Can I do Yoga?

[Michael_Mayo]

I also love to play a shakuhachi (end blown bamboo flute). It’s origin is Buddhist.
Played by anicent Komosu (Priests of emptiness and nothingness).
But I am most **certainly **not Buddhist.

Does anyone believe this is dangerous also?

http://www.hm.h555.net/~irom/book_5/musical_instrument/shakuhachi_japan.jpg

shakuhachi.com/

 

[TEPO]

English is not my first language, so I apologize for any misspellings.

I used to do yoga before I became Christian, I liked doing it, and it was making me feel so calm and relaxed. Some people told me that I can’t do Yoga because it is going to make some “evil spirits” enter my house. since then I stopped doing yoga but I really miss it so much, It is not like it wasn’t good for my health, it was really good.

God bless

I tried yoga once… I kept loosing my balance, falling into the beautiful women around me… Im sure they thought I was a pervert.

From that point on, I decided that Id leave yoga for the ladies.

so yes, its very very evil.

 

[saintcecilia101]

NO, that is certainly not true. Some christians annoy me, they think EVERYTHING involves evil spirits, please that is not true.

God never said don’t do yoga…

Although, I may be wrong, I am sort of new to catholicism… but how about you ask God

 

[LisaA]

This is a circular argument - I bet your definition of ‘serious practitioner’ would very conveniently exclude someone like Mr Mayo here who has been doing the thing for at least as long as most Hindus or others. Why? Because it doesn’t suit you or them to believe that someone with an other-than-Hindu spirituality can be serious practitioner.

Why? On what basis do you or anyone declare yourselves (but not Mayo apparently) authorised to decide who is defined as a ‘serious practitioner’ or not?

I mean Eastern martial arts are most all deeply rooted in Eastern spirituality. Kung fu is strongly connected with Buddhist monks and nuns, for example. I doubt, however, that you would dare say that one cannot be a ‘serious practitioner’ of Kung fu without buying into Buddhist spirituality.

Why don’t you cut the nasty accusations? You can bet or assume or do anything you want but it doesn’t make it true. You are the world’s greatest expert on your own opinion but that’s all. Project whatever evil intent you want upon me. It bounces right off

I am no judge of yours or Michael Mayo’s progress in practicing yoga, I only mentioned that I used to practice and continued until I learned that what I was doing was in conflict with my chosen faith. I didn’t know about the Catholic position on yoga or other non-Christian practices at the time I was involved. Once I learned, I ceased the practice. That’s all. I simply wanted to pass along what I learned and how I responded.

You and Michael Mayo are free to do as you please. Calm down though. Say a Rosary. You seem to be incredibly distressed about what other people are doing.

Lisa

 

[LilyM]

Why don’t you cut the nasty accusations? You can bet or assume or do anything you want but it doesn’t make it true. You are the world’s greatest expert on your own opinion but that’s all. Project whatever evil intent you want upon me. It bounces right off

I am no judge of yours or Michael Mayo’s progress in practicing yoga, I only mentioned that I used to practice and continued until I learned that what I was doing was in conflict with my chosen faith. I didn’t know about the Catholic position on yoga or other non-Christian practices at the time I was involved. Once I learned, I ceased the practice. That’s all. I simply wanted to pass along what I learned and how I responded.

You and Michael Mayo are free to do as you please. Calm down though. Say a Rosary. You seem to be incredibly distressed about what other people are doing.

Lisa

I don’t need or want to project any evil on you, you’ve already dabbled in more than enough of it by your own account. Perhaps it is you who are trying to project the evil of excessive scrupulosity on to me?

For someone who asserts that I am free to do as I please, you seem to be spending an awful lot of energy trying to convince me that Church teaching says otherwise. Why are you so defensive if you are so sure you are right, hmmm?

.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I don’t have a problem with you doing whatever you want or calling it whatever you want.

Oh yes, you do. Implying that one is committing offense against God and the Church (Seriously, you think I can’t see through you?) for practicing yoga betrays a lot about those who have ‘taken their faith more seriously.’

I’m doing yoga but I’m not because I’m just exercising…or I’m exercising but I’m not doing yoga…but I defend the right to do yoga just in case I really am. The logic is about as contorted as some of the poses I used to hold.

What’s contorted is your interpretation of my own simple words. Call it yoga. Don’t call it yoga. It does not matter. Catholics are free to do it without negative spiritual, religious, and God knows what other consequence the spiritual warfare camp keeps saying it has.

It’s your life and your soul and your state of mind. Isn’t free will a great thing!

Possible translation: Your free to practice yoga even if it sends you to hell. You choose hell too after all.

You know that works when debating with atheists and all but condemning people for the wrong thing is another subject.

 

[Chantal25]

LisaA, i am thrilled to see that you are a former Yoga practitioner and for you to share your story. I find all of your posts very useful and insightful. Thank you for sharing!

