Yoga - not just a benign exercise!

[Vixit]

You might call them exercise but yoga masters call them poses. That’s becasue they are poses of worship to false gods, demons! This is the fact that has to be recognized no matter what your opinion of the physical benefits you might have felt you derived from the poses. They are not exercies, they are poses meant for worshipping the many, many false gods. When you deliberately assume one of the poses you are participating in the worship of a demon for that is actually what the poses are, not exercises, poses of worship to false gods!

So no bodybuilding either? They have ‘poses’. I think they’re called that because that’s what they are= the holding of a certain position for a time

 

[Pitcharan]

Having heard testimonies from different people I would hardly call it benign. It masquerades as being benign.

I would not be surprised if those who are into yoga are into other new agey beliefs masked as being similar to Catholic practices as well.

Whatever wisdom we need is fulfilled in Christ. That is all that is needed.

I admire your discernment and conviction. God bless you.

Hear some more about it from a person who belongs to 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)

It is unfortunate that many catholics are drawn to yoga rather than the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. I wish they realise that no prophet, nor Jesus nor any saint ever considered it necessary to teach people how to preserve our perishable bodies. They all were only concerned about the soul.

 

[Layman]

I read an article I think a previous poster linked to. I think they got it right. In summary:

1. Yoga works on chakras. These are ‘centers of sensation’ linked to glands and organs in the body.
2. Yoga is dangerous if you are not spiritually purified, first i.e. free from evil desires.
3. It’s used to get saintly powers through techniques, instead of through God’s graces as a byproduct of being holy.
4. You can end up having a psychotic break if 2. above is the case. Or you can attract demons.
5. Office workers doing advanced tantric yoga techniques, in a short course taught by a guy who has one year’s teaching himself, is dangerous and stupid.

 

[Pitcharan]

…
2. Yoga is dangerous if you are not spiritually purified, first i.e. free from evil desires.
…

Once you are spiritually purified you need neither yoga nor any such aids. Don’t be carried away by those articles that portray yoga to be some kind of mystical method to attain divinity on earth. The greatest exponents of yoga have left an indelible infamous track record.

 

[Grateful_Soul]

So no bodybuilding either? They have ‘poses’. I think they’re called that because that’s what they are= the holding of a certain position for a time

Bodybuilding poses are not yoga poses. Yoga poses are physical postions of the body that are designed for the specific worship of specific false gods, demons. Bodybuilding poses are meant to show the results of hours of weightlifting to shape and build muscle. Striking a pose in bodybuilding is not the same as the poses of yoga.

We become too scrupulous at times. Little children will sometimes draw their feet up in a postion that is similar to the lotus position in yoga, but, they are in no way attempting to actually form that pose with their bodies. They are simply acting like children and God knows this, He is not offended. We only offend God when we continue to do something that is worshipping a god or gods (demons) other than Him deliberatly, willfully. That is what makes yoga wrong because of what the poses are, they are poses of worship to false gods, demons, Satan.

But it is also our loving, merciful God who allows us to choose and provides us with opportunities to learn the truth and then renounce the wrong and embrace the truth. That’s love! All of this is done because He infinitely loves us. He doesn’t immediately send us to Hell when we offend Him, He provides over and over, time and time again opportunities for us to stop seperating ourselves from Him. We renounce and ask His mercy, He forgives! That’s love! To me that is why this discussion is important, it is another opportunity to learn TRUTH and embrace it and reject the lies that are set forth only to kill, steal and destroy souls. It’s all about knowing, loving and serving God in this life! What an awesome, holy, loving, merciful Father we have!

May all of our wills be turned towards only serving God and may His TRUTH be our guide and our redemption through Jesus Christ our Savior!
God bless everyone of us tonight!
Grateful Soul

 

[Pitcharan]

… That is what makes yoga wrong because of what the poses are, they are poses of worship to false gods, demons, Satan.

But it is also our loving, merciful God who allows us to choose and provides us with opportunities to learn the truth and then renounce the wrong and embrace the truth. That’s love! … It’s all about knowing, loving and serving God in this life! What an awesome, holy, loving, merciful Father we have!

