YOGA...ooer!

[friardchips]

In yoga, that is, in the many forms of a serious approach to spirituality in India, there is a linage of teachers or gurus. in the Catholic teaching we call it apostolic succession. But In the east who is to say whose teacher is better or more wise?

Yes, I did not make my question clear: I am approaching this topic from the angle of a baptised Catholic - so, for the Catholic, specifically, who is the authority on Yoga?

The Catholic Church begun from Jesus, to Peter, and went to Rome.

The Gospel of John is especially imbued with Christ’s teaching about love and unity and worship.

To Jesus Christ, and for Jesus Christ. Yes.

“Bahkti” is the yoga of worship just as Jnana is the yoga of wisdom. In that sense yoga has been taught by Christ and every saint. Specific stretches and postures of Hatha yoga are another issue.

The NT does not directly interpret worship to mean the use of Yoga and any discipline out there ones sees fit for one’s own use to ‘connect’. This is a link you have made originating from those who wish to endorse Yoga. Christ is Christ. Prayer is prayer. Words contain meaning. And not in just any sense. Christianity does not favour “anything goes”. God is God. Three persons in one God. We don’t need to connect with different Yogas, rather, we can pray as Jesus taught us:

“Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”…Notice the word “thy”, not "mine or “my”. And this means according to God’s Will, not ours.

“Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses”.

Humility.

“As we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”.

You think this means by self-empowerment? The opposite in fact.

You seem to be referring specifically to hatha yoga, stretches and postures. It is very clear that the teachings of Christ and those closest to him are far more concerned with moral teachings of love and practical virtues than physical health.

Yes, they are, true. To DO love. However, Christ did heal lepers and often the healing of the soul can heal the body in some circumstances. Yet, love is a very general and flimsy word when used inappropriately or not in its proper place. Jesus said that if we love Him we will keep His commandments and I consider this to be still liquid food before God gives us the solid stuff. Diviners are something spoken against in Isaiah, and it is relevant, because with Yoga comes a certain system of inter-planetary planes, whatever the excuse. And to be concerned for neighbour was a biggy. I could promote Yoga but know that further down the line it is not in the Christian’s best interests.

Sorry but I am not following you. I think some standard are universal, like virtues for example.

This is dressing Yoga up as virtue. To attain self-empowerment is not virtuous. And it is not Godly to force these things into oneself by attempting to reach higher planes. It is anything but virtuous. To go to God humbly and ask is virtuous. We can do that while washing up if the need arose!

Holding to Christian faith is the key. But it is a faith that can embrace much more than Eurocentric practices.

Eurocentric? Christianity comes from the East and so do the Church teachings.

As we have said already, intention needs to be educated and if there is no Christian measure to one’s meditation, then who knows what is ‘educating’ it!

Links to anecdotal stories mean very little. Look at actual research. What we find there are only beneficial results from yoga.

This is research, From people’s lives that are being ruined by the promotion of Yoga. People’s lives matter. And as you have agreed already, there is no standard or measure and so no research for it being a good thing is present. Not for the Christian.

Why are we confusing things with the subject of reincarnation? That is another matter.

It is combined. And dangerous.

That is a totally erroneous conclusion you have come to. Your post came across as promoting the idea that physical wellbeing is in opposition to spiritual wellbeing. That I must take issue with.

Not at all. But you are free to take issue with it, of course. I hope others on this thread have better sense than to mess with what is already ordered.

I’d go as far as to say that to connect in this way alters the natural state through a so-called spiritual enlightenment. Yoga is or leads to a perversion of the created natural state.

Again, my comment about “gloom” (not doom) was a response to your comment about your belief in the opposition of physical and spiritual well being. St John of the Cross taught apophatic spirituality which has more to do with the will and taming of desires. I do not see how it is linked to yoga except as a form of self discipline.

Okay, what I think, is not what you think I think, I think! What I am saying in terms of physical wellbeing, is that once we relax in Christ, and offer all to Him, and are able to say: “Into your hands Lord I commend my Spirit”, or “Let your Will be done”, then we are able to accept whatever state our life is in with real peace and joy. If one is to be healed, one will find a way during the course of one’s life by obvious means and not through having to venture into realms outside of or with no Christian standards or measures or teaching, but if we are to accept our suffering for the recourse of sinners, then if in God’s hands, we can do this. Our aim as Christians is eternal life not worldly bliss. This is EXACTLY what St. John of the Cross meant when he spoke about desolation and the Ascent. The WHOLE BOOK is about this, in fact.

