Yoga as a Catholic

[Quatsch]

My mom has been getting into Yoga recently and wants to give me a book, Prayer of Heart and Body: Meditation and Yoga As Christian Spiritual Practice, written by Father Thomas Ryan, CSP (Community of St. Paul).

First question, has anyone read this book or had any experience with Father Ryan?

I am considering reading the book prayerfully and discerningly, but I am incredibly skeptical of material like this.

I should also mention that I am a convert to the Faith and my mother is not Christian and has only recently (within the last 5 years) become interested in yoga and meditation.

I realize that there is no problem with yoga if it is purely used as an exercise, and I also know that there are valid Christian meditation practices (the Jesus Prayer, for one, being a very ancient and, when properly used, powerful practice).

Basically I am very confused as to how to approach this subject and would like guidance.

Please help!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

My mom has been getting into Yoga recently and wants to give me a book, Prayer of Heart and Body: Meditation and Yoga As Christian Spiritual Practice, written by Father Thomas Ryan, CSP (Community of St. Paul).

First question, has anyone read this book or had any experience with Father Ryan?

I am considering reading the book prayerfully and discerningly, but I am incredibly skeptical of material like this.

I should also mention that I am a convert to the Faith and my mother is not Christian and has only recently (within the last 5 years) become interested in yoga and meditation.

I realize that there is no problem with yoga if it is purely used as an exercise, and I also know that there are valid Christian meditation practices (the Jesus Prayer, for one, being a very ancient and, when properly used, powerful practice).

Basically I am very confused as to how to approach this subject and would like guidance.

Please help!

I have read Fr Ryan’s book, “Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom,” and enjoyed it. However, I do know that conservative Catholics would have a problem with his work.

Yoga, as a physical exercise is very good for the body and I know many priest as well as Catholics, including myself, who do it. Although I’ve been doing Gillad work out mostly these days.

Yoga spirituality, is from Hinduism, and of course not Catholic.

I’m sure Fr Ryran’s books and videos on Yoga are fine.

Jim

 

[tuscany]

I’m sorry but no, I have not read the book.

I do know however, that yoga positions are Hindu positions of worship. Since Hindu’s believe in more than one God, you can see the
difficulties you are putting yourself into by doing them.

Is it really a good idea to place yourself into the worshipping positions of another religion’s many gods?

 

[Monica4316]

Why is Yoga Incompatible with Catholicism
Fr John Hardon, S.J.

"Yoga is incompatible with Catholicism because the best known practice of Hindu spirituality is Yoga. “Inner” Hinduism professes pantheism, which denies that there is only one infinite Being who created the world out of nothing. This pantheistic Hinduism says to the multitude of uncultured believers who follow the ways of the gods that they will receive the reward of the gods. They will have brief tastes of heaven between successive rebirths on earth. But they will never be delivered from the “wheel of existence” with its illusory lives and deaths until they realize that only “God” exists and all else is illusion (Maya). To achieve this liberation the principal way is by means of concentration and self control (yoga).

Indian spirituality is perhaps best known by the practice of yoga, derived from the root yuj to unite or yoke, which in context means union with the Absolute. Numerous stages are distinguished in the upward progress toward the supreme end of identification: by means of knowledge with the deity; the practice of moral virtues and observance of ethical rules; bodily postures; control of internal and external senses; concentration of memory and meditation–finally terminating in total absorption (samadhi), “when the seer stands in his own nature.”

Although the psychic element is far more important in yoga than the body, the latter is more characteristic of this method of Hindu liberation. Its purpose is to secure the best disposition of body for the purpose of meditation. The practice begins with a simple device for deep and slow breathing.

Stopping the right nostril with the thumb, through the left nostril fill in air, according to capacity. Then without any interval, throw the air out through the right nostril, eject through the left, according to capacity. Practicing this three or five times at four hours of the day, before dawn, during midday, in the evening, and at midnight, in fifteen days or a month purity of the nerves is attained.

After such preliminary exercises, more complicated practices are undertaken, but not without the guidance of a professional yogin, called guru. The meditative phase begins with fixing the mind on one object, which may be anything whatsoever, “the sphere of the navel, the lotus of the heart, the light of the brain, the tip of the nose, the tip of the tongue, and such like parts of the body” or also “God”, who on Hindu terms is the only real being who exists.