May all of our wills be turned towards only serving God and may His TRUTH be our guide and our redemption through Jesus Christ our Savior!
God bless everyone of us tonight!
Grateful Soul

…It is unfortunate that many catholics are drawn to yoga rather than the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. I wish they realise that no prophet, nor Jesus nor any saint ever considered it necessary to teach people how to preserve our perishable bodies. They all were only concerned about the soul.

 

[LilyM]

symptoms of kundalini arousal: heat or ice-cold currents moving up the spine, and in most cases, reaching the head.

Sometimes a feeling of air bubbles or snake movement up through the body up to the head.

Pains in varying locations throughout the body.

Titillation of the genital area, spine, or head.

Tension or stiffness in the neck, and headaches.

Vibrations, unease, or cramps in legs and other parts of the body.

Fast pulse and increased metabolism.

Sensitivity to sound, light, smell, and the proximity of other people.

Orgasm-like sensations in different places in the body, or total cosmic orgasms.

Mystical/religious experiences, revelations, and/or cosmic glimpses.

parapsychological abilities. Light phenomena in or outside the body.

Problems with finding the balance between strong sexual urges, and a wish to live in sublime purity.

Persistent anxiety or anxiety attacks, due to lack of understanding of what is going on.

I’m sorry but most pains, headaches, cramps, sensitivity to light or sound? EVERYONE experiences most or all of those from time to time.

Problems with balancing strong sexual urges and a desire to live in purity? Ever read St Augustine describing the process of his conversion? It describes him to a T. Same with many others - both saints and ordinary folks.

“Cosmic orgasm”? Does such a thing even exist? I’ve certainly never heard of it!

Anxiety attacks due to lack of understanding what’s going on? Again, a not uncommon condition among non-yogaists as well as those who do yoga.

Where’s your evidence that these phemomena are particuarly associated in any way with kundalini? Do a higher percentage of practitioners of kundalini yoga report experiencing them when asked, compared to the average person? I don’t say self-reporting these symptoms, because that’s unreliable, but unbiased random quizzing. Or more often, perhaps?

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t touch kundalini yoga with a barge pole personally, but I nonetheless am dubious about stuff like this.

 

[LilyM]

This is somewhat a valid claim. But notice that the examples you gave were specifically Christianized, reclaimed by Christ or by Christians because after all, nature belongs to God.

And what of the people on these fora who talk about praying specifically Christian prayers while contorting their bodies (but not their spirits)? By any definition that is also a specific Christianisation of yoga.

And what about other efforts at Christianisation, like praisemoves.com/

There is nowhere any account of Yoga or Hindu practices being reclaimed by the church.

December 25 IS, however, associated with the winter solstice - pagan celebration of which well and truly predates Christianity. So take your pick of pagan festivals, Christmas did oust the date’s original meaning.

Let me put it this way. Psychologists who have studied hypnosis intensively for years have found time and time again that people who do NOT want to be hypnotised can NOT be hypnotised against their will by any technique available to any hypnotist. This proves positively that the human mind and will stronger than any power of suggestion from the outside that a person actively chooses to resist.

 

[benedictus2]

And what of the people on these fora who talk about praying specifically Christian prayers while contorting their bodies (but not their spirits)? By any definition that is also a specific Christianisation of yoga.

Can any Tom, Dick and Harry Christianize something that is very pagan? Not only that, dedicated to false gods.

And what about other efforts at Christianisation, like praisemoves.com/

I think the site specifically said it was an alternative to yoga.

And where, I’d like to know, does the church (by which I presume you mean the magisterium) breathe even a word about bridal veils? Or Christmas trees?

Bridal veils had nothing to do with honoring false gods (as I far as I can ascertain). As for Christmas Trees, I think they originated with St Boniface but he did not exactly pick it up from pagans.

I have done, long ago. Thank you. It’s very informative and insightful. It’s also totally inapplicable to yoga when used strictly as bodily exercise absent any wish or intent to attribute Hindu or any other non-Christian spiritual significance to the poses.