 

[friardchips]

Mistaken post

 

[friardchips]

I also wanted to note that I think the idea that a physical posture or stretch will somehow invite or invoke the demonic, regardless of intention, borders on superstition.

No, it is Christian faith, and depends on the source of the activity. Unless of course you think Satan and Hell is a superstition - this belief, in itself, is a trick of the devil.

It is God who created the body.

You seem to be missing the point: yes, God gave us the body as it is, not to be messed around with - tattoos, piercings, sex before marriage, divination, superstition AND the misalignment of energy in our body is all irregular as we have all in its rightful place already and gifts to be given to us are blessings bestowed upon us at God’s discretion. So, on the contrary, it shows great disrespect towards God to play around with these things under the guise of self-awareness and dressing this selfishness up as virtue, which is a perversion of true liberty. Look in the Bible. Please. “Anything goes” is not in there.

Our incarnation is a gift and God has given us various means to keep it well.

Incarnation is of the Spirit. Indulgence doesn’t come into healthy Christian practice. I wish to add!

It is not a sin, nor is it spiritually dangerous to take care of our bodies.

Yoga is not just “taking care of” the body though, is it, as you know, it is a connection process that is used to harness a spiritual higher awareness.

Exercises including yoga have been proven by many studies to assist in this wellness.

And the opposite. And many of the people who claim it helped have turned around eventually and said it actually causes distress in the long run. Look on the internet and the stories are rife with medical conditions following Yoga practice. In fact, I even consider it against love of ones neighbour to be ardently and fervently supporting Yoga from a Christian perspective, because it does harm people, and this knowledge has come about because of people, many people, who have reported it. Liposuction and breast-enlargement for the self-seeking planet hoppers is what it is, leading to mental and physical problems later on. You know that in nearly all Yoga websites the process says about “Stopping one’s mind” - sounds like Communism - stopping, not ‘clearing’ even. The mind is of the soul did but you know it!

 

[friardchips]

There is a difference between tending to one’s body as it requires and appreciating the form in awe of God’s magnificence, to bodily indulgence via preoccupation and self-love and a handful of deadly anti-virtues for the ultra-modern Catholic

 

[greydove]

You seem to be missing the point: yes, God gave us the body as it is, not to be messed around with - tattoos, piercings, sex before marriage, divination, superstition AND the misalignment of energy in our body is all irregular as we have all in its rightful place already and gifts to be given to us are blessings bestowed upon us at God’s discretion.

I don’t want to change the topic but may I just ask a quick question? are Catholics against tattoos and piercings or is this just your opinion?

I’ve noticed that a lot of the postures in yoga are also done in gymnastics. There’s nothing wrong with the postures themselves.

I mentioned earlier that I take yoga at the Y. It’s a Christian organization and the two teachers I’ve had most consistently are both Christian (one being a Catholic and one a protestant). I think the teacher you have and the type of yoga being done really makes a big difference. I think it’s good to be careful and aware of potential concerns and if one feels that God doesn’t want them to participate in yoga then I completely respect that personal conviction.

Thanks for this discussion!

 

[Michael_Mayo]

You think this means by self-empowerment? The opposite in fact.

Self empowerment? What do you mean by that and why do you associate it only with yoga?

Diviners are something spoken against in Isaiah, and it is relevant, because with Yoga comes a certain system of inter-planetary planes, whatever the excuse. And to be concerned for neighbour was a biggy. I could promote Yoga but know that further down the line it is not in the Christian’s best interests.

Yoga in no way necessitates “Diviners” or “inter-planetary planes”.

This is dressing Yoga up as virtue. To attain self-empowerment is not virtuous. And it is not Godly to force these things into oneself by attempting to reach higher planes. It is anything but virtuous. To go to God humbly and ask is virtuous. We can do that while washing up if the need arose!

What is a “higher plane”? Do you ever fast?

Eurocentric? Christianity comes from the East and so do the Church teachings.

Where is Rome?

As we have said already, intention needs to be educated and if there is no Christian measure to one’s meditation, then who knows what is ‘educating’ it!

Christian measure to one’s meditation are in th elived virutes.

This is research, From people’s lives that are being ruined by the promotion of Yoga. People’s lives matter. And as you have agreed already, there is no standard or measure and so no research for it being a good thing is present. Not for the Christian.

Here we simply disagree.

I’d go as far as to say that to connect in this way alters the natural state through a so-called spiritual enlightenment. Yoga is or leads to a perversion of the created natural state.

