Who needs yoga?

[Porknpie]

The intent to practice a particular religion while doing something is what separates an act from the actual practice of a religion.

Sounds like a good way to deceive oneself. It results in a self deception type of thinking below:

“I’ll practice yoga but not focus on the spiritual aspects of yoga … that way I’m not really practicing Yoga”

This is despite there being a Yoga instructor in front of me.

Better to think:

“Yoga is an Eastern religious practice that has at its goal of clearing the mind of all thought. This is not biblical. This is not a Christian goal. It does not lead me to a life of holiness. It leads me down another path, away from holiness. I should avoid anything that leads to or results in this situation.”

“I can find alternative ways of relaxation and stretching without getting involved in an Eastern Religious practice.”

PnP

 

[TheWarriorMonk]

Sounds like a good way to deceive oneself. It results in a self deception type of thinking below:

“I’ll practice yoga but not focus on the spiritual aspects of yoga … that way I’m not really practicing Yoga”

This is despite there being a Yoga instructor in front of me.

Did I ever state that I was taught by a yoga instructor? Don’t make assumptions. Why do you assume that?

Exercises are exercises. I could care less where they come from. If you choose to associate Hindu, or any other, gods with exercise, that is your intentional and conscience choice. I don’t.

Better to think:

“Yoga is an Eastern religious practice that has at its goal of clearing the mind of all thought. This is not biblical. This is not a Christian goal. It does not lead me to a life of holiness. It leads me down another path, away from holiness. I should avoid anything that leads to or results in this situation.”

“I can find alternative ways of relaxation and stretching without getting involved in an Eastern Religious practice.”

Or ever better:

“God gave me this body, and it is my duty to strengthen and respect it. If my body is weak, not only cannot I not help myself, I cannot help others.”

 

[dedo]

Actually, clearing the mind and being “present” is a good idea and is worth pursuing.

There are Catholic meditational prayer exercises that can help with this. I wish I knew more about them.

Scores of accidents and injuries are associated with inattention. Much of it comes from using technology. Not all of it comes from that.

I take care of people who have had broken ankles and the story is almost always associated with just not paying attention. I broke my own ankle years ago from the same cause – thinking about something other than what I was doing.

Also, I have noticed that people who use a lot of technology are slower to react in time critical situations. That is just my own observation however, and I don’t have any data except there have been medical malpractice cases in the literature associated with inattention specifically related to technology use.

Thus, since technology is not going anywhere, there is more of a need for health practices to counter its effects. I wonder if this is why people are drawn to some sports including yoga that make you more “present”. There are other sports that also require you to be more present.

What we don’t know a lot about is how to improve our total health, physical, mental, and spiritual.

I would agree that engaging in Eastern spiritual practices (chanting etc.) could be a slippery slope. Also, there is some risk of inappropriate interaction with the opposite sex, but that is present in any coed sport.

However, doing yoga without the chanting seems to be fine and can be a powerful adjunct to a fitness program

 

[Porknpie]

Did I ever state that I was taught by a yoga instructor? Don’t make assumptions. Why do you assume that?

Many attend yoga classes. For this would be true. Practicing yoga at home is still yoga.

Exercises are exercises. I could care less where they come from

This is not reasonable thinking for a Christian if what they are practicing has its roots in an eastern religion.

If you choose to associate Hindu, or any other, gods with exercise, that is your intentional and conscience choice. I don’t.

I don’t choose anything in this regards. It’s simply fact that Yoga has roots as an eastern religion and the end state includes to clear one’s mind. Neither is a path to holiness as Christ calls us to follow. If one believes that Yoga is simply an exercise program, that thinking is erroneous. It’s changing the definition of Yoga to suit one’s own thinking.

Or ever better:

“God gave me this body, and it is my duty to strengthen and respect it. If my body is weak, not only cannot I not help myself, I cannot help others.”

St. Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians v7 concerning both the body and spirit: “beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God.”

I would submit there are better exercise choices for both body and spirit. One can strengthen both, respect both … better … by avoiding Yoga and choosing a different exercise.

Here’s a potential exercise…sounds interesting. :bounce:

PnP

 

[Isaiah45_9]

Here’s a potential exercise…sounds interesting. :bounce:

PnP

I have an incredible need to play whack-a-mole

:blushing:

 

[TheWarriorMonk]

Many attend yoga classes. For this would be true. Practicing yoga at home is still yoga.

How about at a Catholic Church?

If you take the position that any position used in “yoga” mean one is practicing Yoga, then when you put your hands together in Christian prayer you are practicing yoga…no ifs, ands, of buts about it. If you argue to the contrary, then you agree with my position.

