Is it okay for a Catholic to practice Yoga?

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Yoga is more than just stretching and exercise. It encompasses a whole regimen of Eastern spiritual practices aimed at achieving enlightenment, aka “salvation”. It may look like nothing more than stretching to an outsider who doesn’t know better, but it won’t take you long to get to the bottom of things once you start reading the plentiful literature by yogis and Hindu philosophers from India and elsewhere around the world.
 
BroIgnatius said:
Lilly:

The “stretches” people do before doing yoga, is not yoga. It is stretches. Yoga is what comes after the stretches.

As for what to call the stretches, words matter. If we call these stretches yoga, then we are endorsing yoga. Why call them yoga? What is the problem. Stretches can be done without any reference to yoga. Any genuine stretches are fine. Yoga is not according to the Holy See. Frankly, that settles it.
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My question stands. If names matter so much, then why do we call our days and months after pagan gods? And why do we give our Pope the same name as the Roman pagan chief priest? Heck, we can call our children after pagan gods if we want. If these pagan names are acceptable for Christians then why not the name ‘yoga’ applied to certain stretches?

And don’t give me ‘Yoga is not fine according to the Holy See’. I’ve read all sorts of documents, including the ones you mentioned. Yoga is discussed in the context of other new age SPIRITUAL practices. Not referred to in terms of purely doing the physical stretches that are labelled ‘yoga’. So clearly we are comparing apples and oranges.

And what is this with yoga not being genuine stretches? The process involves really physically stretching the muscles. It’s not like you sit on the couch and imagine that your muscles are being stretched. So I don’t get why you imply that the stretches are not genuine?
 
Thanks, Bearer

If that be the case, then, even the stretches should be avoided, if they cannot be separated from Yoga.

There is a real easily solution to this: DO NOT DO YOGA. Do not do stretches learned from yoga. Try the good 'ol fashioned stretches that athletes have done for 1000s of years. As passe as it it, obey the Church’s advice.
 
Lily:

I thought you were a lawyer. I could be wrong. As a lawyer you know that words matter. As a lawyer you should no that referring to yoga has absolutely nothing to do with the names of the days of the week and such. Remind me no to hire you.

In any event, I will not argue with you. You have already made up your mind. All I can say is to repeat St. Augustine:

“Lord, those are your best servants who wish to shape their life on Your answers rather than to shape your answers on their wishes.”

Luke 16:10 “Anyone who can be trusted in little matters can also be trusted in important matters. But anyone who is dishonest in little matters will be dishonest in important matters.”

I think that once again Catholic Answers must go on the Hall of Shame (again) for failing to guide its readers on Catholic matters and philosophy.
 
bearer said:
Yoga is more than just stretching and exercise. It encompasses a whole regimen of Eastern spiritual practices aimed at achieving enlightenment, aka “salvation”. It may look like nothing more than stretching to an outsider who doesn’t know better, but it won’t take you long to get to the bottom of things once you start reading the plentiful literature by yogis and Hindu philosophers from India and elsewhere around the world.
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I never have, nor ever intend to read, any literature by any yogi or Hindu philosopher.

My stretches ‘look’ like nothing more than stretching - to me as someone who has done the stretching - because to me it IS nothing more than stretching!

Imagine seeing a known atheist actor playing the role of a priest, and going through the physical acts and words of the Mass on stage. Would we stand up in our seats and shout ‘stop that, it’s dangerous! You don’t know what you are doing!’

Of course to us Catholics the Mass has a profound spiritual significance, but if an actor merely repeats the words and physical actions of the Mass without understanding that significance, or intending to accomplish anything spiritual by so doing, then they quite simply will not - cannot - unwittingly tap into the spiritual power of the Mass by so doing.
 
BroIgnatius said:
Thanks, Bearer

If that be the case, then, even the stretches should be avoided, if they cannot be separated from Yoga.

There is a real easily solution to this: DO NOT DO YOGA. Do not do stretches learned from yoga. Try the good 'ol fashioned stretches that athletes have done for 1000s of years. As passe as it it, obey the Church’s advice.
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Ahhhh…another yoga thread…haven’t had one for a few months. Do a certain stretch and stretching pose and call it by an American or athletic or anatomical name without religious connotations and it’s just a stretch and holding pose. Do the exact same thing and call it yoga and it becomes something sinister that must be avoided at all costs…🤷

I say do the dang stretches and poses and call them Yankee Doodle Dandies while listening to Gregorian Chant or Christian music while praying the rosary or chaplet of Divine Mercy and get over it!

And before the usual suspects tell us that those poses and stretches are paying homage to a Hindu deity, remember that many of the poses we place ourselves in for worship at Mass are some of the same moves that are used in yoga and worshipping those Hindu deities, not to mention activities of daily life. People need to quit looking for a demon under every doorstep. Sometimes stretching in poses used in yoga is just that- stretching and exercise!!
 