But why would anyone toy with a practice that is specifically aimed at the worship of false God’s (possibly even evil spirits) when there are others available that have no such negative associations?

And based on the testimony of quite a lot of other people, as well as personal experience, I would say it’s a practice that is beneficial to the physical health, and that unless one delves into the Hindu spirituality side of it it’s perfectly fine.

I would not be so sure of that.

For the record I am NOT ignorant of Church teaching on new age practice. Go figure.

I never said you are. But I would say that most are.

And I do NOT, to the best of my knowledge and belief and after very strenuous efforts to educate myself in the faith, on this and every other aspect, hold any beliefs that are in any way offensive to Church teaching.

Again, I never said you do.

And I resent being tarred with some new-age-loving heterodox broad brush. I would challenge anyone to examine my beliefs, I’m happy to change if you can offer real evidence that anything I believe is offensive to the Church.

My apologies if you took that to mean so.

December 25 IS, however, associated with the winter solstice - pagan celebration of which well and truly predates Christianity. So take your pick of pagan festivals, Christmas did oust the date’s original meaning.

I don’t have the time right now to re-type the section regarding this from Mark Shea’s book “Mary Mother of the Son”.

But the opening notes will probably suffice for the moment until I can find the time to type up the rest in support.

“Thus the “pagan origins of Christmas” is a myth without historical substance.”
The fact is, our records of a tradition associating Jesus’s birth with December 25 are decades older than any records concerning a pagan feast on that day" (pages 74-76 of the book, vol 1)

 

[benedictus2]

Once you are spiritually purified you need neither yoga nor any such aids. Don’t be carried away by those articles that portray yoga to be some kind of mystical method to attain divinity on earth. The greatest exponents of yoga have left an indelible infamous track record.
Exactly!

 

[Layman]

Once you are spiritually purified you need neither yoga nor any such aids. Don’t be carried away by those articles that portray yoga to be some kind of mystical method to attain divinity on earth. The greatest exponents of yoga have left an indelible infamous track record.

Agreed. Using techniques like this to achieve mystical effects is a form of sorcery. Add in the ignorance of the practitioners and the advanced levels they jump straight into and you have a recipe for mental breakdown. The occult is also a playground for charlatans. Also, if these gurus are not truly saints the danger is they’ll use their powers for evil ends.

The classic sign is the ‘living saint’ amassing great personal wealth and having illicit sexual relations with his followers.

You won’t read about Yoga casualties in the papers. The ‘cause and effect’ are too distant from each other. Just rumours about Ms. Trendy Alternative having a ‘personal crisis’.

 

[LilyM]

Agreed. Using techniques like this to achieve mystical effects is a form of sorcery. Add in the ignorance of the practitioners and the advanced levels they jump straight into and you have a recipe for mental breakdown. The occult is also a playground for charlatans. Also, if these gurus are not truly saints the danger is they’ll use their powers for evil ends.

The classic sign is the ‘living saint’ amassing great personal wealth and having illicit sexual relations with his followers.

You won’t read about Yoga casualties in the papers. The ‘cause and effect’ are too distant from each other. Just rumours about Ms. Trendy Alternative having a ‘personal crisis’.

Who the blazes said anything at all about achieving mystical effects? The absolute contrary, I’m not interested at all in ‘achieving’ mysticism, which is really a gift of God that no ‘technique’ (physical or otherwise) can or will achieve.

All I want is to get the knots out of my back and neck - and yoga achieves that far more effectively than any of the other things I’ve tried (and yes, I’ve tried lots of alternatives) short of painkillers which can’t be used long-term whereas yoga can. I’m sure a lot of people who do it would say similar things to me.

I’m NOT ‘Ms Trendy alternative’, except in the sense that in this day and age orthodox Catholicism IS viewed as ‘alternative’. And the one personal crisis I had that was worthy of the name had absolutely zip to do with yoga, I hadn’t even started it at the time.

You do yourself and your point of view absolutely no favours by resorting to tired cliches and misconceptions and the untrue generalisation about people who do yoga.