Natural state? Before or after the fall?

More later

 

[Michael_Mayo]

You seem to be missing the point: yes, God gave us the body as it is, not to be messed around with - tattoos, piercings, sex before marriage, divination, superstition AND the misalignment of energy in our body is all irregular as we have all in its rightful place already and gifts to be given to us are blessings bestowed upon us at God’s discretion.

Messed around with? Yoga stretches and postures help maintain things in their “rightful place”.

So, on the contrary, it shows great disrespect towards God to play around with these things under the guise of self-awareness and dressing this selfishness up as virtue, which is a perversion of true liberty. Look in the Bible. Please. “Anything goes” is not in there.

Who is talking about anything goes?
And why do you associate yoga with selfishness when it is actually a discipline and shows much greater respect for God and the gift he has given us than ignoring it?

Incarnation is of the Spirit. Indulgence doesn’t come into healthy Christian practice. I wish to add!

Again why the association with “indulgence”. It is discipline.

Yoga is not just “taking care of” the body though, is it, as you know, it is a connection process that is used to harness a spiritual higher awareness.

Only insofar as it helps calm the body and mind and bring it to a more prayerful condition.

And the opposite. And many of the people who claim it helped have turned around eventually and said it actually causes distress in the long run. Look on the internet and the stories are rife with medical conditions following Yoga practice. In fact, I even consider it against love of ones neighbour to be ardently and fervently supporting Yoga from a Christian perspective, because it does harm people, and this knowledge has come about because of people, many people, who have reported it. Liposuction and breast-enlargement for the self-seeking planet hoppers is what it is, leading to mental and physical problems later on. You know that in nearly all Yoga websites the process says about “Stopping one’s mind” - sounds like Communism - stopping, not ‘clearing’ even. The mind is of the soul did but you know it!

Many people claim many things. Look at the science.
The internet claims many things. Don’t believe it all.

 

[friardchips]

I don’t want to change the topic but may I just ask a quick question? are Catholics against tattoos and piercings or is this just your opinion?

I’ve noticed that a lot of the postures in yoga are also done in gymnastics. There’s nothing wrong with the postures themselves.

I mentioned earlier that I take yoga at the Y. It’s a Christian organization and the two teachers I’ve had most consistently are both Christian (one being a Catholic and one a protestant). I think the teacher you have and the type of yoga being done really makes a big difference. I think it’s good to be careful and aware of potential concerns and if one feels that God doesn’t want them to participate in yoga then I completely respect that personal conviction.

Thanks for this discussion!

Hi. I am on here not to think what is great and lovely but to put points across to the Christian in order to make one think as I believe the opposite to you. There are terrible stories which are true about what Yoga can do. I read a few about it causing long-term brain damage. These are true accounts. When we do harm to ourselves, it is not down to love but a lack of it. I don’t take this subject lightly and as far as my questions have helped to gain satisfactory answers, so far they haven’t. I do welcome people’s opinions from both sides and so yours too, of course. Thanks for posting!

 

[friardchips]

Self empowerment? What do you mean by that and why do you associate it only with yoga?

You are as persistent as I am!

I think a lot stems from Yoga to do with self-empowerment, stretching wide and far!

Yoga in no way necessitates “Diviners” or “inter-planetary planes”.

It does actually, the deeper one goes. To be honest though, there is a lot of stuff on it and it all looks like the same murky waters. And diviners does come into it.

What is a “higher plane”? Do you ever fast?

Fasting isn’t to get a reward, it is to make one’s sacrifice the clearing out of self-empowerment. It is the opposite to Yoga, which is about connecting in order to receive self-fulfilment. And through fasting we can become more temperate. And at God’s Willing might receive grace too. Also it can be a personal sacrifice for others.

Where is Rome?

I already said Rome in another answer.

Christian measure to one’s meditation are in th elived virutes.

If you have no measure then you have no premise from which to assess whether something is virtuous.

Here we simply disagree.

Not all people agree on everything, that would take a perfect world, which it isn’t because otherwise we wouldn’t need God to complete us.

Natural state? Before or after the fall?

God made the world and saw that it was good…!

More later

No probs, and thank you!

 

[friardchips]

Messed around with? Yoga stretches and postures help maintain things in their “rightful place”.

I think God does that anyway via normal prayer. So His Will is done.

Who is talking about anything goes?

By that I mean the one that doesn’t question properly before entering into any practice.

And why do you associate yoga with selfishness when it is actually a discipline and shows much greater respect for God and the gift he has given us than ignoring it?

