Yoga has been touted as one of the ancient exercises that develop both the body and mind. It gives its practitioner a sense of self control as it enhances physical flexibility. It harmonizes all the aspects of a person by uniting the body, mind and spirit which is essential in understanding the self and eliminating feelings of anger, hate, envy, among a host of other negative emotions.

These are some of the beliefs of Yoga practitioners in comparison to other belief systems.

1. A sense of spirituality is defined as a healthy physical well-being with an enhanced mental acumen and emotional balance. This is a key towards happiness and material prosperity. There are some religions (e.g. Christianity) who question this belief. For them, religion is not one that dwells in a person alone but is something that connotes a relationship with a Divine Being or Someone higher than themselves.

2. Yoga practitioners believe that spiritual people do not feel fanaticism or depression and do not also harbor negative emotions such as fear, greed and hate. On the other hand, those who believe in a personal God acknowledge the existence of these feelings but believe that they can be vented out in a prayer or conversation with God. This gives them the feeling of being a greatly loved human being.

3. The exercises in this ancient regimen help one feel good and develop inner divinity since it relaxes the mind and body. Fit for any age or fitness level, its practitioners believe that it passes all requirements for anything spiritual. Other groups and religions will question the idea that emptying ones mind is the key to true spirituality. They argue that when a person's mind is empty it becomes more vulnerable to evil thoughts. Human beings are essentially inclined towards negative thoughts.

4. Proper breathing is very important in this discipline. It is also called as "prana"or life force. Yoga promotes vitality by proper breathing techniques that awaken the energy center of the body, from the body systems to the basic cells. The improved circulation and functioning of all body parts is essential to health. Christians and other believers of the Bible do not believe that they need to awaken their energy centers to be healthy since they have the power of God Himself since He dwells in them.

5. Yoga believes that a healthy mind can only be achieved if the physical self is also healthy. On the contrary, Christians and other believers of the Bible point out that a healthy mind is just a result of a healthy body. The body, according to them, follows what the mind believes.

These are the basic differences of Yoga with other religions or beliefs. These differences can also be the reasons why some people are hesitant to practice yoga since they find it contrary to their preset religious beliefs. Yoga practitioners will also say that unless you believe and accept the entire principles of the discipline, the highest level of peace can never be achieved. At the end of the day, it is still the individual who can decide what is most acceptable for him and where he can find true peace.