Can Jesus believers do any type of excersices like Tai Chi Chinese exercise

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Is Tai Chi Chinese exercise has something to do with evil spirits. My doctor is a Chinese doctor, and he asked me to learn this of exercise. Can anyone advice me.
 
potrus said:
Is Tai Chi Chinese exercise has something to do with evil spirits. My doctor is a Chinese doctor, and he asked me to learn this of exercise. Can anyone advice me.
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My friend who is a 75 year old Singaporean Chinese priest has practiced Tai Chi all his life. There is nothing wrong with it and it is not forbidden by the Church. It has nothing to with evil spirits. It is exercise.
 
top tai-chi practitioners have been said to be able to achieve the highest level of chi activation through the practice of tai-chi alone, without going through the Taoist meditative approach of Neidan. What is this highest level of chi activation? It is none other than the process of kundalini awakening, which explained in its physical essence is the activation of a feminine sexual energy !In other words it is the activation of a latent serpent energy.This does NOT sound at all Catholic to me.
 
thistle said:
My friend who is a 75 year old Singaporean Chinese priest has practiced Tai Chi all his life. There is nothing wrong with it and it is not forbidden by the Church. It has nothing to with evil spirits. It is exercise.
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The assertion that it is simply exercise is false From WIKI article

It is purported that focusing the mind solely on the movements of the form helps to bring about a state of mental calm and clarity

If I want to get some exercise in, I’ll walk or go for a run. Many people swim, bike or do other things. I personally download podcasts from EWTN and fill my mind with things of God (typically the Journey Home, Daily Masses etc) while I do so. My mind ascends to God…it is not cleared and focused “solely” on something outside of God, with roots in Taiji philosophy.

If I really want a state of mental calm and clarity then I pray in a way that is fitting to The Lord. Reading the bible, going to daily mass or attending adoration are great ways of doing so.

Even if the Church does not expressly forbid it, reason brings me to make a different choice. I would never want to clear my mind of thinking of God (problem with eastern yoga practices).

From Colossians 3:1-2

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

🙂
 
Porknpie said:
The assertion that it is simply exercise is false From WIKI article

It is purported that focusing the mind solely on the movements of the form helps to bring about a state of mental calm and clarity

If I want to get some exercise in, I’ll walk or go for a run. Many people swim, bike or do other things. I personally download podcasts from EWTN and fill my mind with things of God (typically the Journey Home, Daily Masses etc) while I do so. My mind ascends to God…it is not cleared and focused “solely” on something outside of God, with roots in Taiji philosophy.

If I really want a state of mental calm and clarity then I pray in a way that is fitting to The Lord. Reading the bible, going to daily mass or attending adoration are great ways of doing so.

Even if the Church does not expressly forbid it, reason brings me to make a different choice. I would never want to clear my mind of thinking of God (problem with eastern yoga practices).

From Colossians 3:1-2

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

🙂
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The Church and a priest knows better than you. He does it exclusively for exercise.
 
The belief that a life force energy pervades all of nature is known as pantheism and is not compatible with Christianity.

Although there is nothing objectively wrong with the physical movements of Tai Chi, there are many philosophical elements contrary to Christianity. The idea that the physical world comes from dualistic principles, which in turn come from an ultimate force, cannot be reconciled with the idea that the universe was created by an all-good, personal God. Furthermore, the attempt to channel and direct spiritual forces and the use of talismans violate the First Commandment - cf. Catechism, no. 2117
 
thistle said:
The Church and a priest knows better than you. He does it exclusively for exercise.
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The Church is silent to my knowledge. The Priest can be in error. The poster made a comment that this is strictly for exercise. My comment is that there is more to it than that and cited a reference that they exercises teaches that we are to clear our minds. Objectively, does this not make it more than simply exercise? I believe so.

Does the Church teach that we are to clear our minds…empty our minds?

If I’m in error on the point above, I stand open to correction. 🙂
 
TheHolyTrinity said:
The belief that a life force energy pervades all of nature is known as pantheism and is not compatible with Christianity.