I associate it with selfishness because it is self-seeking. It makes people think they are more attuned to the universe, but in actual fact, this alignment is a self-confidence not an outward expression. Yoga is all about going inwards.

Again why the association with “indulgence”. It is discipline.

To self-seek is an indulgence.

Only insofar as it helps calm the body and mind and bring it to a more prayerful condition.

The feeling of body and mind at oneness is a trick. It is not of the Holy Spirit and similar to some of the heretical beliefs which the early saints fought against. I’ll have to go back and find the articles but you can do that. The at oneness is almost like a self-collating and not the expression of real compassion.

Many people claim many things. Look at the science.
The internet claims many things. Don’t believe it all.

I was saying to another poster that I read one thing about this poor guy who did Yoga and was and is still upset because a blast of energy which smashed his brain has caused permanent brain damage although some things have repaired. It is to do with the base of the spine. I believe our energy flows through finely tuned - whatever you want to call them - in the brain and nervous system and are not to be messed around with by Yogis who have no Christian basis to their teaching even if they claim they do. It is, as I said before, an imbalance being caused in the body as opposed to a balance, the balance in the body is about one’s self-realisation, but when we bring God into our lives, we don’t need balance because this is another heresy, as it tries to make one believe that everything can and must be perfect in the physical world. Today we have abortions and euthanasia and genetic in vitro type weird **** going on that stinks of the ‘Master Race’ mind set of the Nazis because this is what happens when humans think they can achieve balance outside of God. Moderation yes, balance no. I wouldn’t have a ying yang in a mile of my door. The Christians have enough temptations and obstructions in their lives let alone bringing in outside destructive forces. Utopia does not exist in this life. And the sooner people come to recognise their brokenness and offer it all up in supplication, the more gentle a world will come about. Yoga and other practices that seek, yes, self-empowerment, and feeling lovely, is a big step in the opposite direction to the holiness of peace and joy even in suffering. When people are spending their whole time trying to feel nice, then when something really bad happens…boom! It is like falling very far. We all do it from time to time. But if we own up to our imperfections and not try to concrete ourselves inside some fake-perfect illusory form then we will be able to get back up a lot quicker. We need solid rock and the only one we can turn to for that in the midst of woes, and in times of joy too, to understand what we need to from these times in order to grow in God’s time, is God.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

You are as persistent as I am!

I think a lot stems from Yoga to do with self-empowerment, stretching wide and far!

Then you think wrong.

It does actually, the deeper one goes. To be honest though, there is a lot of stuff on it and it all looks like the same murky waters. And diviners does come into it.

Not for me.

I already said Rome in another answer.

Rome is in Europe not the East.

I associate it with selfishness because it is self-seeking. It makes people think they are more attuned to the universe, but in actual fact, this alignment is a self-confidence not an outward expression. Yoga is all about going inwards.

No. It is more self transcending. Seeking Christ also has its inner direction.

It is, as I said before, an imbalance being caused in the body as opposed to a balance, the balance in the body is about one’s self-realisation, but when we bring God into our lives, we don’t need balance because this is another heresy, as it tries to make one believe that everything can and must be perfect in the physical world.

Why do you have such a problem with balance and wellness and contrast it to God in our lives? You sound a little Manicheist with such a negative view of the body.

I have been doing yoga stretches for 40 year and they have been nothing but a blessing. I thank God for leading me to them. And the inner calm that comes as the body relaxes promotes a letting go of the self, an offering of the self in prayer. The best yoga is not about how far we stretch but about how selfless we become. It can be an offering of our bodies to God if we make it part of our prayer. But there are plenty of people who do it just for the good it does both for mind:

health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression

and body
nccih.nih.gov/health/yoga/introduction.htm

 

[friardchips]

Then you think wrong.

According to who?

Not for me.

According to who?

Rome is in Europe not the East. .

Who said it isn’t? Faith came from Jesus, in the East, and via St. Peter and the subsequent Popes, the Church was formed that came to Rome. And to the world, of course.

No. It is more self transcending. Seeking Christ also has its inner direction.

Same thing.

Inner prayer and the like is guided by God through the Sacraments, good works, fasting, prayer, not self-seeking self-empowerment.

Why do you have such a problem with balance and wellness and contrast it to God in our lives?

I just explained in the last post. It is not a problem, it is an understanding.

You sound a little Manicheist with such a negative view of the body.

Not really. I understand the perspective perfectly well. This ultra-modern understanding of Christianity is what the Bible warned about and what early saints fought against. It is Yoga which is negativity dressed up as something positive.

