Is yoga demonic or no?

[JButky]

Having come to this discussion late, I would just say that Yoga is the antithesis to Catholicism and Christianity.

From what I’ve read…
The “purpose” of Yoga concerns the self. The “purpose” of Christianity concerns the selfless. They are antithetical to each other. It is an inherent contradiction to say that Yoga can be a means or process to a better Christianity.

Joe B

 

[Chantal25]

Having come to this discussion late, I would just say that Yoga is the antithesis to Catholicism and Christianity.

From what I’ve read…
The “purpose” of Yoga concerns the self. The “purpose” of Christianity concerns the selfless. They are antithetical to each other. It is an inherent contradiction to say that Yoga can be a means or process to a better Christianity.

Joe B

From my experience, i can confirm what you read.

Thank you for sharing!

 

[TheWarriorMonk]

From what I’ve read…
The “purpose” of Yoga concerns the self. The “purpose” of Christianity concerns the selfless. They are antithetical to each other. It is an inherent contradiction to say that Yoga can be a means or process to a better Christianity.

It should be noted that you are discussing “Yoga” the religion, not the secular exercises that are often associated with it.

This is just my spiritual “gut” feeling, but there are so many kinds of exorcises, I’m picking another one, the best one of all, and beats everyone else’s choice…golf.

Golf serves a different function. I take martial arts, and incorporate various other things, including exercises often associated with yoga, into it. If I wanted to smack a ball around a field, I’d take golf. But if I needed someone to defend me, a golfer would not be the first choice.

 

[cheezey]

Having come to this discussion late, I would just say that Yoga is the antithesis to Catholicism and Christianity.

From what I’ve read…
The “purpose” of Yoga concerns the self. The “purpose” of Christianity concerns the selfless. They are antithetical to each other. It is an inherent contradiction to say that Yoga can be a means or process to a better Christianity.

Joe B

“It should be noted that you are discussing “Yoga” the religion, not the secular exercises that are often associated with it.” from the Monk…
They are intertwined, but can be separated as such. Thank you for this reminder for us all.

Though some posters were of this concern as well, and understandably, I think the crux of the discussion was more about “does exercising with Yoga moves constitute following or opening the gates to the religion/philosophy of Hinduism?” For me, and I am the only person I can answer for, it is an emphatic NO. I think, I am not sure, though both sides are present in this forum.
Regarding the disparity between Hinduism/the Self and Christianity/the selfless, I would say, again for myself only, that care of the self to better serve others is a good thing.
I been crying my heart out to My Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit and to members of CAF to heal my wounded self, and for a very long time. Without this healing, I am useless to others, and that has been wounding me most of all. If I am useless to myself, how can I serve Him and His other children? I cannot. It took Yoga breathing exercises in part to cure me of insomnia. Five years of 90 minutes of sleep a night darned near killed me. I was down to 90 pounds and ready to keel over. I did not invoke Shiva or Vishnu; I prayed to God that I would live to work for Him again.
Did anyone state that “It is an inherent contradiction to say that Yoga can be a means or process to a better Christianity.” If so, okay, I am tired.
I don’t think that it is. But that doesn’t mean it’s demonic. Satanism, now THAT’S demonic. Ewww…

Matthew 7
3 "Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye.
5 You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend’s eye.

 

[LilyM]

Having come to this discussion late, I would just say that Yoga is the antithesis to Catholicism and Christianity.

From what I’ve read…
The “purpose” of Yoga concerns the self. The “purpose” of Christianity concerns the selfless. They are antithetical to each other. It is an inherent contradiction to say that Yoga can be a means or process to a better Christianity.

Joe B

The purpose of yoga - if one approaches it in a apiritual sense - is union with the Divine. The word ‘yoga’ comes from the Hindu word for ‘yoke’ (as in the thing that attaches an animal to a plough it os meant to pull) - meaning one is meant to be ‘yoked’ to God. Remind you of Jesus talking about His yoke being easy?

Now unless one believes that they and they alone are God (which is not AFAIK a tenet of Hindu belief and certainly not a Christian one) then there is nothing LESS about self than seeking union or ‘yoking’ with God, Who completely dtranscends self and selfishness.

 

[TheWarriorMonk]

It took Yoga breathing exercises in part to cure me of insomnia. Five years of 90 minutes of sleep a night darned near killed me.