Gradually by sheer concentration of attention; the mind reaches a state of trance, where all mental activity stops and the consciousness rests in itself. The state of samadhi is the culmination of yoga and beyond it lies release. The life of the soul is not destroyed but is reduced to its “unconscious and permanent essence.”

catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0275.html

 

[JimR-OCDS]

tuscany

I do know however, that yoga positions are Hindu positions of worship. Since Hindu’s believe in more than one God, you can see the
difficulties you are putting yourself into by doing them.

Not necessarily true. Depends what position you’re speaking about. Cross legged seated position? This has more to do with culture than religion. Catholics in various cultures around the world can be found praying in a cross-legged position.

Other postures in Yoga actually come from our own biological make up, and the purpose
of the position is for targeting various muscles. When I watched my grandsons crawling around on the floor when they were just 2 years old, they would often go into various positions that are found in Yoga. They can do it because they’re muscles are not tense as our adult muscles are. However, through Yoga exercise, we can rejuvenate these muscles and doing so is conducive toward good health.

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Why is Yoga Incompatible with Catholicism
Fr John Hardon, S.J.

"Yoga is incompatible with Catholicism because the best known practice of Hindu spirituality is Yoga. “Inner” Hinduism professes pantheism, which denies that there is only one infinite Being who created the world out of nothing. This pantheistic Hinduism says to the multitude of uncultured believers who follow the ways of the gods that they will receive the reward of the gods. They will have brief tastes of heaven between successive rebirths on earth. But they will never be delivered from the “wheel of existence” with its illusory lives and deaths until they realize that only “God” exists and all else is illusion (Maya). To achieve this liberation the principal way is by means of concentration and self control (yoga).

Indian spirituality is perhaps best known by the practice of yoga, derived from the root yuj to unite or yoke, which in context means union with the Absolute. Numerous stages are distinguished in the upward progress toward the supreme end of identification: by means of knowledge with the deity; the practice of moral virtues and observance of ethical rules; bodily postures; control of internal and external senses; concentration of memory and meditation–finally terminating in total absorption (samadhi), “when the seer stands in his own nature.”

Although the psychic element is far more important in yoga than the body, the latter is more characteristic of this method of Hindu liberation. Its purpose is to secure the best disposition of body for the purpose of meditation. The practice begins with a simple device for deep and slow breathing.

Stopping the right nostril with the thumb, through the left nostril fill in air, according to capacity. Then without any interval, throw the air out through the right nostril, eject through the left, according to capacity. Practicing this three or five times at four hours of the day, before dawn, during midday, in the evening, and at midnight, in fifteen days or a month purity of the nerves is attained.

After such preliminary exercises, more complicated practices are undertaken, but not without the guidance of a professional yogin, called guru. The meditative phase begins with fixing the mind on one object, which may be anything whatsoever, “the sphere of the navel, the lotus of the heart, the light of the brain, the tip of the nose, the tip of the tongue, and such like parts of the body” or also “God”, who on Hindu terms is the only real being who exists.

Gradually by sheer concentration of attention; the mind reaches a state of trance, where all mental activity stops and the consciousness rests in itself. The state of samadhi is the culmination of yoga and beyond it lies release. The life of the soul is not destroyed but is reduced to its “unconscious and permanent essence.”

catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0275.html

This article is used often by misinformed Catholics who oppose Yoga. However, it has to do with Yoga spirituality, not Yoga exercise as done by most Americans. Depending on the style of Yoga, there is a separation between exercise and meditation and prayer. The forms of Yoga commonly done by Americans is purely exercise and has no spiritual aspect whatsoever.

Using this to oppose Yoga exercise would require Catholics to avoid all athletic sports because Yoga exercise is incorporated into physical conditioning.

Also, the other exercises came out of the Ancient Greeks and Romans who were pagans,
so, we’d have to eliminate those too.

Jim

 

[Quatsch]

This article is used often by misinformed Catholics who oppose Yoga. However, it has to do with Yoga spirituality, not Yoga exercise as done by most Americans. Depending on the style of Yoga, there is a separation between exercise and meditation and prayer. The forms of Yoga commonly done by Americans is purely exercise and has no spiritual aspect whatsoever.

Using this to oppose Yoga exercise would require Catholics to avoid all athletic sports because Yoga exercise is incorporated into physical conditioning.

