Adopting the lotus position may seem harmless but be warned it could well be the first step on a slippery slope to damnation - especially if it follows the cobra or the lion.
For those who believe they can combine the pursuit of yoga with the practice of Christianity it is time to roll up the yoga mat and think again, according to the Rev Derek Smith. Having banned classes from his church hall at St Michael's church in Melksham, Wiltshire, the vicar has called upon Christians who indulge in the activity to "examine their consciences".
Yoga, he believes, is "incompatible" with Christianity because of its associations with the Hindu faith. Even if followers in the west use yoga purely for fitness purposes, spiritual leaders in the east insist it is inseparable from Hindu devotional practice, Mr Smith said yesterday.
"I would ask people who do yoga to think about whether they believe they were in breach of their faith or not. If they genuinely believe what they are doing is acceptable - and I know people that do - of course, I would ask them to follow their consciences."
Mr Smith's comments came less than a year after fellow clergyman Richard Farr of St Mary's in Henham, on the Essex-Hertfordshire border, axed yoga sessions at his church hall because he feared the classes could make participants turn to eastern mysticism. The latest ban was immediately condemned by yoga enthusiasts who described it as "ignorant".
Jane Hill of the British Wheel of Yoga, the governing body recognised by Sport England, said: "It's not a religion and it doesn't push any version of one. I don't think it will affect his flock. He should have a bit more of an open mind."
The Church of England defended Mr Smith's decision, backing the right of clergymen to take a stand against any practices which "do not square with Christian teachings". "Yoga is used as a kind of generic term for exercise and stretching, but there are many different types of yoga. But some have a more spiritual basis as handed down from eastern religions," a spokesman said. "It's reasonably understandable that someone can say so if they don't want something with a spiritual basis taught in their church hall."
The church was keen to promote good relations with other religions, he added, but that did not involve being "wish-washy or mealy-mouthed" about distinctions in faith.