I am following the yoga class controversy in Massena with interest. As a pastor of a Christian church, I have some concerns.

It's important to realize what the word "yoga" means. It means to "yoke to the Divine." Being joined to God is a good thing. I have seen yoga practiced in Hindu, Christian and secular settings. In Christian and secular settings I have seen the Hindu spiritual aspect enter in, usually at the start and end with prayers and bowing and uttering or chanting Sanskrit sacred words. I've also seen yoga practiced as a physical and mental discipline with no reference to spirituality at all. I took some fitness classes at St. Lawrence University that utilized Pilates and Hatha Yoga devised entirely for fitness and relaxation.

Interestingly, the instructors, spoke of stretching and strengthening and breathing exercises from yoga and didn't call them yoga exercises. Remember what the goal of all forms of yoga are: "union with God."

I've also seen Tai Chi practiced in completely secular ways. In fact, although Tai Chi has a clear connection to the Taoist religion, millions in China practice it with no religious or spiritual connotations as a pure physical regimen. And in the United States, Dr. Herbert Benson of McLean Hospital of Harvard University and Dr. Patricia Carrington of Princeton University have developed the "Relaxation Response" and the "Clinical meditation" practice based on their study of the Hindu "Transcendental Meditation" technique. So, it is possible to offer yoga exercises without it being religious or spiritual, but one has to be careful that one doesn't introduce the religious or spiritual aspects associated with the techniques, if religion and spirituality are not to be introduced into the school setting.

That being said, I don't think that the teachers wanting to utilize Hatha Yoga in the Massena school district intend to introduce religion to their students by their classes. However, I wonder if they are aware of how they may be crossing the line that separates church and state. And I think that it is wrong for school officials in defending the teachers and their plan to angrily retort that it is fundamentalist Christians who are opposing this, as if Christians of any orientation, fundamentalist included, don't deserve to have a clear explanation about how the rights of their children are being protected.

In the Oct. 7 Watertown Times, Dayna Macy of the Yoga Journal was quoted as saying: "I can understand that people are fearful of something they don't understand. I think if people educated themselves, they will find that this is extremely helpful for both body and soul." Ms. Macy continued, "People can often get confused between spirituality and religion. Speaking from personal experience, I find yoga a deeply spiritual experience, but not a religious one."

I'm not sure that the issue in Massena is one of "fear of something they don't understand" or "confusion between religion and spirituality." Religion and religious or spiritual practices are vehicles of spirituality. They aren't spirituality but they point to and lead to spiritual experience. And particular spiritual practices, whether they are Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Moslem, Native American, or Pagan, lead to particular spiritual experiences. By the argument presented by Ms. Macy, I can offer a program of Christian spirituality in a public school because I am not promoting Christian religion.

The Massena school district has a responsibility to protect the First Amendment rights of all of their students, including Christians, and including those its representatives have called "fundamentalist Christians." If indeed, it can offer a purely secular set of physical exercises that lead to reduced stress, increased focus and better fitness through techniques derived from yoga and proved to be more effective than other means, then go forward. But allow those students whose parents say my burden of proof has not been met for us, without prejudice, to be involved in an alternate activity to reduce their stress and increase their focus and fitness. God knows those ways exist.

Rev. Wilfred J. Baez

Gouverneur

The Rev. Wilfred J. Baez, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur, has studied at the doctoral level Eastern and Western philosophy, psychology and religion.