Also, the other exercises came out of the Ancient Greeks and Romans who were pagans,
so, we’d have to eliminate those too.

Jim

I have to ask, could one apply 1 Cor 8 where Paul talks about food being offered to idols? In verse 4 he says: “Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and that ‘there is no God but one.’”

Continuing in verse 6 he says: “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

With this in mind, if one could eat meat which had been sacrificed to an idol firm in the knowledge of the Lord, I think a case could also be made for the exercises of yoga.

It’s late and I need to get to bed, but this was something I at least wanted to touch on and maybe encourage discussion with.

God Bless

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I have to ask, could one apply 1 Cor 8 where Paul talks about food being offered to idols? In verse 4 he says: “Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and that ‘there is no God but one.’”

Continuing in verse 6 he says: “yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

With this in mind, if one could eat meat which had been sacrificed to an idol firm in the knowledge of the Lord, I think a case could also be made for the exercises of yoga.

It’s late and I need to get to bed, but this was something I at least wanted to touch on and maybe encourage discussion with.

God Bless

Well I think the Scripture verse has to be understood in the context from which Paul wrote it, and that was in the Jewish context which forbade eating foods offered to pagan idols. In St. Paul’s time even food offered to God could only be eaten by the high-priest of the temple.

I don’t think the two issues are the same.

Yoga exercise isn’t a sacrifice as food was sacrificed to God or idols.

Its merely exercise. It conditions the body and helps improve the respiratory system and as all exercise does, relieves stress.

Jim

 

[philipmarie]

What one Priest says and does does not mean that it is good. I didn’t even know that yoga is some form of spirituality!

However, is it reasonable to substitute hindu yoga with ‘catholic’ yoga? That’s like praying a Biblical Rosary with the Jehovah’s witnesses bible; or offering the Mass vampire style (which, for your information a crazy parish priest did do: just look here: traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A318rcEasterSunday.html); or trying to be Catholic while rejecting half the dogma’s of the Catholic faith as almost all heretics do.

Even without that, yoga is fairly indecent. Just look at the poses which people do. There are other forms of exercise which are helpful and definitely less painful and which are more decent accompanied always for all of you out there with decent attire. Hot pants and bikini’s are are not decent attire.)

 

[Julianna]

Well I think the Scripture verse has to be understood in the context from which Paul wrote it, and that was in the Jewish context which forbade eating foods offered to pagan idols. In St. Paul’s time even food offered to God could only be eaten by the high-priest of the temple.

I don’t think the two issues are the same.

Yoga exercise isn’t a sacrifice as food was sacrificed to God or idols.

Its merely exercise. It conditions the body and helps improve the respiratory system and as all exercise does, relieves stress.

Jim

Thanks Jim for trying to stop the paranoia. My DH has MS and his doctor recommended yoga. I’ll leave it at that. Thanks!

 

[LilyM]

What one Priest says and does does not mean that it is good. I didn’t even know that yoga is some form of spirituality!

However, is it reasonable to substitute hindu yoga with ‘catholic’ yoga? That’s like praying a Biblical Rosary with the Jehovah’s witnesses bible; or offering the Mass vampire style (which, for your information a crazy parish priest did do: just look here: traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A318rcEasterSunday.html); or trying to be Catholic while rejecting half the dogma’s of the Catholic faith as almost all heretics do.

Even without that, yoga is fairly indecent. Just look at the poses which people do. There are other forms of exercise which are helpful and definitely less painful and which are more decent accompanied always for all of you out there with decent attire. Hot pants and bikini’s are are not decent attire.)

A) I don’t do yoga in a class, but by myself at home. I don’t - at least not knowingly - reject a single dogma (or discipline or any other form of required belief) of the Catholic faith.

B) Yoga is NOT ‘some form of spirituality’. It is ‘some form’ of bodily movement, which may or may not be practiced with an added spiritual component.

To me saying ‘yoga is necessarily a form of spirituality’ is like saying that an actor portraying a priest who enacts physically the rites and rituals of a Catholic Mass is thereby engaging in a spiritual practice. Of course he isn’t, even if Mass is most often done as a spiritual practice.

You can’t even say that such an actor, by portraying a Mass, is thereby opening himself up to spirituality or conversion to Catholicism - most if not all actors who portray the Mass in this way remain just their same old sinful selves afterwards, no?

