Yoga for Catholics?

[shocktrooper]

Is Yoga an acceptable practice for a Catholic? Please provide Church teachings either way or direct me to them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[phoooiee]

This has been dealt with at least once on the Ask the Apologist forums. Yoga is fine, just refrain from any prayers that might happen during any classes.

I’ve received the same answer from multiple priests and religious.

 

[Spencerian]

Is Yoga an acceptable practice for a Catholic? Please provide Church teachings either way or direct me to them.

Thanks in advance.

This Ask an Apologist question and answer should clear it up for you.

While the physical benefits of yoga (as with some martial arts, such as Tai Chi) are beneficial, it’s important to note that yoga’s postures are of Eastern religious traditions. Practice the position, not the posture. “Chakras” and other Eastern religious aspects are contrary to the Catholic faith.

 

[Roisinbud]

I saw this question on another trend, hope this helps. I used to do Yoga but moved to other exercise after learning it is basically Hinda prayer poses and created conflict for me to obey the first commandment.
Peace
Roisin

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=6984225

 

[beafedor]

With yoga, we are stepping into religious rites from Hinduism.
Would it be acceptable for an Hindu to attend the Catholic Mass just because the smell of incense clears his sinuses or because the Mass wine is acting like a medication for his upset stomach?
Yoga is OK if:
-one claims Hinduism as their religion or
-if we are aware of and ready to suffer the possible consequences (violating the 1s commandment and opening our minds to unclean spirits through pantheistic meditation exercises)

 

[beafedor]

I invite you to read this document from the Vatican:

JESUS CHRIST THE BEARER OF THE WATER OF LIFE
A Christian reflection on the “New Age”

It states in paragraph 2.1.
“Some of the traditions which flow into New Age are: ancient Egyptian occult practices, Cabbalism, early Christian gnosticism, Sufism, the lore of the Druids, Celtic Christianity, mediaeval alchemy, Renaissance hermeticism, Zen Buddhism, Yoga and so on.”

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_interelg_doc_20030203_new-age_en.html#1.4.%20The%20New%20Age%20and%20Catholic%20Faith

 

[HisLamb]

Sorry, no one is going to convince me that going through prayer positions to hindu gods is not a slap in the face to our Lord. The term yoga literally means “yoke” and refers to the union that yoga brings about with Brahman, the hindu god. There are plenty of beneficial stretching exercises that are not rooted in a pagan religion. Unfortunately the Church has been slow about responding to the yoga phenomenon. They have not denounced it as they have reiki. However, the document cited earlier (Jesus Christ the Bearer of the Water of Life) is a good start. Every time I see yoga on TV I wonder with each position–what god are they honoring now?

Beyond that, as Christians we are called to respect all people, even if they do not share our belief. It is an insult to many hindu’s that non-hindu’s have latched on to yoga and turned it into “exercise”. To some of them, it is very irreverent. I wonder how we Catholics would feel if hindu’s hijacked something that is holy to us-- for example, what if they desecrated the Eucharist to feed their sacred cows or something.

More food for thought…From one hindu website–
“Yoga is an integral part of the Hindu religion. There is a saying: “There is no Yoga without Hinduism and no Hinduism without Yoga.”

“The aim of yoga is the transformation of human beings from their natural form to a perfected form.”-- (The Church and Scripture do not say that yoga transforms us. We are transformed by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit to our perfected form. Yoga was around when Jesus was on this earth, He did not encourage it as a means of perfecting ourselves)

And from Fr. Pat’s forum-

“Yoga is not just stretching and relaxing. It is meant to separate the soul from the body so that the person can experience an ultimate release and be freed from the endless cycle of reincarnation (reincarnation does NOT exist but this is at the heart of Hindu and Buddhist belief). Spirits are invoked through chanting mantras and it doesn’t matter whether you believe in them or not, you call someone to the dinner table: they’re a comin’. We need to take care of our bodies and exercise should be a part of a holistic spirituality but these Eastern techniques have very real pagan roots and consequences and they are best avoided.”

 

[Cirdan_XII]

I haven’t ever done any Yoga myself but I guess most yoga instructors just consider and teach yoga as a series of exercises that are beneficial to the mind and body and that any religious aspects have been abandoned long ago (at least in western-style yoga).

You could verify this by asking your instructor about their beliefs and attitude towards Hinduism and try to find an instructor who doesn’t see any religious aspects in what he or she teaches.

Many of our traditions and things we do are pagan in origin. But is it wrong to, for example, carve a pumpkin or dance around the Maypole? As long as you do it as a fun thing rather than a religious exercise I don’t see what can be wrong with it.