This is not reasonable thinking for a Christian if what they are practicing has its roots in an eastern religion.

Certain body positions are not exclusively the domain of Hindus. Our bodies were designed by God, not Hindus practicing a particular religious practice.

Here’s a potential exercise…sounds interesting.

That is not a substitute for the stretching exercises I do. I have back issues, and need to stretch my spine. The exercise I do for immediate relief looks like what you would call a Hindu prayer position laying on the ground. But it pulls my compressed disks apart, giving me pain relief and greater mobility. It’s just one of many exercises I do, which are not limited to “yoga” stretches.

 

[christofirst]

Thankfully, as Catholics, we also have a fourth way to consider yoga.

1. It has already been shown here that we can focus only on the physical aspects, the stretching and conditioning. I was first introduced to stretching poses which I later learned were similar or identical to certain yoga poses through a book by physiologist Peter Egoscue called* Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain. * The word Yoga never once appears in this book (if memory serves), and it was completely neutral concerning religion, focusing only on the mechanics of the body and what works to restore integrity. Is it a coincidence that Egoscue’s “revolutionary method” is similar to Yoga, which has been around for a very long time? To suggest otherwise might imply some sort of Universal Wisdom, and we don’t want to go there!
2. We can totally reject anything remotely similar to yoga, as some here enthusiastically suggest. Nothing wrong with that.
3. We can practice some form of yoga, and practice being mindful and in the present moment as we do. I can’t see how this would let in a host of demons, but if it worries you, stick with choice # 1 or 2.
4. We can take what is good and true about yoga, and incorporate it in our Christian life of prayer, as suggested by Paulist Father Thomas Ryan.

tomryancsp.org/books.htm

I just finished reading his Prayer of Heart & Body: Meditation and Yoga as Christian Spiritual Practice. Now, when I do the stretches I learned in the Egoscue book, I try to make it a time of silent prayer as well. Pray always!

 

[Michael_Mayo]

**Here is a Catholic article **on yoga discouraging it’s use and explaining a bit of its history.

And the NY Times article that states that Yoga started as a sex cult. The NY Times article is mentioned in the Catholic article above.

I make this up … not.

Somebody made it up to mislead.

Yoga predates Tantrism ( which deals with a lot more than “sex”.

Yoga begin to emerge in the texts of c. 500–200 BC

Tantrism originated in the early centuries of the common era, developing into a fully articulated tradition by the end of the Gupta period. This was the “Golden Age of Hinduism” (ca. 320–650 AD).

Tantrism is one school of Hinduism (though also found in Buddhism & Jainism) which is one school of of Yoga

3.1 Hinduism
    3.1.1 Raja Yoga
    3.1.2 **Tantra**
    3.1.3 Hatha yoga
    3.1.4 Shaivism
3.2 Jainism
3.3 Buddhism
3.4 Modern wellness

 

[Porknpie]

I have an incredible need to play whack-a-mole

:blushing:

I feel this urge too.

A little humor is good and needed sometimes.

PnP

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I just finished reading his Prayer of Heart & Body: Meditation and Yoga as Christian Spiritual Practice. Now, when I do the stretches I learned in the Egoscue book, I try to make it a time of silent prayer as well. Pray always!

Yes, prayer while stretching. We need to be stretched.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I feel this urge too.

A little humor is good and needed sometimes.

PnP

Careful, there

laughteryoga.org/english/laughteryoga

Don’t go pagan on us.

 

[Porknpie]

How about at a Catholic Church?

If you take the position that any position used in “yoga” mean one is practicing Yoga, then when you put your hands together in Christian prayer you are practicing yoga…no ifs, ands, of buts about it. If you argue to the contrary, then you agree with my position.

Clearly we are not having a conversation about simply stretching. If that’s what you are doing I say

Certain body positions are not exclusively the domain of Hindus. Our bodies were designed by God, not Hindus practicing a particular religious practice.

We agree.

That is not a substitute for the stretching exercises I do. I have back issues, and need to stretch my spine. The exercise I do for immediate relief looks like what you would call a Hindu prayer position laying on the ground. But it pulls my compressed disks apart, giving me pain relief and greater mobility. It’s just one of many exercises I do, which are not limited to “yoga” stretches.

Stretch for sure. It’s good for you. I do so before I run. Or at least I think and try to do so. Sometimes I forget which leads me to be a little gimpy afterwards. But stretching exercises and Yoga as a practice are two different activities. I have no problem, no issue at all with stretching exercises.

