Can Catholics participate in yoga?

[severus68]

Actually, the Church is the Bride of Jesus Christ…not a compilation of various bits and pieces of pagan religions.

What you say here has nothing to do what I posted in response to someone else. Please do not just react.

 

[severus68]

It is probable that St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross are “rolling over in their graves” to be put into the same class of mysticism as a yogi. There is a HUGE difference between the mysticism that evolves from a desire to connect with the Triune God of Christianity and the pagan beliefs fostered by Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Siekism, or any other “ism” outside of Catholicism! Please respect those who are trying here in this thread to defend the Truth. Do not think that by diluting the mysticism of such profound individuals with unholy non-Christian practices will enhance in any way one’s relationship with humanity’s Savior, Jesus Christ.

I can feel your eyes rolling into the back of your head and relegating this post into the category of “ignoramus”. That is called intellectual pride, something that our loving Pope warned us of on Christmas. Why not thoroughly delve into the spirituality of those two great Catholic saints and join the Y for classes in stretching? I know, because Yoga is popular and it sounds good when you tell people that you have to go to your Yoga class rather than telling them that you have to go to a stretching class. “Doing” Yoga is means to express the facade of “college educated upper-middle class”. As Catholics, we are called to seek conversion. I would suggest that anyone spending time and energy going to a yoga class spend that time and energy delving into Catholic mysticism and schedule regular visits to Perpetual Adoration Chapels or daily Mass where the main “posture” is on your knees.

What is Siekism please?

You appear to have something against the college/university educated and BTW in today’s world college/university education is not only for a certain class, thank goodness. Maybe if some had more exposure from education, they would not be afraid of everything not part of their little worlds.

 

[Pitcharan]

What is Siekism please? …

Sikhism not Siekism. Look up wikipedia for more.

 

[Pitcharan]

…Exercise is fine, yoga spirituality isn’t.

The same exercises are best learnt from a qualified professional who is the apt person. Yoga instructors are NOT and canNOT match professionals

 

[severus68]

Sikhism not Siekism. Look up wikipedia for more.

Thank you, so that was what it was. Well, I think one should at least be able to spell something before putting it down and calling it pagan.

 

[Cran]

The same exercises are best learnt from a qualified professional who is the apt person. Yoga instructors are NOT and canNOT match professionals

Ahm… and who is qualified to teach yoga if not a yoga instructor? Who should this “qualified professionals” be then?

 

[Pitcharan]

Ahm… and who is qualified to teach yoga if not a yoga instructor? Who should this “qualified professionals” be then?

I said ‘qualified professionals are the right people to teach physical exercises’ NOT ‘Yoga instructors’. If you need Yoga, obviously you’ll go to a Yoga instructor. But if your need is just ‘physical exercise’ go to a qualified professional.

 

[Baelor]

Yoga is a form of exercise, so why would yoga instructors be inadequate?

 

[ILikeToBeCathol]

I was told during my bible study today that practicing yoga is forbidden by the Catholic Church and that it opens the body/soul to demons. How is this possible if no deities are praised/spoken about and all I am doing is stretching and praying silently?

Yoga is a pagan practice and there is no room for paganism in the Church of Christ.

 

[Pitcharan]

Yoga is a form of exercise, so why would yoga instructors be inadequate?

Because of the inadequacies of the curriculum of Yoga. Professionally qualified experts on Physical Education are the safest bet. You can’t risk trusting a non-professional and then land in a hospital for months. I know many who blundered and languished for months and some who had permanent damage

 

[Catholic90]

Yoga is a pagan practice and there is no room for paganism in the Church of Christ.

Do you feel the same way about Christmas trees? Easter decorations?

Yoga as stretching is most certainly NOT pagan.

 

[PhilOSophia]

Do you feel the same way about Christmas trees? Easter decorations?

Yoga as stretching is most certainly NOT pagan.

Christmas trees have a Christian origin:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree

The thesis ‘pagan symbols were adapted by Christians’ I think is a Protestant fabrication. What seems ‘learned’ revisionism may have been invented after the Reformation e.g. ‘Christmas is overlaid on a pagan holiday’.

Anti-Christian propaganda started during the Incarnation and hasn’t stopped since.

 

[PhilOSophia]

Indeed so now that we’ve established that, you should realize the obvious fact that what you’re describing is not what the ‘witchcraft and magic’ of fictional works like Harry Potter actually depict.

Of course they don’t. Mummy and Daddy would never buy a book, which despicted actual diabolism, for Junior. But a fun series of books about a college for witchcraft which even the author admits gets progressively darker? Sure!

Then it’s a short walk from the children’s section of a bookshop to the ‘New Age’ one, figuratively speaking. Maybe as long as it takes to go from 8 to 14 years old.

Now, here’s the trick: It won’t affect everyone in an obvious way. But, maybe the Devil is playing a numbers game? 0.00001% of Harry Potter readers who are given a little push to the dark side is an excellent result.

Wow, didn’t know you met my grandparents.

That’s right, I was speaking generally.

Frankly the worse they’ve ever done is scratch their hands and wonder why I’m still into magic (and cartoons). They figure I’d grow up more into playing guitar, riding motorcycles, and all other manly things.

I see. So is that stage magic, occultism or something else?

Western society currently lets men be boys until, well, I guess the next major war but it’s useful to have a real man around when direct, forceful action is required, in everyday life.
That’s why, I guess, your grandparents would wish you to do more manly things.