 

[phoooiee]

Here is a good document which seems to sum up a lot of what has been said on this thread.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19891015_meditazione-cristiana_en.html

Bottom line:

If a person’s heart is directed toward Christ, all is well. If a person’s heart is not, then yoga can be dangerous.

Take care of your relationship with God and the Catholic faith first, and if yoga aids it, it is acceptable for Catholics.

But everything must be judged by its fruits- if it causes immoral behavior incompatible with Church teaching, then it has to be rejected. Some people might be in a place where they are likely to make an idol out of yoga, and this is to be avoided as much as any other idolatry.

Here’s an article I really enjoyed reading (where I found the above document referenced):
patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Pose-by-Pose-Amen-and-Om-Mary-DeTurris-Poust-01-11-2011?offset=0&max=1

I can honestly say that my yoga practice has improved my Christian prayer life. It makes it easier for me to focus during the Rosary or the Liturgy of the Hours.
Dwelling on a fear of anything not strictly found within the Catholic faith has made my prayer life nearly dry up and I start to become anxious and fall more easily into sin- this makes me feel more and more that this attitude is not from God.

 

[Labarum]

This has been dealt with at least once on the Ask the Apologist forums. Yoga is fine, just refrain from any prayers that might happen during any classes.

I’ve received the same answer from multiple priests and religious.

Yoga is NOT fine. Those poses are prayers where you imitate positions of gods. For Hindus you are worshiping and imitating those gods whether you believe in it or not. It is no different than Catholics and the Eucharist - it doesn’t matter if you believe it or not it is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.

By practicing yoga you are worshiping gods and opening yourself up to evil spirits.

 

[phoooiee]

Yoga is NOT fine. Those poses are prayers where you imitate positions of gods. For Hindus you are worshiping and imitating those gods whether you believe in it or not. It is no different than Catholics and the Eucharist - it doesn’t matter if you believe it or not it is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.

By practicing yoga you are worshiping gods and opening yourself up to evil spirits.

I would think that if this is the position of the Church then the document I posted from the Church would have said so?

 

[Labarum]

I would think that if this is the position of the Church then the document I posted from the Church would have said so?

Here is a caution in practicing these forms from the same Vatican document you offered.

1. With the present diffusion of eastern methods of meditation in the Christian world and in ecclesial communities, we find ourselves faced with a pointed renewal of an attempt, which is not free from dangers and errors, to fuse Christian meditation with that which is non-Christian. Proposals in this direction are numerous and radical to a greater or lesser extent. Some use eastern methods solely as a psycho-physical preparation for a truly Christian contemplation; others go further and, using different techniques, try to generate spiritual experiences similar to those described in the writings of certain Catholic mystics. Still others do not hesitate to place that absolute without image or concepts, which is proper to Buddhist theory, on the same level as the majesty of God revealed in Christ, which towers above finite reality. To this end, they make use of a “negative theology,” which transcends every affirmation seeking to express what God is and denies that the things of this world can offer traces of the infinity of God. Thus they propose abandoning not only meditation on the salvific works accomplished in history by the God of the Old and New Covenant, but also the very idea of the One and Triune God, who is Love, in favor of an immersion "in the indeterminate abyss of the divinity."These and similar proposals to harmonize Christian meditation with eastern techniques need to have their contents and methods ever subjected to a thorough-going examination so as to avoid the danger of falling into syncretism.

Also this document deals with using eastern mediation practices to pray to God. However, most people use Yoga for exercise not meditation. Furthermore, at the bottom it states that it is subject to an ongoing examination so as to avoid falling into danger.

The yoga positions (whether used to mediate or for exercise) are solely created to worship and imitate Hindu gods. Whether you believe in it or not that is what you are doing.

Also, this letter was published in 1989. Since then there has been done more research on the issue of Yoga and they have found it to be anti-Christian and goes against the commandment of worshiping other gods except God alone.

Here is an explanation from a former yoga student turned Christian: “… [yoga is] aimed at transforming human consciousness to experience the Hindu god, which is a false god.” … She also… instructed her students in astral projection, or “stepping outside” of the body, which Laurette says poses a serious spiritual danger. “If there’s nothing in your mind, you’re open to all kinds of deception… I wondered who—or what—came into my body when I ‘stepped out.’ “

Here is a site on the matter:
Yoga and horoscopes can lead to possession by Devil, claims Cardinal’s exorcist

and another one
catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0275.html

 

[Labarum]

Many of our traditions and things we do are pagan in origin. But is it wrong to, for example, carve a pumpkin or dance around the Maypole? As long as you do it as a fun thing rather than a religious exercise I don’t see what can be wrong with it.

Playing Ouija boards just for fun still open people up for possessions. The spiritual world is real whether you believe it or not and if you open yourself up to it (whether it is for fun or spiritual) you put yourself in danger and sin.