BroIgnatius said:
Lily:

I thought you were a lawyer. I could be wrong. As a lawyer you know that words matter. As a lawyer you should no that referring to yoga has absolutely nothing to do with the names of the days of the week and such. Remind me no to hire you.

In any event, I will not argue with you. You have already made up your mind. All I can say is to repeat St. Augustine:

“Lord, those are your best servants who wish to shape their life on Your answers rather than to shape your answers on their wishes.”

Luke 16:10 “Anyone who can be trusted in little matters can also be trusted in important matters. But anyone who is dishonest in little matters will be dishonest in important matters.”

I think that once again Catholic Answers must go on the Hall of Shame (again) for failing to guide its readers on Catholic matters and philosophy.
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Methinks when you point a finger at me for wanting to justify my opinion and accuse me of being untrustworthy and unfaithful then you must realise three of those fingers are pointing right back at yourself.

Yes, I am a lawyer. As a lawyer I know that words matter, but as a lawyer I also know that words have to have an agreed meeting.

We get nowhere when you insist that the word ‘orange’ can only ever possibly mean the fruit, and that anyone who uses the word must mean thereby the fruit, and I for my part insist that no, many people use the word to indicate only the colour, without meaning or intending to mean the fruit, and are well understood to mean only the colour when they do so.

As a lawyer I also know that words can and do change their meaning very easily too - look at ‘gay’ for a very obvious example. Or the use of ‘bad’ to mean ‘good’ in some social groupings 🤷
 
LilyM said:
I never have, nor ever intend to read, any literature by any yogi or Hindu philosopher.

My stretches ‘look’ like nothing more than stretching - to me as someone who has done the stretching - because to me it IS nothing more than stretching!

Imagine seeing a known atheist actor playing the role of a priest, and going through the physical acts and words of the Mass on stage. Would we stand up in our seats and shout ‘stop that, it’s dangerous! You don’t know what you are doing!’

Of course to us Catholics the Mass has a profound spiritual significance, but if an actor merely repeats the words and physical actions of the Mass without understanding that significance, or intending to accomplish anything spiritual by so doing, then they quite simply will not - cannot - unwittingly tap into the spiritual power of the Mass by so doing.
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WOW. Someone really wants to justify their actions:

Again:

“Lord, those are your best servants who wish to shape their life on Your answers rather than to shape your answers on their wishes.” --St. Augustine
 
BroIgnatius said:
WOW. Someone really wants to justify their actions:

Again:

“Lord, those are your best servants who wish to shape their life on Your answers rather than to shape your answers on their wishes.” --St. Augustine
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And someone wants to justify his phobia of anything that isn’t comfortable and familiar to him.

Are you sure you’re not the one shaping His answers to yconform to your own irrational fears and prejudices?
 
:rolleyes: :rotfl:

Good one. However, I am not just spouting my own opinion. I have actual evidence, you know that thing that reasonable people provide. Evidence from those who actually know what they are talking about, including the Holy See, Yoga masters, and others of repute.

I forgot one I think:Reiki and Yoga

BTW: I used to be in the New Age and practiced and taught things like acupressure, Eastern Philosophy, and other nonsense. I was also trained by a master in Hindu meditation and philosophy, and went to university for Chinese Language and culture, which included the philosophy behind Tai Chi, which could be called the yoga of China. I was also trained by a Tai Chi master. I am not someone off the street on this.
 
aicirt said:
I don’t know exactly what the pollster means by “practice yoga”. I’ve done yoga to stretch as a form of exercise. I have never done it to participate in a Hindu religious meditation to a diety.
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Yoga is not Hindu. 🤷
 
:rolleyes: Someone needs an education:

From the Dictionary: 1. (Philosophy) (Non-Christian Religions / Hinduism) a Hindu system of philosophy aiming at the mystical union of the self with the Supreme Being in a state of complete awareness and tranquillity through certain physical and mental exercises
2. (Philosophy) any method by which such awareness and tranquillity are attained, esp a course of related exercises and postures designed to promote physical and spiritual wellbeing

Yoga originated in ancient India and found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
 
BroIgnatius said:
:rolleyes: :rotfl:

Good one. However, I am not just spouting my own opinion. I have actual evidence, you know that thing that reasonable people provide. Evidence from those who actually know what they are talking about, including the Holy See, Yoga masters, and others of repute.

I forgot one I think:Reiki and Yoga

BTW: I used to be in the New Age and practiced and taught things like acupressure, Eastern Philosophy, and other nonsense. I was also trained by a master in Hindu meditation and philosophy, and went to university for Chinese Language and culture, which included the philosophy behind Tai Chi, which could be called the yoga of China. I was also trained by a Tai Chi master. I am not someone off the street on this.
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Oh of course you’re not just someone on the street.

Neither are all of the ex-Catholics who regularly post here, who somehow in spite of their many years of education in Catholic schools and whatnot still claim outrageously wrong things such as that we worship Mary as a goddess and so on.

With all respect, I don’t know you from a bar of soap. Why should I take your claims anymore seriously than I take theirs, your ‘expertise’ notwithstanding?
 