C) you do ANY class in any gym you’re going to see people in fairly inelegant attitudes, many of them dressed for maximum freedom of movement and breathability, as they’re getting hot and sweaty. Which means skimpier clothing than you’d wear on the street.

Certainly exercise clothing is generally FAR more modest these days than it used to be, thanks to better fabric technology. In particular the yoga gear I’ve seen in catalogues and shops more usually consists of knee-length or even full-length, relatively loose pants, rather than hotpants or bikinis or leotards which are more often used for aerobic exercise such as jogging or whatnot.

 

[philipmarie]

I don’t think practicing yoga privately is a sin (as long as you don’t include spirituality, either hindu or Catholic in it (which does not mean that you can’t hear Catholic tapes while practicing yoga but, praying the Rosary during practice is very innapropriate.))

I and my friend don’t go to the gym even though we do practice boxing (to knock my sister out before she tells mum I stole the cookies and to protect innocent girls from getting touched by dirty perverts if sometime we do happen to come across one.) at home, but we do not wear silly shorts or vests or anything. We don’t wear shorts at all. The last time I did was last summer and to speak tha plainest truth, I was so embarrassed having to stand there so indecently in front of the Blessed Virgin. Luckily with Her grace, not only have I forced my mother NOT to force me in that stupid idiotic getup; I gave up going to the stupid beach so as to not wear indecent dress, I wore trousers inside and have refused to wear silly bermuda’s. I wore modest jeans instead (really, showing your legs to women. That’s what the Masons want).

I’m saying all this not so that people will see what a terrible hypocrite I am but so that when I speak against immodest fashions, I really may not seem like a hypocite. I don’t want to remove the speck in peoples eye when I have a log in my own.

Anyway, people wear scanty fashions at the gym and at the beach (and at home, school, cinema, the Vatican…). Many will say that since people have to work hard, they ought to wear scantier and lighter dress. True, they may dress in lighter clothes but on no account can anyone dress in immodest fashions (hospital dresses for patients are not immodest, they’re there for the occasion). What about the lust which they evoke?

 

[Mark_Roberto]

Yoga has lost much of its religious significance in contemporary america and is nowadays just another method of exercise.

 

[m134e5]

My mom has been getting into Yoga recently and wants to give me a book

I am considering reading the book prayerfully and discerningly, but I am incredibly skeptical of material like this.

I should also mention that I am a convert to the Faith and my mother is not Christian and has only recently (within the last 5 years) become interested in yoga and meditation.

I realize that there is no problem with yoga if it is purely used as an exercise, and I also know that there are valid Christian meditation practices (the Jesus Prayer, for one, being a very ancient and, when properly used, powerful practice).

Basically I am very confused as to how to approach this subject and would like guidance

Yoga can be ok, if it is done simply for exercise and to reduce stress (as consciously clearing your mind, and physical activity often does). It is a problem when you start thinking you are controlling some sort of spiritual energy that flows through you. The spirituality of many who teach yoga and who write books about it can be dangerous, so I’d be careful if I were you. When I was a recent convert to the Faith, I found it best to stick to exclusively Catholic spirituality for awhile- and to stay away from things that involved non-Catholic spirituality (even if I was interested in them for reasons other than their spirituality). There are plenty of ways to be healthy, and there are plenty of ways to practice meditation whose compatibility with Christianity isn’t in question. I think it would be best to focus your efforts on those things.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

philipmarie

However, is it reasonable to substitute hindu yoga with ‘catholic’ yoga? That’s like praying a Biblical Rosary with the Jehovah’s witnesses bible; or offering the Mass vampire style (which, for your information a crazy parish priest did do: just look here: traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A318rcEasterSunday.html); or trying to be Catholic while rejecting half the dogma’s of the Catholic faith as almost all heretics do.

Except that you’re referencing mixing spirituality, where Yoga exercise in itself, is not spiritual unless you make it so.

There is a distinct separation of doing exercise from that of spiritual practices and the most popular forms of Yoga exercise in the USA, have no spiritual aspect with in the exercise.

Outside of the exercise, sure, people meditate, but so do Catholics meditate, but in both cases, its done outside of the physical exercise routine.

That being said, there are some forms of Yoga, mostly found in India, that incorporate spirituality into the postures. These forms of Yoga are not free flowing physical exercise as most Americans do, but postures held for periods of time while meditating. Its not much of a physical conditioning workout that free flowing forms of Yoga provide.

