The Dangers of Yoga and Meditation
Welcome to the Dangers of Yoga research collection, a specialized archive curated by author and lecturer Chris Lawson. This site delivers vital biblical discernment resources to help you evaluate the spiritual risks and physical impacts of modern practices. Countless spiritual seekers unknowingly engage in dangerous Eastern and Western meditation techniques, unaware of the deep occult roots underlying these trends. Whether you are exploring gentle exercises or researching specific spiritual hazards, our mission is to test what is popular against biblical truth, exposing the deception behind alternative spiritualities to keep your faith securely grounded.
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The Purpose of This Website
In this video, Chris Lawson, the creator of the Dangers of Yoga website and director of the Spiritual Research Network, explains the reason for creating this website. He also addresses concerns for those practicing physical postures of Yoga, breathwork, all forms of meditative Yoga, and so-called Christian Yoga.
If you are wondering if Yoga is a safe practice or are already a practitioner of any form of Yoga, this video is for you. You can watch this video and others on the Dangers of Yoga YouTube Channel.
Something to keep in mind as you watch these videos is that, aside from Yoga philosophy and practice being diametrically opposed to biblical Christian theology and practice, many warnings about the dangers of Yoga are found within the vast amount of literature written by Eastern gurus and Western esoteric/occult authors.
The purpose of this website is not only to warn about Yoga and dangerous forms of meditation, but to provide a much better alternative that is safe and healthy – both spiritually and physically. To learn more, you can view Chris’s Spiritual Research Network video on his SRN YouTube Channel. The video is titled God’s Love and Forgiveness.
Kundalini Awakening and Spiritual Emergencies
Our website serves as a warning to all who believe Yoga and Christian Yoga are safe practices. Many people are zealously immersing themselves in yogic meditation and postures, which are believed to be transformative and therapeutic. Assuming that this is an excellent form of exercise or an avenue to enlightenment is a giant step in the wrong direction. It is essential to remember that just because something is accessible and considered very popular, it does not necessarily mean it is safe. The data about the dangers of Yoga and meditation needs to be seriously considered.
Spiritual manifestations that are dangerous
More often than not, spiritual (and physical) carnage results from being naive or ignorant, or blatantly ignoring warnings. Psychotic episodes, chaotic mental states, undiagnosable psycho-spiritual and physical illnesses that medical doctors cannot treat. These are all to be found in the world of New Age/occult and esoteric mysticism and in the deceptive spiritual and physical methods and techniques they implement.
These include varying beliefs and practices found within the Psychic/Occult Worldview with its numerous belief systems. The belief systems and practices include (but are not limited to) various Occult Categories such as magic, witchcraft/sorcery/voodoo, Satanism, spiritism, divination, astrology, shamanism, necromancy, Occult Related Categories such as parapsychology, mysticism, New Age holistic health, Yoga, meditation, visualization, fantasy/occult role playing games, and hypnotism.
Furthermore, there is an endless array of dangerous Occult Phenomena that can arise (and very often do arise) with the practice of Yoga. A sample list includes things like altered states of consciousness, telepathy, clairvoyance/clairaudience, poltergeists (ghosts), trance, possession, psychic transference of power, levitation, spirit guides, mediumship, precognition, alleged reincarnation phenomena, and much more.
Extensive published warnings
In our Spiritual Research Network book library, we have approximately 200 books written by pro-Yoga gurus/authors. Many of these books, written from a New Age/occult, psychic/mystical, yogic worldview, warn about the dangers of Yoga. So too, we have many published Christian works that also warn about Yoga.
A few of the more prominent published Christian books that explain these dangers (listed above) and show the contrasting worldviews between Yoga philosophy and Christian theology are The Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs (Ankerberg & Weldon) and The Coming Darkness (Ankerberg & Weldon, with Foreword by Dr. Walter Martin)—also, numerous published works by the late Dr. Kurt Koch. Dr. Koch was a Christian minister who personally counseled over 20,000 people who engaged in or were negatively influenced in varying degrees through psychic/occult practices and the consequential occult phenomena that produced mental, spiritual, and physical damage.
Devastating consequences
Here is a short list of spiritual practices found in various forms of Yoga that can have devastating consequences upon practitioners: Contemplative, Eastern-style meditation dangers, occult “divine intoxication” laughter manifestations, occult laughter manifestations that are “Christianized,” Kundalini arousal and awakening with psychotic episodes, meditative and mystical engagement with evil spirits, involuntary Kundalini Shakti kriya manifestations, and so much more.
Dangerous, mysterious/occult spiritual manifestations are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the world of Yoga and meditation. We hope the resources found on our website will help you avoid the serpentine monstrosity of spiritual darkness that untold millions of Yoga practitioners refer to as “spiritual light” or “enlightenment.” Yoga (yuj) is a yoking with the spiritual powers/forces of darkness.
To learn more about the dangerous spiritual manifestations that can arise through Yoga and Christian Yoga, we encourage you to listen to Yoga and Christianity: Are They Compatible? This is a Chris Lawson Radio Interview discussing Yoga statistics, definitions, philosophy, theology, and various warnings from Christian and New Age/occult literature sources.
