Is alright for a Catholic to do yoga?

[DeniseNY]

Thank you. Gee. That is interesting because according to my doctor, I shouldn’t be doing ANY aerobic exercise. Do you have a medical degree? Something that tells me that I should be listening to you, rather than to him?

Or are you just going on what you THINK. And then applying it to everyone?

mary, your doctor’s advice is the best advice you’ll get! If he/she thinks yoga would be beneficial, it’s something to look into. Whether or not you call it yoga or just plain old stretching (which it is to me when I do it), there are great physical benefits that can be reaped from it.

 

[truetofaith]

Thank you. Gee. That is interesting because according to my doctor, I shouldn’t be doing ANY aerobic exercise. Do you have a medical degree? Something that tells me that I should be listening to you, rather than to him?

Or are you just going on what you THINK. And then applying it to everyone?

No, you listen to your doctor…I always thought aerobics were not strenuous…trying to be helpful…but you live & learn…My mistake, sorry! :bowdown:

 

[maryjk]

mary, your doctor’s advice is the best advice you’ll get! If he/she thinks yoga would be beneficial, it’s something to look into. Whether or not you call it yoga or just plain old stretching (which it is to me when I do it), there are great physical benefits that can be reaped from it.

That is my point. Of course my post was tongue in cheek. Of course an anonymous poster on a forum doesn’t know more about my condition than what my doctor knows.

But that is the problem. Posters here are so set on what they think they know, that they are willing to tell someone what to do, even if it is against a medical professional’s advice. It is sad.

 

[maryjk]

mary, your doctor’s advice is the best advice you’ll get! If he/she thinks yoga would be beneficial, it’s something to look into. Whether or not you call it yoga or just plain old stretching (which it is to me when I do it), there are great physical benefits that can be reaped from it.

Of course my doctor knows more about my condition than some anonymous poster. And of course my doctor would give me the best advise.

The problem is that people posting here actually think that they know more. And have now given advice to me and anyone else reading this thread. Advice that could be harmful. And it seems like they did it without a thought.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Then aerobic exercise should be less severe.

Really? My aching back tells me differently… as my arms… and legs… oh boy. Ack!

 

[truetofaith]

Thank you. Gee. That is interesting because according to my doctor, I shouldn’t be doing ANY aerobic exercise. Do you have a medical degree? Something that tells me that I should be listening to you, rather than to him?

Or are you just going on what you THINK. And then applying it to everyone?

No I don’t have a medical degree. I was just trying to be helpful, thinking aerobics were a mild form of exercise

. Listen to your doctor!

 

[on_the_hill]

I would warn you away from yoga. I had a bad experience with it the one time I tried it.

Under the influence of a female instructor, I attempted to place myself in painfully impossible poses and stretches for a period of about 45 minutes.

I was so rigid in my approach to it that I couldn’t achieve the simplest pose.

Thankfully, by the time the so-called class was over I had reinforced my belief that yoga was wholly inappropriate for me, and I never attempted to enter that darkened den of pain masquerading as a place of health and wellness.

And calming music, soft lighting, and quiet voices exacerbate my anxious, inattentive energy like nothing else will.

 

[TimothyH]

I would warn you away from yoga. I had a bad experience with it the one time I tried it.

Under the influence of a female instructor, I attempted to place myself in painfully impossible poses and stretches for a period of about 45 minutes.

I was so rigid in my approach to it that I couldn’t achieve the simplest pose.

Thankfully, by the time the so-called class was over I had reinforced my belief that yoga was wholly inappropriate for me, and I never attempted to enter that darkened den of pain masquerading as a place of health and wellness.

And calming music, soft lighting, and quiet voices exacerbate my anxious, inattentive energy like nothing else will.

You can’t run a marathon the first time out and you can’t attempt advanced poses your first time. You have to start with the basics.

The problem isn’t with Yoga but with you. Millions of people all over the world do it every day.

-Tim-

 

[Thomas_White]

So what do you guys think, can a Catholic do yoga?

Yes.

 

[Thomas_White]

Yoga is Hindu meditation…which is the first and best reason for my it is NOT alright for Catholics to practice it.

As Fr Calloway says 'Are you Christian or are you Hindu??".

Do you know the difference between hatha yoga and kyria yoga? If the answer is ‘no’, you might want to find out.

 

[on_the_hill]

You can’t run a marathon the first time out and you can’t attempt advanced poses your first time. You have to start with the basics.

The problem isn’t with Yoga but with you. Millions of people all over the world do it every day.

-Tim-

It was an introductory class. I have the flexibility of a champagne flute.

 

[thistle]

Many doctors would disagree with you. This is completely different from aerobic exercise. It seems to be particularly helpful for those with arthritis.

