor Rick Warren on a matter quite different than his usual subject. No, he’s not talking about his bestselling devotional The Purpose Driven Life or how he leads a congregation of more than 20,000, instead he describes his newest project. It’s a diet called The Daniel Plan.

Warren has led Saddleback Church, a megachurch in California, for more than 30 years, and as his congregation has flourished so did his weight.

“I was blessed with an abundance of energy, and since I didn’t care about how I looked and I really had relatively few health problems, I paid no attention to my health,” Warren explains to Clinton.

He describes a moment two years ago when he realized things needed to change. The pastor was baptizing hundreds of converts, and began to see a trend: most of them were overweight.

“As I’m putting people under the water, I’m lifting 867 people, along about number 500, I had a thought. It wasn’t a very spiritual thought. It was, ‘Good night, we’re all overweight.’ And I thought, but I’m overweight. And I can’t expect people to get in shape unless I’m in shape,” Warren relates.
Read Full Post >

Wellness is defined as the state of health that is free from disease. Many people suffer from a lack of health and wellness and as a result they experience a plethora of symptoms that can manifest physically, mentally, and emotionally. Living a well-balanced life with a central source of inspiration is key in maintaining health.

Mary Jo Ricketson, the founder of the Center for Mind-Body Training in the Boston area, believes each and every one of us are equipped with the potential to experience optimal well-being of mind and body. Referring to this state of wellness as the ‘good within,’ Ricketson has compiled a new book of yoga and exercise titled Moving Meditation, complete with quotes, fitness and yoga instruction, and intentions for living an inspired life on and off the yoga mat.

In an effort to aid in the reduction of stress through faith, the pages in Moving Meditation are graced by a God-centered approach to wellness. With the majority of quotes from the Bible, and several references to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, the book carries a weighty Christian tone, however the author does include inspiration from other religions and spiritual teachers such as the Buddha, Kahlil Gibran, and Lao Tzu.
Read Full Post >