Physical Risks and Occult Warnings of Yoga
Have you considered the physical risks associated with yoga, as well as its philosophy, worldview, and spiritual side effects and hazards? The linked resources below and the video will help you consider some essential warnings before engaging in Yoga. If you are suffering from the dangerous occult influences of Yoga, these resources will help clarify what you have subjected yourself to and how to be free from it.
Biblical Evaluation of Christian Yoga Deceptions
This 18-page booklet provides an overview of yoga and its dangers. The booklet includes some statistics on yoga in Western culture and various definitions from authoritative yoga texts. Related subjects that are covered include the meaning of the word “occult,” kundalini—the energy behind yoga, kundalini awakening, yoga’s dangers of psycho-spiritual and psycho-physical “emergencies,” and various symptoms related to kundalini awakening. The text then addresses “Christian” yoga and the conflict between yoga, “Christian” yoga, and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Below here are two linked resources that may help you. Our article titled Christian Yoga Rooted in Hindu Occultism is currently being updated and will. (Aug 6, 2026)
Western Culture Embraces Yoga
Booklet excerpt from YOGA AND CHRISTIANITY: Are They Compatible?
It is no secret that Yoga is taking Western civilization by storm. In just over a hundred years, a mystical revolution has occurred that millions of Westerners have wholeheartedly embraced. Amazingly, the Western Judeo-Christian view is in the process of a paradigm shift toward the same perspective as yogic India.
To illustrate the magnitude of the Yoga explosion, consider Yoga Journal’s “Yoga in America Study 2012.” This study reveals some incredible statistics:
- 20.4 million Americans practice Yoga, compared to 15.8 million from the previous 2008 study.
- Practitioners spend $10.3 billion a year on Yoga classes and products. The previous estimate from the 2008 study was $5.7 billion.
- Of current non-practitioners, 44.4 percent of Americans call themselves “aspirational yogis”—people who are interested in trying Yoga.
Yoga (or Yogic spirituality) is influencing Christians and non-Christians alike. It only takes 0.27 seconds to come up with over 411,000,000 results for Yoga on Google’s search engine
[Author’s Note: This Google Search data for the booklet was accessed in the year 2013. On August 28, 2025, the Google results are now at “About 1,320,000,000 results (0.28s).”]
- Continue reading this booklet.
- Listen to the Radio Interview about this booklet (Chris Lawson Podcast website).
- Listen to more podcasts on the dangers and effects of Yoga.
Dangers of Yoga Podcast and Audio Resources
These audio messages will help you understand important facts and warnings about Eastern (occult) and Western (esoteric) meditation and the spiritual hazards associated with yoga.
"The fact that something is accessible and considered very popular does not necessarily mean it is safe!"
Perilous Times and the True Purpose and Dangers of Yoga — An Overview of the Facts about the Dangers of Yoga.
Destroying Your Christian Faith Through Yoga — Theological Considerations – A Brief Overview of the Theological Implications of Integrating Yoga with Christianity.
Dangers of Centering Prayer, Yoga, Mysticism, and the Occult — What Everyone Should Know!
Why Yoga Cannot Be Christianized — Definitions, dictionaries, encyclopedias, occult sources, Hindu reference works, and a biblical refutation of Yoga. Listen to the facts!
Questions For Those Considering Yoga — A Few Simple Things for Consideration!
Radio Interview: Yoga and Christianity – Are They Compatible? — Statistics, Definitions, and Dangers of Yoga!
Booklet Overview: Yoga and Christianity – Are They Compatible? — What’s in the booklet!
Yoga is Popular, Trendy, and Overtly Sensual
The dangers of Kundalini arousal/awakening, spiritual emergencies, possession states, kundalini psychosis, physical injuries of Yoga, psycho-spiritual meltdowns, and much more are considered and warned about in-depth on this website. It is troubling that most people are unaware of these warnings or completely disregard them. Yoga is a popular, trendy, and often sensual practice. The fact that yoga widely appears to improve health and mental clarity is only a partial truth. The trade-off for “wellness” on this one is spiritual. In the end—for many—Yoga bites like a deadly snake.
True to its nature as a dangerous Eastern occult practice grounded in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and even pre-dating all of these, many in the West seek to justify their Yoga ventures with this seemingly innocuous practice. However, the truth about the dangers of Yoga appears in the mountains of Yoga literature produced by Eastern gurus themselves and also in recent Western literature. Sadly, the tragic results displayed in Yoga practitioners’ lives prove that Yoga has absorbed and destroyed countless lives. A one-week trip to India or other Eastern cultures where Yoga is at the core of the culture ought to make every thinking Westerner rethink their desire to partake in Yoga. Yoga’s deceptive, occult belief system and the ruined lives it has produced can be found everywhere.
Alternative New Age/New Spirituality, mystical/occult, mantra deceptions
Some of the topics found on this website include Yoga, spiritual emergencies, contemplative spirituality and contemplative prayer dangers, Eastern meditation, dangers of “divine laughter” (holy laughter, drunk on the divine), dangers of Kundalini and Kundalini arousal, mantra meditation, occult/mystical practices, the hazards of occultism, Shaktipat (shakti-pat), Christian Yoga, “Christianizing” Yoga, and more.
View Articles and recommended Books and Booklets pages.