I’m not familiar with the breathing exercises in yoga, though I am with qi gong. I do mainly qi gong to keep my (injured) back straight. However, the breathing associated with it is very beneficial. The latest example is I got a wicked case of whooping cough over the holidays, and the qi gong breathing exercises have helped me to clear my lungs out and regain my stamina. The western world does not seem to have any equivalent breathing exercises.

 

[cheezey]

The purpose of yoga - if one approaches it in a apiritual sense - is union with the Divine. The word ‘yoga’ comes from the Hindu word for ‘yoke’ (as in the thing that attaches an animal to a plough it os meant to pull) - meaning one is meant to be ‘yoked’ to God. Remind you of Jesus talking about His yoke being easy?

Now unless one believes that they and they alone are God (which is not AFAIK a tenet of Hindu belief and certainly not a Christian one) then there is nothing LESS about self than seeking union or ‘yoking’ with God, Who completely dtranscends self and selfishness.

 

[cheezey]

I’m not familiar with the breathing exercises in yoga, though I am with qi gong. I do mainly qi gong to keep my (injured) back straight. However, the breathing associated with it is very beneficial. The latest example is I got a wicked case of whooping cough over the holidays, and the qi gong breathing exercises have helped me to clear my lungs out and regain my stamina. The western world does not seem to have any equivalent breathing exercises.

Yes!! love qi gong! And tai chi, master of neither. I tried so many methods, as I was in a very bad place with insomnia. Even the Yoga method was a little challenging, but when it took, it really took. We adults tend to forget how to b-r-e-a-t-h-e-…Babies do it best and then we should relearn from them. When my pseudo mother-in-law saw how her grandbaby was breathing one day, she declared somethng was wrong; “Maybe we should call a doctor!”
I had to tell her that the baby is actually doing it right. It is the adults who ruin it. Unles they catch on again!!

 

[Brigid34]

I’m not familiar with the breathing exercises in yoga, though I am with qi gong. I do mainly qi gong to keep my (injured) back straight. However, the breathing associated with it is very beneficial. The latest example is I got a wicked case of whooping cough over the holidays, and the qi gong breathing exercises have helped me to clear my lungs out and regain my stamina. The western world does not seem to have any equivalent breathing exercises.

If you are just doing the stretches, there is nothing wrong, however if you do any of the spiritual practices that is demonic. This is what I have heard from numerous “experts” on Catholic Radio.

 

[cheezey]

If you are just doing the stretches, there is nothing wrong, however if you do any of the spiritual practices that is demonic. This is what I have heard from numerous “experts” on Catholic Radio.

Yes, I have heard similarly. What did YOU think before hearing from others?

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Having come to this discussion late, I would just say that Yoga is the antithesis to Catholicism and Christianity.

From what I’ve read…
The “purpose” of Yoga concerns the self. The “purpose” of Christianity concerns the selfless. They are antithetical to each other. It is an inherent contradiction to say that Yoga can be a means or process to a better Christianity.

Joe B

Sounds to me like just the opposite. The purpose of yoga is to transcend the lower self (ego) to realize the higher Self (which is pantheistic). The purpose of Christainity is to empty the lower self (ego) to be filled in Christ.

Both require diminishment of the lower self (ego).
In yoga philosophy the individuality is lost in universal being, consciousness and bliss.
In Christianity individuality remains but is surrendered to the otherness of God.
Of course even Catholic mystics speak of a union of sorts.

The big difference is that in Eastern view individality is temporary and a lesser reality than the Unitive reality. In Christianity (at least Western Christianity) individuality is permanent even in union with God.

But the main difference is that in yoga philosphy techniques and self effort are very important whereas in Christianity grace is more important than self effort (especialy for protestants).

 

[JButky]

It should be noted that you are discussing “Yoga” the religion, not the secular exercises that are often associated with it.

And the secular exercises are somehow not for the self? How would you consider these asks as inherently selfless

How does doing something for “me” equate to a selfless action

Joe B

 

[JButky]

The purpose of yoga - if one approaches it in a apiritual sense - is union with the Divine. The word ‘yoga’ comes from the Hindu word for ‘yoke’ (as in the thing that attaches an animal to a plough it os meant to pull) - meaning one is meant to be ‘yoked’ to God. Remind you of Jesus talking about His yoke being easy?

Loose associations aside… And what is “The Divine” in Yoga? Certainly not anything Christian. Again, the practice is inherently concerned with the self, not others in a selfless way.

Joe B

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Loose associations aside… And what is “The Divine” in Yoga? Certainly not anything Christian. Again, the practice is inherently concerned with the self, not others in a selfless way.