I’m sure there are Americans doing these styles, but they’re not very popular.

Ev

en without that, yoga is fairly indecent. Just look at the poses which people do.

I’m curious, what postures are those? I never seen any yoga pose that was indecent.

There are other forms of exercise which are helpful and definitely less painful and which are more decent accompanied always for all of you out there with decent attire. Hot pants and bikini’s are are not decent attire.

Well, you must be referring to some style of Yoga I have no knowledge of. None of the Yoga exercise that I’ve done is painful.

In fact, I’ve been doing more traditional calisthenics and weight training with Gillad lately, because Yoga wasn’t giving me the intensity that I wanted. I find this to be more painful than any Yoga routine I’ve done. Yoga is a more gentle form of exercise, in my opinion.

Regardless of the form of exercise, Yoga stretching routines are often done for the cool-down, which only goes to prove that there is a physical benefit in doing Yoga.

Jim

 

[Julianna]

I don’t think practicing yoga privately is a sin (as long as you don’t include spirituality, either hindu or Catholic in it (which does not mean that you can’t hear Catholic tapes while practicing yoga but, praying the Rosary during practice is very innapropriate.))

I and my friend don’t go to the gym even though we do practice boxing (to knock my sister out before she tells mum I stole the cookies and to protect innocent girls from getting touched by dirty perverts if sometime we do happen to come across one.) at home, but we do not wear silly shorts or vests or anything. We don’t wear shorts at all. The last time I did was last summer and to speak tha plainest truth, I was so embarrassed having to stand there so indecently in front of the Blessed Virgin. Luckily with Her grace, not only have I forced my mother NOT to force me in that stupid idiotic getup; I gave up going to the stupid beach so as to not wear indecent dress, I wore trousers inside and have refused to wear silly bermuda’s. I wore modest jeans instead (really, showing your legs to women. That’s what the Masons want).

Who are the Masons? and why would they care?

I’m saying all this not so that people will see what a terrible hypocrite I am but so that when I speak against immodest fashions, I really may not seem like a hypocite. I don’t want to remove the speck in peoples eye when I have a log in my own.

Anyway, people wear scanty fashions at the gym and at the beach (and at home, school, cinema, the Vatican…). Many will say that since people have to work hard, they ought to wear scantier and lighter dress. True, they may dress in lighter clothes but on no account can anyone dress in immodest fashions (hospital dresses for patients are not immodest, they’re there for the occasion). What about the lust which they evoke?

Who is provoking lust by working out at the gym?

 

[Mystical_Dave]

There are supposed to be 166 forms of Yoga. Hatha Yoga or the purification excercises is only one. The meaning of Yoga is becoming one with God. There are those of us who just see it as another form of Mysticism.

Many of our Saints were mystical and had an energy running through them. Which would have made them illuminated and they could be called luminants! If you read Teresa’s of Avila’s book “Interior Castles” She speaks of things in relation to ascension of the soul and also of seven spiritual centers in the body! Of course in order to have that whole experience one needs to be a luminant or “Holy.”

Teresa speaks of the suspended state which one would have to attain by using deep meditation. Which Teresa speaks of prayer meditation, she also speaks of a prayer energy which comes from the prayer meditation. Teresa mentions the suspended state and she even mentions going into Heaven from these experiences which many Holy or Mystical have all done the same. You can do that for example with the Jesus prayer, try picturing Jesus and go through all the mysteries of the Rosary focusing on him and Mother Mary in each mystery. Teresa mentions four different prayer states(don’t think it all happens in 2 or 3 days this all takes years before one attains from these practices, if you acheive results right away than you might assume you were destined for it).

If one is able to read between the lines one can come to the same type of conclusions reading some of Catherine of Sienna’s writings and also John of the Cross!

You could read some of Fr. Ryan’s book pertaining to meditation and see it just as that and you could use some of the methods and use it to practice Christian Mysticism instead which is only just a more intimate relationship with God!

Dave

 

[John_of_Woking]

I have just heard Sharon Lee Giganti on this subject. She counselled against Yoga on Catholic Answers live and I agree with her wholeheartedly. We should stay away from this new age nonsense and focus on proper meditation i.e. the rosary…and for exercise? Try running around the block or do some simple stretches.