Read this catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0418.html

 

[Vico]

Is Yoga an acceptable practice for a Catholic? Please provide Church teachings either way or direct me to them.

Thanks in advance.

Google this: yoga site:www.vatican.va

 

[Cirdan_XII]

Playing Ouija boards just for fun still open people up for possessions. The spiritual world is real whether you believe it or not and if you open yourself up to it (whether it is for fun or spiritual) you put yourself in danger and sin.

Read this catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0418.html

I think the big difference between Ouija boards and e.g., carving a pumpkin is that in Ouija you are sollicting contact to demonic beings. It is the communication part of it that makes it evil and you cannot communicate with an evil being as a joke or diversion any more than you can phone the fire brigade for a joke and then be surprised when they come to your house.

With the possible exception of a priest performing an exorcism, no Catholic should seek to communicate with demonic beings

But many other customs of pagan origin are permitted or at least tolerated by the Church. Think about the confetti that is thrown at a marriage. Think about the maypole. Think about the face carved on the pumpkin. Think about carneval costumes and parades. These are all traditions that go back to things our pagan ancestors did to either worship or appease their gods. But they have been reinterpreted to the point that they have become neutral and no longer violate the “Thou shalt have no other God …” commandment.

 

[Holly3278]

I suppose it can be acceptable as long as it is kept strictly away from its roots in Eastern religions. That said, I refuse to practice Yoga because of its roots in Eastern religions. I have far too many problems with spirituality to allow myself to potentially become entangled in something that would damage my faith and I know that this potentially could do so for me because I know that my personality disorder causes me to be fragile in areas such as this.

 

[Labarum]

Cirdan XII, I agree with the examples you have used.

I used the example of the Ouija board because of the comment "As long as you do it as a fun thing rather than a religious exercise I don’t see what can be wrong with it.

Just because someone views it as fun rather than a religious exercise doesn’t change the danger of it. If you are opening yourself up to other gods, or spirits and doing poses that worship them (whether you think it is fun or not) doesn’t take away the dangers in the spiritual and/or temporal realm.

Yoga falls into the same class as the Ouija board. Many Exorcists are now starting to realize how dangerous Yoga really is. (see link above from previous post).

 

[Pitcharan]

Hear something about the origin of yoga from someone from the land of yoga:

• It was born out of a dire need by people whose only function was to eat and fatten themselves in God’s name
• These people had made it a law to be fed on all occasions including birth, marriage and death* They literally did no work but managed to rule and exploit in God’s name
• They successfully developed this ingenious method of exercising mind and body in a few minutes through postures
• They did not stop at that and went on to extend this technique for enhanced carnal pleasure (kamasutra)
• They gave it a ‘spiritual halo’ to silence their own spirit (conscience)

 

[Cirdan_XII]

Hear something about the origin of yoga from someone from the land of yoga:

• It was born out of a dire need by people whose only function was to eat and fatten themselves in God’s name
• These people had made it a law to be fed on all occasions including birth, marriage and death* They literally did no work but managed to rule and exploit in God’s name
• They successfully developed this ingenious method of exercising mind and body in a few minutes through postures
• They did not stop at that and went on to extend this technique for enhanced carnal pleasure (kamasutra)
• They gave it a ‘spiritual halo’ to silence their own spirit (conscience)

Yes, very sad and true.

One of the problems with Hindusim is that it is very much a pick and choose religion. There is a huge mass of different stories and sources, some of it only known locally and restricted to certain geographic areas, and various people have added to the panoply over the ages mixing up history, myth and imagination and even borrowing wholesame lumps from other religions to the point that if you want to look at all of it you must not only face numerous contradictions but in many respects struggle with a mad unstructured chaos. Hindus can only live with this by picking out the bits that suit them (or have their priests do that for them) and ignore much of the rest. Sex, of course, has an undeniable attraction so those particular bits appeal to a lot of people, especially Western and New Age converts. I have spoken to knowledgeable Indian Hindus, however, who told me all that has nothing to do with them.

 

[rotlex]

I love yoga threads on these forums, especially on a Monday morning, when I’m in need of a good laugh.

Anyone who believes that taking a yoga class at their local gym, or health club is leading them down a spiritual path toward eternal damnation is living inside a delusional world they have somehow been feared into by people with some serious issues of their own.

Honestly. Stop, just stop, LOL. Yoga is fine. It’s a great workout,and does not have to include any of the spiritual aspects. It has even helped my wife recover from a debilitating surgery that left her very physically week. She’s not worshiping any foreign idols, gods or demons. Really folks, get a grip. When most ask about yoga, they are most likely not going to a local yoga guru type place where all aspects of it are practiced in full. Heck, there are a NUMBER of CATHOLIC parishes in my diocese that offer classes in it!