Although there is nothing objectively wrong with the physical movements of Tai Chi, there are many philosophical elements contrary to Christianity.
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But there’s no need to adopt the philosophical elements in order to do the physical exercises. So it would be up to the individual to decide whether they’re comfortable with that. Certainly, no one who feels it would be a danger to their faith should take it up.
 
Porknpie said:
The Church is silent to my knowledge. The Priest can be in error. The poster made a comment that this is strictly for exercise. My comment is that there is more to it than that and cited a reference that they exercises teaches that we are to clear our minds. Objectively, does this not make it more than simply exercise? I believe so.

Does the Church teach that we are to clear our minds…empty our minds?

If I’m in error on the point above, I stand open to correction. 🙂
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I have practiced Tai Chi and Qigong for a number of years. There are misconceptions what Tai Chi or Qigong is. Historically, Tai Chi is a martial art of the soft/internal school. Over time, it became well known for its health enhancing abilities and the martial aspect of it became less known or visible. Unless you have been watching Jet Li movies over the last 2 decades. It is no different from practicing any other martial art such as Pakua or Aikido. However, being a Chinese martial art and its masters tend to be of Chinese or Manchurian origin, one may perceived there is a connection between Buddhist/Taoist beliefs on the art itself. There is none. You don’t have to subscribe to the religious beliefs of your masters.

Qigong in a nutshell is the art of breathing. For some reason, perhaps not explainable in a Western scientific way, the way you breathe has an impact on your energy levels and flows. Certain exercises enhances your energy levels. Meditation can direct and build up these energy or Qi flows. Qigong has its own theory and philosophy on how it works. One can incorporate religious beliefs into it. I don’t and don’t need to. I don’t understand how it actually works, but it does. Like anything else, some folks will attribute all kinds of demonic influences on Qigong for a subject not fully understood. That is understandable. To those people I would say, if your heart/mind is pure, no evil will come from it.

Mind clearing? Not really an issue. I would say mind focusing. When you are practicing your martial art, focus on your exercise and stop thinking of other distracting things. Listen to your body and feel it. Some people react to Qi energy flows when in a state of calmness. (It gets too complicate to explain this but just humour me and accept that there are such things out there). There are some good Qigong books out there without the mumbo jumbo. Just be aware that Asians or Chinese often use flowery language to explain things in a non-scientific way and that the syntax of the subject matter have been that way for centuries in their worldview.

The universe is energy itself. It is all around you. Trying not to get into Star Wars speak, I have no concept of life force. It is alive or it is just matter. I don’t see life force in a piece of stone but its atoms certainly do contain energy.
 
I’m waiting for the other usual suspects to show up for this thread.
 
Quiet Frankly I’m surprised it took this long for the subject to be brought up once again.

As long as you’re able to separate the exercise from the spiritual aspects, no problem.

Stay Christ Centered and your spiritual life will be in Christ, not something else.

Jim
 
ericc said:
Qigong in a nutshell is the art of breathing. For some reason, perhaps not explainable in a Western scientific way, the way you breathe has an impact on your energy levels and flows. Certain exercises enhances your energy levels. Meditation can direct and build up these energy or Qi flows. Qigong has its own theory and philosophy on how it works. One can incorporate religious beliefs into it. I don’t and don’t need to. I don’t understand how it actually works, but it does. Like anything else, some folks will attribute all kinds of demonic influences on Qigong for a subject not fully understood. That is understandable. To those people I would say, if your heart/mind is pure, no evil will come from it.