Joe B

In Yoga everything is divine.

Hatha Yoga exercises or stretches are about relaxing the body so one can transcend the individual little self.

Karma yoga is about doing things for others in a selfless way so one can transcend the individual little self.

 

[Julianna]

I was informed that there is no teaching in the church against yoga.

I discovered that even if the Hindu’s claim that yoga is offered up to their gods, there really is only one God, The Holy Trinity.

I started a yoga class last night at myyogaonline.com and the teacher kept speaking of the body healing itself, and finding that inner divine. I completely ignored her teachings but I followed the movements and physical aspects of what she was teaching.

I strangely woke up in the middle of the night last night and was wide awake.

Im wondering if yoga affects the mind more than it affects the spirit, or vice versa, or neither. They speak of teaching the body how to fix itself. Somewhat like a neural reboot. I felt this might have affected my spiritual life. Or maybe I was just being paranoid.

Again, I completely ignore the philosophies of yoga. I merely focus on what they tell me to do physically. But sometimes when Im in a relaxed laying down position it seems like they start bombarding me with their philosophies. In a calm voice they say, “let that inner divine come out.” Or something along those lines.

I have experienced some troubles in the past with evil spirits so I was definitely worried when I entered into it. But I woke up this morning and felt this great soreness on my muscles that I was looking for. I have a lot of injuries from football and yoga seems like it can really help.

Any advice? (sorry for such a long post)

no it is not…

 

[Shamati]

Basic yoga teaches NOTHING contrary to christianity. It is a philosophy whose goal is Mystical union tom its 8 paths. The exercises that are but 1 path of yoga used in the western world is mean to align the body with the energies of god. St george Palamas also teaxhes that the energies of God are EVERYWHERE at all times and the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Hesychast ascetics combine meditation with breathing exercises and cobstant recitations of Jesus Prayer. Familiar? Yogis do the same thig but instead recite some of their religious mantra. There are no invocations of foreign gods or anything in the basic philosophies of yoga and IF YOU BELIEVEhumaniies movements are forever restricted to exclude the ones used in yoga you are a PAGAN. period. This implies a God who is not omnipresent and omnipotent. Blasphemy!

Yoga is a philosophy that has been adopted to many religions such as Taoism, Buddhism, hinduism, silkhism and even sufism (mystical islam) look it up

Christianity used philosophies like platonism, neo platonism, aristotelean etc. for teological studies. You wouldn say the church fathers worshipped foreign Gods because they made use of a system of principles and methods invented by someone of a different religion would you?

I really didnt think there were rabid evagelicals within the catholic church.

Basically what is going on in this thread is people wanting to restrict God, creator of all things to their own human principles and specifically only the catholic faith. Is this not worshippibg a graven Image? Do you really think that there were never a saintly man within taoism, Buddhism, silkhism, hinduism and sufism? Many Holy people came from there. And ther is NOTHING in the Eight limbs of Yoga that contradicts or teaches anything contrary to magistereum or christianity.

 

[TheWarriorMonk]

And the secular exercises are somehow not for the self? How would you consider these asks as inherently selfless

How does doing something for “me” equate to a selfless action

Joe B

Can I assume that you’ve never smoked? Drank anything other than water? Never had a piece of candy? Never seen a movie?

How are these actions anything but doing something for oneself?

As far as the exercises go, God gave me a body and it is my duty to take care of it. I have plenty of friends my age who haven’t, and many are disabled, have fused vertebrae in their neck and spine, damaged knees due to being overweight, have had quadruple bypasses, etc. How is not taking care of one’s body and act toward God?

 

[Michael_Mayo]

And ther is NOTHING in the Eight limbs of Yoga that contradicts or teaches anything contrary to magistereum or christianity.

I agree.

 

[cheezey]

I agree.

As do I. There is a class coming up with a former fellow employee, who is also a reverand in the faith.

The Yoga of Christ
The life and teachings of Jesus Christ exist
as spiritual examples for all beings.

The life of Jesus is quite often discussed. Reverently…

 

[Michael_Mayo]

As do I. There is a class coming up with a former fellow employee, who is also a reverand in the faith.

The Yoga of Christ
The life and teachings of Jesus Christ exist
as spiritual examples for all beings.

The life of Jesus is quite often discussed. Reverently…

Yoga is a tool, a means, a discipline.
“Why” one does it, the motivation, determines compatibility.