 

[PetiteFoi]

I mean Eastern martial arts are most all deeply rooted in Eastern spirituality. Kung fu is strongly connected with Buddhist monks and nuns, for example. I doubt, however, that you would dare say that one cannot be a ‘serious practitioner’ of Kung fu without buying into Buddhist spirituality.

 

[cheezey]

I only mentioned that I used to practice and continued until I learned that what I was doing was in conflict with my chosen faith. I didn’t know about the Catholic position on yoga or other non-Christian practices at the time I was involved. Once I learned, I ceased the practice. Lisa

I am just curious:
how did you feel about your yoga moves (clarified because it is not your faith) before you learned it was in conflict with your faith?
thanks

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I only mentioned that I used to practice and continued until I learned that what I was doing was in conflict with my chosen faith. I didn’t know about the Catholic position on yoga or other non-Christian practices at the time I was involved.

This is what I dispute. The Catholic Church warns about beliefs, motives and expectations.
It never says they cannot be seperated from the practices.

In fact it says just the opposite:

That does not mean that genuine practices of meditation which come from the Christian East and from the great non-Christian religions, which prove attractive to the man of today who is divided and disoriented, cannot constitute a suitable means of helping the person who prays to come before God with an interior peace, even in the midst of external pressures.

ewtn.com/library/curia/cdfmed.htm

 

[Michael_Mayo]

That is from #28. In **bold **is the real warning

Some physical exercises automatically produce a feeling of quiet and relaxation, pleasing sensations, perhaps even phenomena of light and of warmth, which resemble spiritual well-being. To take such feelings for the authentic consolations of the Holy Spirit would be a totally erroneous way of conceiving the spiritual life. Giving them a symbolic significance typical of the mystical experience, when the moral condition of the person concerned does not correspond to such an experience, would represent a kind of mental schizophrenia which could also lead to psychic disturbance and, at times, to moral deviations.

That does not mean that genuine practices of meditation which come from the Christian East and from the great non-Christian religions, which prove attractive to the man of today who is divided and disoriented, cannot constitute a suitable means of helping the person who prays to come before God with an interior peace, even in the midst of external pressures.

It should, however, be remembered that habitual union with God, namely that attitude of interior vigilance and appeal to the divine assistance which in the New Testament is called "continuous prayer,"34 is not necessarily interrupted when one devotes oneself also, according to the will of God, to work and to the care of one’s neighbor. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” the Apostle tells us (1 Cor 10:31). In fact, genuine prayer, as the great spiritual masters teach, stirs up in the person who prays an ardent charity which moves him to collaborate in the mission of the Church and to serve his brothers for the greater glory of God.35

 

[happyseppy]

I tend to agree with Mr. Michel Mayo on this subject. That the intention of movement of one’s body can only be determined by that person. To suggest that a certain movement or posture has a magical power to connect a person to an Eastern god or demonic entity is simply superstitious. Point taken about kneeling with hands together – this does not make one a Christian or Catholic any more than doing a downward facing dog makes one a follower of Eastern religion. Or even the position referred to as "namaste"with hands together at the heart,* with great resemblance to our posture of praying hands* forces us to pray to some other god.
Catholicism has the wonderful teaching of intention. One does everything with some intention. Intention is what makes one act a sin and another not a sin.
Doing yoga, even calling it yoga, with the intention of getting a good workout, and with NO intention of worshiping other gods, is not a sin. I did yoga throughout the process of converting to Catholicism.

NOW. that said. If one were to do yoga without a good foundational knowledge of the Catholic faith, or with weak or poorly catechized faith, there could be a danger zone in which they could be drawn to the whole yoga world. My own daughter is caught up in this right now, and largely because she did yoga with me years ago. Her faith came into question at a certain age, as many will do as young adults but she filled that space with yoga and it’s teachings. Being a college student, she is of course, surrounded by forces that encourage her away from anything that smacks of traditional values.

I believe she will come to the end of the yoga craze, as she is one to throw herself in to one thing after another, and will soon see it holds no answers. she even plans to travel to India.

I still like to work out with yoga, it is one of the only things I can do without hurting my back. When I talk with her, I emphasize that I still reject the teachings and other aspects, but admit that the movements are beneficial. I do have concern for her, but she is responsible for herself before God, and I pray she will come through it and be protected by God throughout her journey.

I don’t think we, as Catholics, should live in fear. God is God, even of the Eastern people who are raised in false beliefs. He is God of all the movements of our bodies, which He created. No yogi can claim he “invented” any motion our bodies can attain.

Any good thing can be twisted. I think that these exercises in themselves, are good. It’s the intention that can turn them otherwise. As the scripture says,* To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.* Titus 1:15

 

[saveusfromhell]

LisaA, i am thrilled to see that you are a former Yoga practitioner and for you to share your story. I find all of your posts very useful and insightful. Thank you for sharing!