Well, Lily, I don’t expect you to give me the time of day. Though you seem to expect we just accept your opinion without you backing it up…

I backed up my point with documents from other people, and yet you still do not even acknowledge that. emmm. This is Liberal Tactic of Obfuscation #117. Thanks for the example of #117. I was looking for live examples for my book on the subject. This “discussion” was worth it for that, but otherwise…

I am sorry, but I have a foible of lacking patience with those who are irrational and those who are not intellectually honest. There are only so many hours in the day, Bye.
 
BroIgnatius said:
Well, Lily, I don’t expect you to give me the time of day. Though you seem to expect we just accept your opinion without you backing it up…

I backed up my point with documents from other people, and yet you still do not even acknowledge that. emmm. This is Liberal Tactic of Obfuscation #117. Thanks for the example of #117. I was looking for live examples for my book on the subject. This “discussion” was worth it for that, but otherwise…

I am sorry, but I have a foible of lacking patience with those who are irrational and those who are not intellectually honest. There are only so many hours in the day, Bye.
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Brother - I am not particularly seeking to defend any position here. I have not pretended to present any evidence. I therefore cannot be accused of intelllectual dishonesty. I did not even mention my profession - you did - and certainly do not claim that it adds any weight to my arguments.

I am instead simply asking you, since you are so dead set against yoga, to defend your stance. Like the prosecution in a criminal trial, your job is to make your case.The Church doesn’t condemn spiritual practices wholemeal simply because they are unexamined or untested. It does not presume guilt pending proof of innocence. Neither should you. My job, like that of the defence in a criminal trial, is simply to test whether you have made your case adequately.

Your documents are what?

‘Jesus Christ: Bearer of the Water of Life’? Which says NOTHING, not one solitary word, about the physical exercises labelled as ‘yoga’ as distinct from the spiritual practice. Doesn’t say that they cannot be so divorced, in the same way as Christianity has divorced many pagan things from their spiritual origins and co-opted them. I pointed these facts out several times.

The article by Marie-Anne Jacques? Which conflates yoga, reiki and centering prayer as if they are the same thing? Talk about intellectual dishonesty! And by the way what are her credentials to comment on the matter?

Alleged conversations of yours with yogis - unnamed, unverifiable and therefore hearsay (see, I do know something about evidence, as well as intellectual honesty).

Your own experience - also unverifiable and therefore hearsay?

I do know a little something about evidence. None of yours goes beyond the level of the ‘evidence’ presented by those who accuse Catholics of Mary-worship or Pope-worship.

Enough of a response for you? Not that your argument merits one.
 
LilyM said:
I am instead simply asking you, since you are so dead set against yoga, to defend your stance. Like the prosecution in a criminal trial, your job is to make your case.The Church doesn’t condemn spiritual practices wholemeal simply because they are unexamined or untested. It does not presume guilt pending proof of innocence. Neither should you. My job, like that of the defence in a criminal trial, is simply to test whether you have made your case adequately…
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Yoga is a generic term for a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline and aims to use mediation to attain salvation. The goal of yoga is liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death. How you can eliminate suffering and attain salvation without Jesus needs to be explained by those Catholics who approve of yoga.
 
Conqueror said:
Yoga is a generic term for a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline and aims to use mediation to attain salvation. The goal of yoga is liberation from all worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and death. How you can eliminate suffering and attain salvation without Jesus needs to be explained by those Catholics who approve of yoga.
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I do not need to explain how you can attain those things without Jesus. I assert that your definition is wrong and that ‘yoga’ does not necessarily mean trying to attain those things at all, let alone do so without Jesus!

Many many MANY people understand quite a different meaning by the word ‘yoga’ - they use and understand it to mean simply the physical exercises by themselves, with the sole and only aim being better physical health. Nothing more - as a lot of atheists who do it will attest. Not that this is the only definition of the word, but it is a perfectly valid one. And I assert that it is entirely possible and quite fine to do yoga in this sense, although not in your sense.

As I said with my previous example of the definition of ‘orange’, an agreed definition is needed - as long as lots of people understand that ‘orange’ can and often does mean the colour as well as the fruit, then we can specify which sense of the word we are employing in our discussion and fruitfully (pun intended) dialogue. If one party insists that the ONLY meaning of ‘orange’ is the fruit, and acts as if there is no other possible meaning, dialogue with someone who knows the other sense of the word and uses it in that other sense, will be impossible.
 
thewanderer said:
Here is an interesting link for those of you who insist that it is not ok to practice the physical exercises of yoga.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=14225
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Catholic Answers has ceased to be a reliable source of information when it’s “apologists” often get it wrong, especially Michele Arnold. For pete sake, one of the apologist, Jimmy Akin, published in This Rock and on the website teaches that we do not have to forgive a person who does not repent of whatever harm they did. What? We can withhold forgiveness? That is not only wrong, but a direct violation of Church and biblical teaching. Thus, we must take with a grain of salt what CA apologist say. To quote Michele is not a good source.
 
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