SoulCycle is a popular indoor cycling workout that involves riding a stationary bike in a studio to high-energy music led by motivational instructors. Classes often involve dim lighting, motivational messaging, and high-intensity spinning. Since its start in New York City in 2006, SoulCycle has grown into a large fitness franchise with studios worldwide.
For Christians, participating in SoulCycle may raise some spiritual concerns. While cycling itself is morally neutral, some of the spiritual practices and atmospheres in SoulCycle studios could conflict with Christian beliefs. This article will provide an overview of SoulCycle and analyze it from a biblical perspective to help Christians decide if participating in SoulCycle classes is advisable.
What is SoulCycle?
SoulCycle is a branded indoor cycling workout created in New York City in 2006. Classes involve riding stationary bikes called “Soulbikes” in a studio setting to loud, energetic music led by motivational instructors. Studios feature dim lighting, candlelight, and upbeat music playlists to create an intense sensory atmosphere. Instructors lead cyclists through choreographed routines involving climbs, sprints, and dancing on the bike.
Beyond the cycling, SoulCycle aims to provide an uplifting emotional and spiritual experience. Instructors provide motivational coaching and mantras encouraging cyclists to find their “soul” and push themselves mentally and physically. The culture embraces themes of empowerment, mind-body awareness, and positive energy.
Since its founding in 2006, SoulCycle has grown rapidly across the United States and into Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. It offers varied class styles including standard SoulCycle, SoulActivate HIIT-style cycling, yoga-inspired SoulFlow, and meditation-focused SoulSessions. SoulCycle is considered a premier boutique fitness brand and part of the broader “spinning” craze popularized in the 1990s.
SoulCycle’s Spiritual Elements
While SoulCycle is primarily focused on indoor cycling as exercise, it aims to provide an uplifting emotional and spiritual experience beyond physical fitness. Several elements contribute to its spiritualized atmosphere:
- Motivational coaching – Instructors provide constant motivational messaging, chanting mantras like “Enjoy the burn!” and “Find your soul!”.
- Candlelight – Studios feature candlelit rooms to set a soothing mood.
- Music – Loud, emotionally-charged music drives the classes.
- Mind-body focus – Instructors emphasize mind-body awareness and getting in touch with your “true” inner self.
- Tribal mentality – SoulCycle fosters a strong sense of community and collective identity among regular riders.
These elements aim to provide an almost spiritual-like, transformative experience. The overall vibe is more religion-esque than a standard gym workout.
Should Christians Do SoulCycle?: Biblical Perspectives
For Christians seeking God’s will, is participating in SoulCycle advisable or not? As with many gray area decisions, scripture does not directly address indoor cycling classes. However, some biblical principles can guide Christians in deciding if SoulCycle aligns with their convictions.
Arguments For Christians Doing SoulCycle
Some considerations may lead Christians to believe participating in SoulCycle is acceptable:
- Exercise is inherently good – Regular exercise honors God by stewarding our bodies well (1 Cor. 6:19-20). SoulCycle promotes physical fitness, which is positive.
- Instructors mean well – Most SoulCycle instructors likely have sincere motivations to help people improve their bodies and minds.
- Music is amoral – The Bible is more concerned about lyrical content than style. Upbeat music itself is morally neutral.
- Focus your own mind – Christians can choose to mentally focus on God’s truth during a class rather than instructors’ messages.
With the right mindset, Christians could potentially do SoulCycle while avoiding/ignoring unbiblical elements.
Cautions About Christians Doing SoulCycle
However, other biblical considerations may make SoulCycle participation inappropriate or concerning for Christians:
- Pagan roots of yoga – SoulFlow classes incorporate yoga, which has roots in Eastern mysticism that conflict with Christianity.
- New Age themes – Talk of spiritual “energy,” finding your inner “soul,” and collective consciousness echo New Age thinking.
- “Be not deceived” – Christians are called to beware deception and test teachings against scripture (1 John 4:1-3).
- Avoiding pagan culture – The Bible instructs believers to avoid conforming to worldly culture/values (Romans 12:2).
- Mind idolatry – Fixating on our inner “self” can become a form of idolatry over God.
- Avoiding pagan practices – The Old Testament prohibited ancient Israel from adopting pagan practices, a principle which endures for Christians (Deut. 18:9-12).
These considerations suggest potential conflicts between SoulCycle’s spiritual elements and Christian beliefs.
Key Bible Passages About SoulCycle Concerns
Several Bible verses address issues relevant to evaluating SoulCycle participation:
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit to honor God, not hedonism or paganism.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31 – All activities should be done to God’s glory, not self-seeking or fleshly indulgence.
- 1 John 4:1-3 – Test teachings against scripture and reject false prophets.
- Matthew 6:22-23 – Our eyes/perceptions impact our souls; we must guard our eyes from ungodly input.
- Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the patterns and values of this world.
- 1 Timothy 4:7 – Discipline yourself spiritually; avoid worldly myths/false teachings.
- Deuteronomy 18:9-12 – Do not participate in occult practices or pagan customs.
Christians should thoughtfully apply these verses when evaluating if SoulCycle’s spiritualized atmosphere is concerning or innocuous.
How SoulCycle’s Spirituality Overlaps with New Age Movement Views
SoulCycle’s emphasis on finding your “soul” and spiritual-esque transformation mirrors elements of the New Age movement. The New Age movement broadly refers to modern spirituality focused on self-realization, mystical experiences, and uniting humanity. Key overlapping themes between SoulCycle and New Age spirituality include:
- Divine self – Belief that divinity lies within our inner “true self.”
