Yoga is not a religion, even in Eastern cultures. But is does serve as a spiritual tool, and local Christians are stretching out to connect their mind, body and spirit at Christian Yoga classes. Christian Yoga comes to Bradenton, as Kim Dumas, owner and founder of Three in One Yoga, introduces this spiritually connecting tool to Christians seeking peace and balance.  But the classes are being offered at Dance With Class Ballroom Studio, located at 4069 Cortez Road West, in Bradenton.

Dance With Class Ballroom's champion dancer and instructor, Margaret Burns, said that Dumas has been practicing yoga for 17 years. She added that Dumas is married with two teenage sons and a full-time job, and that she's no stranger to being on the go. "She understands the pressures we all face because she is living it," Burns said. "In yoga Kim found a tool that helped restore balance and perspective to her daily life. As she continued to grow in her practice she began to sense a deeper connection to God while moving through the poses of her practice."

This local Christian Yoga instructor said that the strength, perspective, balance and peace she experiences is something she feels blessed to be able to share with others. Yoga is not a religion, even in Eastern cultures. Instead, it serves as a spiritual tool - like prayer - that may be customized according to beliefs, values, and physical ability, Burns explained.

"The word 'yoga' comes from the Sanskrit word 'yug' which means to yoke, to bring together, or to unite," Burns said. "In our culture we often tend to compartmentalize our lives, seeing our physical, mental and spiritual states as distinctly separate."But Christian Yoga serves as a reminder to people that the reality is all of these aspects of our being are intertwined and each has a direct effect on the other. "Three in One Yoga’s approach to Yoga is a physical, worshipful, and a spiritual practice which seeks to unite body, mind and spirit," Burns said. "The classes are physically challenging, mentally calming and spiritually focused."Burns said that their students reported to her that the Christian elements of yoga practice made them feel incredibly peaceful, spiritually energized, and physically balanced.