If you can find me an occultist who can summon a living, breathing army of winged archfiends bearing spiky pitchforks, then I might just show a little more concern.

I think you should read more about this subject. My point is that they don’t operate that way. Why waste energy materialising when you can get the job done just by working on a person’s desires? And you can pick up so many weird ideas just from popular culture.

 

[ez3714]

By far, the most dangerous books are those in the Harry Potter Teaches Your Kids Yoga series.

Can we burn them? Can we? Can we?

 

[Baelor]

Yoga is a pagan practice and there is no room for paganism in the Church of Christ.

Movie your body into different positions with no thought as to religion is not pagan. Ergo, yoga devoid of spirituality is not pagan.

Because of the inadequacies of the curriculum of Yoga. Professionally qualified experts on Physical Education are the safest bet. You can’t risk trusting a non-professional and then land in a hospital for months

They are professionals just like any other. If someone wants to do yoga, let them. If it were such a problem, the millions of people doing yoga will all be hospitalized or dead. They are not. So…Captain Obvious would say…

But a fun series of books about a college for witchcraft which even the author admits gets progressively darker? Sure!

It is a fictionally constructed magic system, not at all related to the real one.

Now, here’s the trick: It won’t affect everyone in an obvious way. But, maybe the Devil is playing a numbers game? 0.00001% of Harry Potter readers who are given a little push to the dark side is an excellent result.

That could be said of any literature whatsoever, including the Bible – look at the fundamentalists. This argument is a non-starter.

That’s why, I guess, your grandparents would wish you to do more manly things.

“Manly things” is a social construct. Playing guitar instead of video games makes you neither more mature nor manly.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Of course they don’t. Mummy and Daddy would never buy a book, which despicted actual diabolism, for Junior. But a fun series of books about a college for witchcraft which even the author admits gets progressively darker? Sure!

Then it’s a short walk from the children’s section of a bookshop to the ‘New Age’ one, figuratively speaking. Maybe as long as it takes to go from 8 to 14 years old.

You do know you’re contradicting yourself right? Do you even know what fantasy magic is like? I’ll give you a hint: an artillery unit has more in common with a fantasy mage than a New Age practitioner.

Want more?

This is a New Age practitioner.

http://cdn.eurweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/oprah-winfrey.jpg

This is a fantasy mage.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Now, here’s the trick: It won’t affect everyone in an obvious way. But, maybe the Devil is playing a numbers game? 0.00001% of Harry Potter readers who are given a little push to the dark side is an excellent result.

I work closely with business-minded people. You’ll find that when your marketing scheme is reduced to that of a numbers game, you have failed.

That’s right, I was speaking generally.

O rly? What are their names?

I see. So is that stage magic, occultism or something else?

It’s fictional make-believe. End of story,

Western society currently lets men be boys until, well, I guess the next major war but it’s useful to have a real man around when direct, forceful action is required, in everyday life.
That’s why, I guess, your grandparents would wish you to do more manly things.

No… it’s because they, like all old folks, have their own preferences and are overwhelmed by how new technology brings forth new fads. They just can’t catch up.

I think you should read more about this subject. My point is that they don’t operate that way. Why waste energy materialising when you can get the job done just by working on a person’s desires? And you can pick up so many weird ideas just from popular culture.

I have. Hence, the tongue-in-cheek answer or did you not get the hint?

Honestly, do really think I give actual occultism that much credit. The reason why I’m not taking you seriously is because I know they can’t do that. It’s why they’re lame and it’s why nobody who engages in fantasy is stupid enough to think ‘real magic’ is going to give them elemental powers.

 

[Cran]

But hey, an obliviate spell WOULD be handy!

Fantasy isn’t reduced to Harry Potter. We could also look at C.S. Lewis with his Chronicles of Narnia, explicitly written to express Christian symbolism, or Tolkien, who did it in a less obvious way, who was Catholic.

But it is fantasy, and magic is a topic, so kill it, kill it with fire! Right?

If you can separate fantasy from fiction in books, you can also do it with postures in yoga. If you can’t, you need to work on your spiritual maturity. And fast.

Btw, I think this is a strain carried into American Catholicism from the Protestant fundamentalism, to see the devil behind every pillow on the couch and regard everything as sinful. Yeah, forbid dramas and dancing, there might be some fantasy, magic or lyrics about that involved That would be so CATHOLIC.
Oh. Wait. No, it wouldn’t. It would be Calvin’s Genf or Cromwell’s England.

Shouldn’t we give more credit to Christ, who is more powerful than the tempter? Remember, we could also eat the meat that was supposed to be a sacrifice to pagan gods, we should only refrain from it because weaker siblings might take offence.

 

[Maureen_Brilla]

If you can separate fantasy from fiction in books, you can also do it with postures in yoga. If you can’t, you need to work on your spiritual maturity. And fast.

The people defending Yoga here are not going to be swayed by anything that Catholics faithful to the teachings of the Church say. They are caught in a vortex of relativism and pride and enjoy their own fantasy podium from which they can spew condescending aspersions to seriously concerned individuals.

Don’t humor them…

 

[severus68]

I noticed that and wondered at talking about criticising while not even understanding a post.

 

[Pitcharan]

At least one of them is a Catholic engaged in easing the suffering of the sick and dying. I am not going to allow your ignorance or arrogance dissuade me from using what I am certain is a gift from God.

You have nothing more worth my attention.

No amount of good works can sanctify yoga. It is what it is. Maureen is genuine, knowledgeable and worthy of attention by those who are worthy