- Becoming enlightened – Goal of becoming spiritually enlightened and self-realized.
- Raising energy – Focus on raising spiritual energy levels.
- Collective unity – Desire for all humanity to spiritually unite as one.
- Experience-driven – Emphasis on spiritual experiences versus doctrine/theology.
- Syncretism – Blending eastern mysticism, paganism, the occult, and self-made spirituality.
While SoulCycle does not espouse all New Age tenets, its talk of finding “energy” and your inner “soul” through cycling mirrors New Age priorities. This could conflict with a biblical worldview.
Thorough Breakdown of Potential Issues for Christians
Here is a more detailed, point-by-point analysis of possible issues Christians may have with SoulCycle teachings and atmosphere:
#1: Yoga Roots
SoulCycle’s yoga-inspired SoulFlow class incorporates traditional yoga postures and Hindu-rooted meditation. Yoga is historically intertwined with Hinduism and shows the marks of “other gods” that Israelites were prohibited from imitating (Exodus 20:3-5). While yoga’s origins are deeply pagan, some Christians believe selectively practicing simple stretches and poses is fine. Other Christians avoid yoga completely due to its inseparable spiritual roots. SoulFlow classes centered around yoga could be problematic for Christians who avoid yoga for spiritual reasons.
#2: New Age Themes
Talk of summoning inner “soul” energy through cycling echoes New Age concepts. New Age beliefs tend to reject biblical truth and mix occult/pagan practices, therefore conflicting with Christian teachings. SoulCycle’s themes of finding your “true” inner self and summoning empowering energy seem to closely parallel New Age priorities of self-realization and mystical experiences rather than godly thinking.
#3: Spiritual Transformation Narrative
SoulCycle promotes an expectation of profound mental-spiritual transformation through cycling. While exercise and intentional thinking can be beneficial, this narrative of achieving inner enlightenment/awakening through physical exertion counters a biblical worldview. Scripture teaches spiritual rebirth solely through repentance and faith in Christ, not through mystical rituals, knowledge, or exertion (Ephesians 2:8-9).
#4: Idolatry Risks
SoulCycle’s extreme focus on finding your “true, best self” could potentially become idolatrous for some followers. Seeking our inner divinity and self-awareness above all else risks becoming a form of idolatry and self-worship. Scripture calls believers to die to self and pursue humility and godliness, not self-exaltation (Philippians 2:3-11). An overt focus on self-realization contradicts Christ’s example of humble servitude.
#5: Alternative Spirituality Overlap
SoulCycle’s spiritual themes overlap significantly with alternative spirituality practices that Christian discernment ministries tend to discourage, including:
- New Age movement
- Yoga/Hindu meditation
- Transcendental meditation
- Reiki/energy healing
- Magick/manifestation rituals
- Law of attraction
- Pagan nature worship
While SoulCycle differs from these, its focus on spiritual self-awareness through physical exertion bears resemblance to rituals claimed to produce enlightenment/transformation in other alternative practices that Christians often avoid due to incompatibility with biblical teaching.
#6: Sensory Manipulation
The atmosphere in SoulCycle studios is intentionally engineered through dim lighting, candles, loud music, and group mentality dynamics. While not necessarily wrong in itself, this level of mood/emotion manipulation through the senses could potentially open the mind to uncritical acceptance of unbiblical ideas. Christians are called to a sound mind of reason, sobriety, and self-control (Titus 2:2, 6).
#7: Lack of Scriptural Grounding
SoulCycle’s emphasis on motivational moods and feelings lacks any solid grounding in biblical truth. Christians have a responsibility to evaluate teachings carefully against scripture (Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). SoulCycle’s focus on physical intensity and summoning inner power sources does not point people to gospel truths.
Recommendations for Christian SoulCycle Participants
Given these significant concerns, avoidance or extreme caution seem appropriate stances for most Christians regarding SoulCycle. However, some Christians may feel their discernment allows limited SoulCycle participation. In these cases, recommendations include:
- Pray for clarity of mind to block out unhelpful coaching.
- Refocus your thoughts on gospel truths and biblical meditation.
- Avoid chanting/repeating questionable mantras.
- Politely refrain from ritualistic elements promoting pagan concepts.
- Consider attending generic spin studios instead to avoid spiritual emphasis.
- Discuss concerns respectfully with studio management if able.
Wise discernment and caution are advised for Christians considering SoulCycle. While a gray area, the spiritual themes warrant consideration of whether alternatives like generic cycling classes are preferable.
Conclusion
In summary, SoulCycle promotes full-body exercise paired with a spiritually-charged atmosphere involving motivational coaching, candlelit studios, loud music, and mantra-chanting instructors. Its goal is a transformative mind-body experience.
While the workouts themselves are neutral, spiritual elements like New Age themes, yoga roots, and emphasis on finding inner divinity raise reasonable concerns for Christian participants. SoulCycle’s worldview differs significantly from basic biblical teaching.
After analysis, avoidance or extreme caution seem to be wise stances for most Christians regarding SoulCycle. While gray areas exist, the spiritual themes suggest potential conflicts with Christian convictions. Christians should thoughtfully and prayerfully evaluate these risks and consider alternatives that avoid pagan/New Age entanglements.
With careful independent reasoning, Christian maturity may allow limited SoulCycle participation in good conscience. However, all believers are responsible for carefully weighing such practices against scripture to determine if they are helpful or harmful to our walks with Christ.