Sure, the body is to be treated with care and looked after as far as one needs, and in marriage to be one with the spouse. Outside of that is vanity and obsession, pretty much. It is as much about priorities as anything else.

I have been doing yoga stretches for 40 year and they have been nothing but a blessing.

Well done.

I thank God for leading me to them. And the inner calm that comes as the body relaxes promotes a letting go of the self, an offering of the self in prayer.

I think if this is the case it is because you are paying attention to people like St. John of the Cross as opposed to the Yogis, and if you cancelled the Yogis out, you would probably go even further. Faith is not about gaining a permanent state of wellbeing. Much of faith is about suffering and embracing all of what life throws at us. However, what you may or may not have achieved is not mine to argue with. You say it did, then great.

The best yoga is not about how far we stretch but about how selfless we become. It can be an offering of our bodies to God if we make it part of our prayer. But there are plenty of people who do it just for the good it does both for mind:

health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression

and body
nccih.nih.gov/health/yoga/introduction.htm

Thanks for these links! But do please bear in mind that health organisations are secular so one cannot go by these alone.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Yoga, just like anything can be taken to a distorted extreme. You seem to target such extremes as the norm for yoga. For most of us Catholics who practice it, it is one form of self discipline in the larger context of our Christian lives. As such,at least for me, it does have spiritual value, like fasting or bowing. It is a way to more fully engage the body in prayer and thus more totally give ourselves to God. Others are satisfied with the documented health benefits alone.

Blessings and peace to you, Friarchipps.

 

[agnes_therese]

I don’t want to change the topic but may I just ask a quick question? are Catholics against tattoos and piercings or is this just your opinion?

I’ve noticed that a lot of the postures in yoga are also done in gymnastics. There’s nothing wrong with the postures themselves.

I mentioned earlier that I take yoga at the Y. It’s a Christian organization and the two teachers I’ve had most consistently are both Christian (one being a Catholic and one a protestant). I think the teacher you have and the type of yoga being done really makes a big difference. I think it’s good to be careful and aware of potential concerns and if one feels that God doesn’t want them to participate in yoga then I completely respect that personal conviction.

Thanks for this discussion!

Just as with everyone else, some Catholics are against tatoos and piercings, some are not. It’s a matter of personal preference and opinion.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

More to reflect upon:

1. Human experience shows that the position and demeanor of the body also have their influence on the recollection and dispositions of the spirit. This is a fact to which some eastern and western Christian spiritual writers have directed their attention.

Their reflections, while presenting points in common with eastern non-Christian methods of meditation, avoid the exaggerations and partiality of the latter, which, however, are often recommended to people today who are not sufficiently prepared.

The spiritual authors have adopted those elements which make recollection in prayer easier, at the same time recognizing their relative value: **they are useful if reformulated in accordance with the aim of Christian prayer. ** For example, the Christian fast signifies, above all, an exercise of penitence and sacrifice; but, already for the Fathers, it also had the aim of rendering man more open to the encounter with God and making a Christian more capable of self-dominion and at the same time more attentive to those in need.

In prayer it is the whole man who must enter into relation with God, and so his body should also take up the position most suited to recollection. Such a position can in a symbolic way express the prayer itself, depending on cultures and personal sensibilities. In some aspects, Christians are today becoming more conscious of how one’s bodily posture can aid prayer.

1. Eastern Christian meditation has valued psychophysical symbolism, often absent in western forms of prayer. It can range from a specific bodily posture to the basic life functions, such as breathing or the beating of the heart. The exercise of the “Jesus Prayer,” for example, which adapts itself to the natural rhythm of breathing can, at least for a certain time, be of real help to many people. On the other hand, the eastern masters themselves have also noted that **not everyone is equally suited to making use of this symbolism, since not everybody is able to pass from the material sign to the spiritual **reality that is being sought. Understood in an inadequate and incorrect way, the symbolism can even become an idol and thus an obstacle to the raising up of the spirit to God. To live out in one’s prayer the full awareness of one’s body as a symbol is even more difficult: it can degenerate into a cult of the body and can lead surreptitiously to considering all bodily sensations as spiritual experiences.
2. Some physical exercises automatically produce a feeling of quiet and relaxation, pleasing sensations, perhaps even phenomena of light and of warmth, which resemble spiritual well-being. To take such feelings for the authentic consolations of the Holy Spirit would be a totally erroneous way of conceiving the spiritual life. Giving them a symbolic significance typical of the mystical experience, when the moral condition of the person concerned does not correspond to such an experience, would represent a kind of mental schizophrenia which could also lead to psychic disturbance and, at times, to moral deviations.