Mind clearing? Not really an issue. I would say mind focusing. When you are practicing your martial art, focus on your exercise and stop thinking of other distracting things. Listen to your body and feel it. Some people react to Qi energy flows when in a state of calmness. (It gets too complicate to explain this but just humour me and accept that there are such things out there). There are some good Qigong books out there without the mumbo jumbo. Just be aware that Asians or Chinese often use flowery language to explain things in a non-scientific way and that the syntax of the subject matter have been that way for centuries in their worldview.
QUOTE]

This is a really surface level understanding of taijiquan. The word “taijiquan” translates as “Grand Ultimate Fist (or Boxing)”. The “Grand Ultimate” portion of this, the “taiji” refers to the Yin/Yang symbol (which in Chinese is called, the Taiji). The whole concept and philosophy of the fighting art comes from the philosophy associated with the Taiji, the Yijing (the “Book of Changes”-this is a book of divination), and the Bagua (or “Eight Trigrams”). The art which the above poster refers to as Pakua (this is the Wade-Giles translation of “Bagua” and is outdated) is based on the Bagua–eight trigrams consisting of broken and unbroken lines. All of this is rooted in Chinese religion and philosophy. It is incompatible with the Catholic Faith.

*“Qigong has its own theory and philosophy on how it works.” *

And where does that theory and philosophy come from?

“One can incorporate religious beliefs into it. I don’t and don’t need to. I don’t understand how it actually works, but it does. Like anything else, some folks will attribute all kinds of demonic influences on Qigong for a subject not fully understood. That is understandable. To those people I would say, if your heart/mind is pure, no evil will come from it.”

So what you’re saying is that you don’t understand how qigong works, but that it’s okay to do if our hearts are in the right place. Sorry, but lots of people go to tarot card readers and delve into the occult that way–hurting people who want answers and give in to seeking occultic power for answers. They are hurting and wanting answers (and would argue that their hearts are in the right place) and that hurt opens them up to exploring a practice which exposes them to demonic influence.

The Gospel today talks about not be able to serve two masters. What I’ve come to understand in reading many of the posts is that things like taijiquan are a big part of a lot of people’s lives and that they are looking for excuses to keep it as a part of their life. So, we have the endless arguments. My experience and background speak for themselves. I have a long history with taijiquan, as a practitioner, teacher, judge, and national competitor, and no longer practice it because it conflicts with the Catholic Faith.
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agnes_therese said:
But there’s no need to adopt the philosophical elements in order to do the physical exercises. So it would be up to the individual to decide whether they’re comfortable with that. Certainly, no one who feels it would be a danger to their faith should take it up.
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The problem is that most people go to classes to learn and practice. It is there that such philosophical elements are brought in to such exercises.

Many like yourself will claim that they only join to keep fit, only Doing the exercise poses and not the meditation. Catholics think it is okay so long they don’t participate in the Meditation part.

The poses are actually animal poses. All these look very normal and harmless, stretching and exercising right? . But the danger is, once a person does such poses, The spirit of kundalini which symbolizes the snake is in a coiled position is stimulated or aroused. As the persons goes from basic to intermediate the kundalini rises.

When the kundalini spirit is Aroused it will continue to move to the final center, the third eye will be opened. Once the third eye is opened many call it full enlightenment.

The first thing the person sees is demons in many forms of trickery.

So the meditation part will come in very subtle as does spiritual warfare. We are in battle fighting against powers, principalities in the Spiritual realm.

God Bless

THT
 
This just gets worse the more I read about it.

Link here from the Tai Chi Master.

Key comments below

Using tai chi, you can clear out your mind and make your body smooth to arrive at this point

and

After stabilizing the physical movements, you can then use the moving practices of tai chi or qigong to work out the depths of your emotions, your thought processes, your psychic world and your karma. Ultimately the goal is for a person to arrive at their essence.

Psychic world, karma, arriving at one’s essence. :eek: This is no way sounds Catholic. If it is, can someone please cite the Catechism of the Catholic Church or another Church document that says so?

IMHO, attending adoration and 30 minute workout is infinitely better …

🙂
 
TheHolyTrinity said:
The belief that a life force energy pervades all of nature is known as pantheism and is not compatible with Christianity.

Although there is nothing objectively wrong with the physical movements of Tai Chi, there are many philosophical elements contrary to Christianity. The idea that the physical world comes from dualistic principles, which in turn come from an ultimate force, cannot be reconciled with the idea that the universe was created by an all-good, personal God. Furthermore, the attempt to channel and direct spiritual forces and the use of talismans violate the First Commandment - cf. Catechism, no. 2117
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Amen. Hallelujah Amen.
 