 

[phoooiee]

I’ve had 2 priests and a member of the Dominican chapter I’m looking into tell me that yoga is just fine.
Furthermore, if yoga were really so dangerous, I’m sure that the Magisterium would probably tell us.

 

[Pitcharan]

Who the blazes said anything at all about achieving mystical effects? The absolute contrary, I’m not interested at all in ‘achieving’ mysticism, which is really a gift of God that no ‘technique’ (physical or otherwise) can or will achieve.

All I want is to get the knots out of my back and neck - and yoga achieves that far more effectively than any of the other things I’ve tried (and yes, I’ve tried lots of alternatives) short of painkillers which can’t be used long-term whereas yoga can. I’m sure a lot of people who do it would say similar things to me.

I’m NOT ‘Ms Trendy alternative’, except in the sense that in this day and age orthodox Catholicism IS viewed as ‘alternative’. And the one personal crisis I had that was worthy of the name had absolutely zip to do with yoga, I hadn’t even started it at the time.

You do yourself and your point of view absolutely no favours by resorting to tired cliches and misconceptions and the untrue generalisation about people who do yoga.

When Layman neither quoted you nor referred to you, your response to his post is strange. Are you feeling guilty? Why vehemnetly defend when no one even accused you of anything?

 

[LilyM]

When Layman neither quoted you nor referred to you, your response to his post is strange. Are you feeling guilty? Why vehemnetly defend when no one even accused you of anything?

He (and you for that matter) have accused me of ALL of the negative things you two have said about yoga - you’ve accused ALL people who do yoga of all of them, since you’ve made no distinctions of any kind among them. At least not until I pointed out that there are some (myself included) who don’t fit the easy little mould you two were putting all people who do yoga into.

If I made a general comment about Indians, for example - ‘Indians believe in reincarnation’ or ‘Indians believe in many gods’ - and left my comment at that gross and totally inaccurate generalisation, would you not bother to correct me?

Would you not make clear to me that some Indians are Christian, others are Muslim, and that Indians of those two religions (you being one of them), do NOT believe in reincarnation or worship many gods? Surely you wouldn’t leave what I said alone, you wouldn’t want others to have a totally wrong idea about Indians based on what I said?

 

[Layman]

I suggest you re-read the post of mine you quoted. Especially the second sentence.

 

[benedictus2]

I admire your discernment and conviction. God bless you.

Hear some more about it from a person who belongs to 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)

It is unfortunate that many catholics are drawn to yoga rather than the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. I wish they realise that no prophet, nor Jesus nor any saint ever considered it necessary to teach people how to preserve our perishable bodies. They all were only concerned about the soul.

Thank you and Great post

It is best to be prudent. I think Claire Merkle McGrath put it this way: When in doubt, do without.

 

[GaryTaylor]

It is unfortunate that many catholics are drawn to yoga rather than the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. I wish they realise that no prophet, nor Jesus nor any saint ever considered it necessary to teach people how to preserve our perishable bodies. They all were only concerned about the soul.

---

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!

 

[benedictus2]

So no bodybuilding either? They have ‘poses’. I think they’re called that because that’s what they are= the holding of a certain position for a time

Body Building? While a certain level of exercise is important for we must care for our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, I think anything more is self-obsession and narcissism.

 

[Vixit]

Body Building? While a certain level of exercise is important for we must care for our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit, I think anything more is self-obsession and narcissism.

That wasn’t really the point. I guess this might work better:

If I were as scrupulous as to shun the Western exercise that was stolen from the Hindus and turned into something else, I’d probably end up like certain Protestants I know, who won’t celebrate Christmas because the date the Church chose coincides with the Roman feast of Sol Invictus, the “Conquering Son (OOPS!, I mean Sun…)”. Nor would I put up a Christmas tree, knowing that in the past a Christmas tree was really a heathen offering to the gods of nature by the Germanic barbarians. In fact, I’d be uncomfortable with many of the things the Church ‘borrowed’ from other religions and gave a Holy meaning.