That does not mean that genuine practices of meditation which come from the Christian East and from the great non-Christian religions, which prove attractive to the man of today who is divided and disoriented, cannot constitute a suitable means of helping the person who prays to come before God with an interior peace, even in the midst of external pressures.

It should, however, be remembered that habitual union with God, namely that attitude of interior vigilance and appeal to the divine assistance which in the New Testament is called “continuous prayer,” is not necessarily interrupted when one devotes oneself also, according to the will of God, to work and to the care of one’s neighbor. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” the Apostle tells us (1 Cor 10:31). In fact, genuine prayer, as the great spiritual masters teach, stirs up in the person who prays an ardent charity which moves him to collaborate in the mission of the Church and to serve his brothers for the greater glory of God.

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

 

[Beircheart]

This topic reminds me of Harry Potter debates. I’ve heard Catholics praise them and others vilify them. I’ve heard priests speak adamantly against and others who openly admit to enjoying them thoroughly.

As another example, consider the Tridentine Mass. Some might think it the most beautiful Mass they have ever attended and others would never come to church if that was all that was available.

In the end, we Catholics are not cookie-cuter people. What is a faith boon to one’s sensibilities may well be a faith obstacle to another.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

In the end, we Catholics are not cookie-cuter people. What is a faith boon to one’s sensibilities may well be a faith obstacle to another.

And that is something we should be glad about.

 

[friardchips]

This topic reminds me of Harry Potter debates. I’ve heard Catholics praise them and others vilify them. I’ve heard priests speak adamantly against and others who openly admit to enjoying them thoroughly.

Hi. Thanks for joining. If the Pope decrees something we are to find out why he said it. This is acting responsibly upon our faith.

It seems people don’t really respect the line of St. Peter, from what I’ve read in this thread so far. But this is piety, a gift which becomes a little hazy after practicing non-Christian, pagan-esque rituals.

As another example, consider the Tridentine Mass. Some might think it the most beautiful Mass they have ever attended and others would never come to church if that was all that was available.

I don’t think this is the case at all with the Tridentine Mass. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like the Old Mass, it is just that Trad. Caths ruin and spoil it for everyone else like spoilt little children.

In the end, we Catholics are not cookie-cuter people. What is a faith boon to one’s sensibilities may well be a faith obstacle to another.

Btw…no wonder that apparent priest in the heresy video didn’t like Deauteronomy:

“Take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.”

Deuteronomy 12:30-31’

Not taken from my usual CTS Bible, I hasten to add, so the translation might be out.

 

[friardchips]

And that is something we should be glad about.

Oh, you mean those blessed commandments and beatitudes. A right pain are they? Listen, there are rules which constrict and there are rules which free us. There are guidelines which lead onto a very wide path and there are guidelines which help us to focus on what is important: Eternal life. And this is not a world for people who wish to be dressed up in cotton wool. Maybe for the people who are vulnerable physically or mentally, they do need taking care of. But those who have their mental faculties working in fairly alright order need to hold strong to the narrow path and not fall away because Satan prowls around like a roaring lion. He does. This is not taught much now and so people don’t guard against him with spiritual armour. With Yoga, it can even bring an aversion to prayer. People get hurt by it. Whether by all forms I don’t know, but if one branch is harmful and one apparently isn’t, they are still aimed from the same false spirit. Maybe God has protected you from harm, maybe He does want all religions to come together one day in unified prayer, except for the fact that we have been told, and St. Paul warned us also, to beware of babbling like the pagans do. This is from the Bible. It needs no deep interpretation because it has been said plain and simple.

If you want to keep doing it well that is that but to say there is no danger is false. A complete falsehood. There have been so many accounts that unless you don’t read you must know this!

But when has the Our Father, the Hail Mary and putting one’s hands together as we have been taught ever put us in danger of Kundalini and dangerous energy boosts. Never, ever.

 

[friardchips]

Yoga, just like anything can be taken to a distorted extreme. You seem to target such extremes as the norm for yoga. For most of us Catholics who practice it, it is one form of self discipline in the larger context of our Christian lives. As such,at least for me, it does have spiritual value, like fasting or bowing. It is a way to more fully engage the body in prayer and thus more totally give ourselves to God. Others are satisfied with the documented health benefits alone.

Blessings and peace to you, Friarchipps.

Thank you, and you!