In fact, the Dr. told me at my check up that I need to stretch more. Significantly more. He gave me a number of exercises to do. I should do. But still don’t. Probably because in this area of my life, I’m admittedly a little lazy.

But I can run 4 miles without stopping … 6 miles by August 1st, for a 10K run in my area.

PnP

 

[Porknpie]

Careful, there

laughteryoga.org/english/laughteryoga

Don’t go pagan on us.

I my knowledge, this started with the Japanese. I think it releases endorphins, similar to having a runners high.

See here the Japanese.

We can take what’s good from other cultures and apply it our lives.

Although I really don’t know what they are singing about.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I have no problem, no issue at all with stretching exercises.

In fact, the Dr. told me at my check up that I need to stretch more. Significantly more. He gave me a number of exercises to do. I should do. But still don’t. Probably because in this area of my life, I’m admittedly a little lazy.

PnP

This is why I started the thread. We need to approach stretching in and of itself, not just pre or post other activity. Like 30 minutes to an hour several times a week.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Somebody made it up to mislead.

Yoga predates Tantrism ( which deals with a lot more than “sex”.

Yoga begin to emerge in the texts of c. 500–200 BC

Tantrism originated in the early centuries of the common era, developing into a fully articulated tradition by the end of the Gupta period. This was the “Golden Age of Hinduism” (ca. 320–650 AD).

Tantrism is one school of Hinduism (though also found in Buddhism & Jainism) which is one school of of Yoga

3.1 Hinduism
    3.1.1 Raja Yoga
    3.1.2 **Tantra**
    3.1.3 Hatha yoga
    3.1.4 Shaivism
3.2 Jainism
3.3 Buddhism
3.4 Modern wellness

Hatha yoga, which is popular in the U.S. for exercise, emerged from Tantra.

I agree it is misleading to say yoga emerged from a “sex cult”. I have no doubt a “sex cult”, whatever that is, could use yoga, but really, to say yoga emerged from such a cult is inaccurate. The Sutras of Patanjali predate Hatha yoga by hundreds of years.

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

Hatha yoga, which is popular in the U.S. for exercise, emerged from Tantra.

I agree it is misleading to say yoga emerged from a “sex cult”. I have no doubt a “sex cult”, whatever that is, could use yoga, but really, to say yoga emerged from such a cult is inaccurate. The Sutras of Patanjali predate Hatha yoga by hundreds of years.

Sex Cults are imbedded in the Human Mind

 

[Gary_Sheldrake]

Many people who do yoga do it for 30 - 60 minutes several times a week if not every day.

To reap the benefits of that kind commitment it helps to have a systematic routine. Stretches should be held from 30 seconds to 2 minutes for some.

Most people do not give this much time to stretching unless they are in physical therapy or involved in a sport.

Who has time for it? If we make it a priority and a consistent practice we feel better all a round. We should not let the taint of a non Christian religion stop us from doing what is good for us in body mind and spirit. I say spirit because when the body feels good the mind and spirit quite often follow.

Good Evening Michael: I have been doing yoga every day for ten years. I also became a vegetarian at the same time. People ask if I have seen any benefits, but I have not seen the current iteration of myself that did not do yoga for the past ten years, so I really can’t say.

Thank you for the thread!

Gary

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Hatha yoga, which is popular in the U.S. for exercise, emerged from Tantra.

I agree it is misleading to say yoga emerged from a “sex cult”. I have no doubt a “sex cult”, whatever that is, could use yoga, but really, to say yoga emerged from such a cult is inaccurate. The Sutras of Patanjali predate Hatha yoga by hundreds of years.

Wouldn’t it then be more accurate to say that both Hatha and Tantra emerged from classical yoga?

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Good Evening Michael: I have been doing yoga every day for ten years. I also became a vegetarian at the same time. People ask if I have seen any benefits, but I have not seen the current iteration of myself that did not do yoga for the past ten years, so I really can’t say.

Thank you for the thread!

Gary

I think if you stopped for a week or more you would soon see the benefits of staying with it and start again.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

The good news is that your mind is healthy and can think through whether Yoga is an activity that makes us more holy or not. We are called to holiness.

You’ve kinda swerved from my point here. Real hard too.

Clearing your heard is neither a Christian nor is it a Hindu concept. Everyone needs a chill pill without necessarily hitting the sack. After a long day of copywriting and coffee, I welcome the idea of just closing my eyes and stop thinking about it all (even for just 15 minutes).

Yoga or not, that practice really helps curb any murderous tendencies (particularly of the axe variety).