TheHolyTrinity said:
Many like yourself will claim that they only join to keep fit, only Doing the exercise poses and not the meditation.
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Actually, I don’t claim any such thing. You’ll note I never said I do Tai Chi. That’s because I don’t. 😃
 
Porknpie said:
This just gets worse the more I read about it.

Link here from the Tai Chi Master.

Key comments below

Using tai chi, you can clear out your mind and make your body smooth to arrive at this point

and

After stabilizing the physical movements, you can then use the moving practices of tai chi or qigong to work out the depths of your emotions, your thought processes, your psychic world and your karma. Ultimately the goal is for a person to arrive at their essence.

Psychic world, karma, arriving at one’s essence. :eek: This is no way sounds Catholic. If it is, can someone please cite the Catechism of the Catholic Church or another Church document that says so?

IMHO, attending adoration and 30 minute workout is infinitely better …

🙂
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All forms of divination are to be rejected.

Tai Chi involves the Tao, the supreme creator. ‘Clearing the mind’ and ‘openness’ is extremely dangerous. Abandonment of those faculties that are given to us by Our Lord to direct and protect our lives: our reason, our emotions and free will.

Each of these practices discussed in this thread has a strong “theological” basis. It does not stop with the ‘simple physical exercises’ – their advocates know the deeper spiritual meaning of what they are doing, these experiences can be seductive.

Letting our defenses down inevitably lead to exposure to demonic powers. Not good for the soul.
 
Taken from:: bishopjulianporteous.com/?p=241

The seemingly graceful art of Tai Chi By Mons. Julian Porteous

With these thoughts in mind let us examine the popular practice of Tai Chi. The origin of Tai Chi is China. We are familiar with seeing people practice the slow, graceful movements in parks and halls. Once again the movements are associated with other practices which are in common with Yoga. The exercise of Tai Chi requires the control or slowing of breathing. The practitioner will be encouraged to empty the mind so that peace and harmony can be found through the absence of thoughts.

Tai Chi is touted as providing a means for the reduction of stress and generally improving overall health. It is commonly used in schools and businesses, in nursing homes and on Catholic retreats. Tai Chi claims to enhance the spiritual aspect of life. It is also claimed to enable people to experience healing powers. The promotional material is quick to claim, however, that it is not a religion. They propose it as simply a technique.

Those who teach Tai Chi are conscious that there is, in fact, a spiritual philosophy that underpins it. Slowly this deeper dimension comes to the fore, particularly for those who want to go further with the practice. The ultimate source of this philosophy is Taoism. Tai Chi aims at releasing the Chi, or life force, or divine energy. As with Yoga various places in the body are understood to be centres of the Chi. The understanding of the nature of the human person, which is found in Taoism, is quite at variance with the Christian understanding. There is a completely different spiritual worldview.

Having an open mind

To benefit from Tai Chi at a deeper level one is asked to have an “open mind”. It is claimed that the person will only be able to discover the supernatural power within when they let go of rational thought and open themselves to these new realities.

One of the paths to having an open mind is to be able to move beyond a reliance on the difference between good and evil. In other words, a person has to suspend moral thinking. The reason for this view is found in the Taoist philosophy of the yin and yang. Harmony and stillness are found when the yin and yang are in balance. Thus there is a requirement to move beyond the use of moral facilities and enter a new realm of free floating openness.

Such a position of radical openness is extremely dangerous. We have abandoned those faculties given to us to direct and protect our lives: our reason, our emotions and our will. The normal use of these faculties assists us in making fully human decisions, and enabling us to be responsible for our actions. Abandoning these faculties in search of a deeper spiritual existence opens the person to all sorts of unknown forces. Our defences are down. It can lead to exposure to demonic powers.

To pursue Tai Chi to its fullest, a person must surrender to the Tao, the supreme creator. Once again we come to realise that something that is declared to have no religious meaning is in fact a path to a new set of religious beliefs. There is a fundamental deception at work.
 
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