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Michael_Mayo
Guest
Then we also cannot separate out nonviolence, chastity, and truthfulness. They are as much a part of Yoga as positions.
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friardchips
Guest
I found this webpage: womenofgrace.com/blog/?p=39923
And from it, this:
'The recently retired Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, sent a letter to our ministry in which he advised Catholics to steer clear of yoga because of its basis in Hinduism and to take up other methods of exercise that don’t place the faith in unnecessary danger. Even though many people claim to use yoga as an exercise regime, Bishop Bruskewitz warns that yoga’s background is much more complicated than that because it has “the intention to strengthen and expand human consciousness and the rational and mind level of the person who engages in Yoga.” He correctly points out that yoga originated in, and is an important part of, various forms of the Hindu religion which is, in the Catholic perspective, “a pagan religion based on heathen beliefs and false doctrine of revelation involving such things as transmigration of souls, and so forth.” In his view, it’s* impossible to separate the Hindu religious aspects of yoga from the practice itself**. “Certainly, if one wants to engage in physical exercises to strengthen one’s body, such a practice would be morally neutral, and would not, in itself, involve anything detrimental to our Catholic faith. However, the practice of yoga most often, if it does not begin that way, eventually morphs into an acceptance of points of view, and even doctrinal and moral matters that are distant from Catholic truth, and from genuine and authentic Christian revelation.” He also warns about the dangers of its association with the New Age movement. “It is also well known that many proponents of what is called ‘New Age Religion’ use yoga and yoga practices, and instruction in these practices, as doorways in which to enter into people’s consciousness and wean them away from the truths which the Catholic Church preserves in the Deposit of Faith . . .” Bishop Bruskewitz concludes with some very practical advice. “In our times, there are innumerable ways and methods by which appropriate and proper exercise of the human body can be undertaken that present no real danger to our faith or to our Catholic beliefs and commitments. It would be most desirable for persons who are Catholic to abstain from the practice of yoga and use other methods to exercise . . . . We are never allowed to place our Catholic faith unnecessarily in any danger, and certainly the practice of yoga could be an occasion of serious sin…’*
Exactly, what I have been saying, in fact.
IMO, it is one thing to risk one’s own spiritual health by undertaking Yoga, and quite another to advocate Yoga in the public arena by stating it is fine to do generally as Christians, seemingly without concern for the wellbeing of others.
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uleedog
Guest
Thank you for adding the post of the transcript. As she, Johnette Benkovic, states at the end of the episode, perhaps you should pray about why you feel you need to defend your yoga practice? (Paraphrased)
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Michael_Mayo
Guest
Because it is under attack by people with such narrow parameters of orthodoxy that they misinterpret the Church’s position and are unable to see the good it does and the blessing it can be.
BTW why is it always just Asana (postures) that is warned about. There are eight aspects to Classical Yoga. There preliminary ones deal with morality. I have listed them already, Yama and Niyama are the ethical precepts set forth in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as the first and second of the eight limbs of yoga.
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Michael_Mayo
Guest
I am just saying, do not tell me I am a bad Catholic because I do yoga stretches. If you do not think they have a place in your spiritual life I respect that. But I see no respect coming back from you. I have been doing yoga since the 70’s. It has only made my faith stronger and my body more flexible.
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friardchips
Guest
I think you misread my post. I repost for this purpose:
'I found this webpage: womenofgrace.com/blog/?p=39923
IMO, it is one thing to risk one’s own spiritual health by undertaking Yoga…’
(this is meant in terms of the individual Christian)
‘…,and quite another to advocate Yoga for Christians in the public arena by stating it is fine to do generally as Christians…,’
(this is to do with speaking responsibly).
‘…seemingly without concern for the wellbeing of others.’
(assessment allowed - word ‘seemingly’ is to be noted. To do with whether one’s advice is based on Christian sources, or not, or even heretical ones).
I hope the laying out of my post again helps to compute. Thanks!
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friardchips
Guest
Advice has been given by the highest authority in the Catholic Church to not use Yoga for spiritual reasons. This is the advice to Catholics (unless the position changes).
As exercise for Christians, it has been warned against by many in the Church, and therefore, it is at one’s own spiritual risk to do so.
If an individual chooses to go against advice in the Catholic Church, well, this is at one’s own discretion; however, generally speaking, it is not advisable for Christians to practice Yoga. This is the bottom line.