I would say that “exercise” for a medical condition is physical therapy. Why would yoga be needed.
As for getting fit that can only be achieved by aerobic exercise. Yoga may get you supple and flexible but it does not get you fit.

 

[OraLabora]

I would say that “exercise” for a medical condition is physical therapy. Why would yoga be needed.
As for getting fit that can only be achieved by aerobic exercise. Yoga may get you supple and flexible but it does not get you fit.

Fitness is more than just aerobic exercises. Having good muscle mass will help alleviate many problems later on, such as chronic back pain, etc.

Again, my wife, a physician, disagrees with you. All body parts, even the brain, need exercise. Clearly the heart and lungs (and the rest of our body) do need aerobic exercise. I’m not trying to deny the importance of that, but strength- and flexibility-building exercises are very important especially as we age.

 

[thistle]

Fitness is more than just aerobic exercises. Having good muscle mass will help alleviate many problems later on, such as chronic back pain, etc.

Again, my wife, a physician, disagrees with you. All body parts, even the brain, need exercise. Clearly the heart and lungs (and the rest of our body) do need aerobic exercise. I’m not trying to deny the importance of that, but strength- and flexibility-building exercises are very important especially as we age.

Good muscle mass is achieved normally through training, e.g. weights and/or isometric but proper fitness must include aerobic exercise. If a person does everything except aerobic exercise they will tire very quickly if they had to run or exert themselves. They will lack stamina.

 

[Petergee]

Here’s the thing though…‘yoga’ without the spiritual deception is not yoga. It’s exercise. I guess you can call it ‘yoga’ to be cool but I imagine if you told someone who actually does practice yoga what you are doing you’d be laughed at.

I agree. In fact some devout Hindus find it quite offensive that many supposed “yoga gurus” in the West are making a fortune by selling gullible westerners simple stretching and bending exercises combined with vague distorted versions of Hindu religious terms and practices, which the clients think makes them somehow spiritually enlightened.

It’s like someone who assumes a kneeling position with his hands joined and passing Rosary beads through them, but without saying anything or turning his mind and heart to God, claiming that he is practising “prayer”.

 

[agnes_therese]

Good muscle mass is achieved normally through training, e.g. weights and/or isometric but proper fitness must include aerobic exercise. If a person does everything except aerobic exercise they will tire very quickly if they had to run or exert themselves. They will lack stamina.

(a) no one here is saying that aerobic exercise is bad, nor that most people shouldn’t do some. I don’t know why you keep pushing the obvious when no one’s denied it.
(b) some people, for various reasons, CAN’T do aerobic exercise.

 

[on_the_hill]

Good muscle mass is achieved normally through training, e.g. weights and/or isometric but proper fitness must include aerobic exercise. If a person does everything except aerobic exercise they will tire very quickly if they had to run or exert themselves. They will lack stamina.

Maybe yes, maybe no.
If I have to pick up a 300 pound box and move it across the room, it will be quicker and require less stamina than if I have to make 300 one-pound trips.

 

[OraLabora]

Good muscle mass is achieved normally through training, e.g. weights and/or isometric but proper fitness must include aerobic exercise. If a person does everything except aerobic exercise they will tire very quickly if they had to run or exert themselves. They will lack stamina.

I’m not claiming that aerobic fitness is somehow bad. I rode my bike 4500 km last summer, with 37,000 meters elevation gain. Of course that benefited my muscle mass as well, but only for some muscles.

However for someone with, say COPD, aerobic exercising ability will necessarily be very limited, but they can still benefit from stretches, muscle strengthening exercises, and keeping the joints moving.

 

[johnnyc176]

I’m sorry…I don’t understand your above response to what I wrote.

I don’t do yoga exercisel

I understand, neither do I. I was referring to when you said ‘yoga exercises’ . To me if you take away the spiritual deception then it’s just exercise which is fine imo. As someone mentioned earlier they are basically stretching exercises and useful for people that can not handle more exertion. I walk 4 miles five times a week and do stretching exercises before hand. Some of the stretches are similar to yoga stretching but I ain’t doing yoga and sure ain’t paying to go to some class so someone can tell me that stretching I have been doing most of my life is yoga. But if someone wants to take the class and call stretching yoga…knock yourself out. Now if it’s also true that if one’s Faith is weak and there is a danger that they can get caught up in false practices then one would be advised to also speak with their priest as well as a doctor.

 

[truetofaith]

Maybe yes, maybe no.
If I have to pick up a 300 pound box and move it across the room, it will be quicker and require less stamina than if I have to make 300 one-pound trips.

I’ll bet you couldn’t even push a 300 lb. box an inch!

We used to bag scrap cable at AT&T. The requirement was that each bag couldn’t be more than 50 lbs. A wise guy would fill a couple to about 90 lbs. & they were almost impossible to lift.

One guy lifted weights for yrs. & maybe could lift 200 lbs. but not across a room!