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friardchips
Guest
My post made it seem as if after the transcript I was speaking to you. I wasn’t. I am not in favour of Yoga in Christian practice and see it as a dangerous activity for Christians to practice even if just for exercise (though this line appears to remain blurred, for many).
Thanks!
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agnes_therese
Guest
And yet you feel the need to tell others, who know far more about the subject than you do, that they need to pray about it. That really comes across as rather arrogant.
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uleedog
Guest
It isn’t arrogance. We are here to save souls and point out where we all err.
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friardchips
Guest
Agnes-Therese, thank you for your post. I don’t think the new poster was speaking to any individual, specifically, and even so, it is okay to suggest prayer to people if they are not adhering to advised Christian ways and means and advocating those ways and means as being acceptable for Christians wide and far in a public arena. Arrogance in this case I think has been confused with confidence.
To suggest prayer might even be considered caring in this sense, and so vice-versa, to advocate going against Church advice in public might be considered uncaring.
I certainly think it is uncharitable to keep taking everything in ways in which they are not intended whenever opinions and sentiments do not concur with your own.
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Michael_Mayo
Guest
But this is erroneous.
Advice has not been given by the highest authority in the Catholic Church to not use Yoga for spiritual reasons. Rather, guidelines for all spiritual practices have been offered. Certainly retired Bishop Fabian W. Bruskewitz cannot be considered a “highest authority” nor des he speak for the Church. He expresses his personal opinion.
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friardchips
Guest
Now, your interpretation is erroneous over things which have been made most certain.
The highest authority in the Church - THE POPE - advised against Yoga for spiritual reasons : whole point behind the thread (outlined on the first page, in fact).
And the Vatican document on New Age clearly expresses the same sentiments. I would go further in advising exactly what the new poster advised to anyone who considers it okay to do Yoga as a Christian in full confidence that this is the general opinion of the Church to stay away from it - despite heretical writers cited on here stating the opposite.
You are free to do what you want but this does not make it advisable. Maybe you feel certain enough that this benefits you but this does not apply to everyone and you might well just be very fortunate.
And you yourself have gone this way and that, one minute saying you don’t practice Yoga for spiritual reasons and only doing it for exercise, then the next minute suggesting it is okay. I have no idea where your personal opinions lie because of your swaying dramatically in the wind during each separate bout of discussion; nevertheless, the advice has been given. Not by me. By those who do know what they are talking about and in the position to guide us with knowledge that is no doubt most accurate.
What you do personally though is up to you.
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uleedog
Guest
No where did I say or imply anything of the sort. You are clearly being provocative.
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uleedog
Guest
Believe and act as you choose. It is called free will.
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friardchips
Guest
The highest authority in the Church - THE POPE - advised against Yoga for spiritual reasons : whole point behind the thread (outlined on the first page, in fact).
And the Vatican document on New Age clearly expresses the same sentiments.
The only documents or writings which have been cited on this thread which are in favour of Yoga are either by non-Christian Yoga-pushers or by heretical Religious who went on to lose their Christian faith eventually, and there has no doubt been collateral damage in the wake of their mess, thanks to a certain lack of reverence on their part.
I back the other poster when he states that you are free to do what you want; -this still does not make it advisable as a Christian practice.
And the Vatican document on New Age clearly expresses the same sentiments.
The only documents or writings which have been cited on this thread which are in favour of Yoga are either by non-Christian Yoga-pushers or by heretical Religious who went on to lose their Christian faith eventually, and there has no doubt been collateral damage in the wake of their mess, thanks to a certain lack of reverence on their part.
I back the other poster when he states that you are free to do what you want; -this still does not make it advisable as a Christian practice.
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friardchips
Guest
You can call it what you want. Either you can’t read or are just being provocative (I think the latter is fairly obvious considering two of us have already suggested so).
You last comment (in bold) is inflammatory. If you can’t be constructive then please go elsewhere.
You last comment (in bold) is inflammatory. If you can’t be constructive then please go elsewhere.
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agnes_therese
Guest
Saving souls is better done with valid information from the Church, not with personal opinion.
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friardchips
Guest
Information from the Church has been given.
If you were to read the CHURCH documents given, you would see this fact for yourself, in turn leaving no need for them to be expounded upon time and again.
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friardchips
Guest
This has already been discussed.
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