Is it a sin to use a yoga DVD purely for it's physical exercise?

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Expert: Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM, L.Th. - 1/18/2009

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http://en.allexperts.com/q/Catholics-955/2009/1/Yoga-1.htm

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Question

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Dear Brother Ignatius,

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You were so kind to answer a question of mine a few months ago, and I thank you. I was hoping you could help me with another one : I have been practicing "yoga" for several months now. And by "yoga", I mean stretching and breathing. I started doing it because I was having chest pains from holding my breath, usually because of stress. I recently read something about Catholicism and Yoga being incompatible. In the DVD I use, there is no mention of any gods, or spirits, or even meditation, and I would not use the DVD if there was. It's all just stretching and breathing, which is absolutely all I use it for. The breathing and stretching has done wonders for my stress levels, and my chest pains have gone away. It's been an especially good exercise program for me since I recently found out I am pregnant. I guess my question is: Is it a sin to use a yoga DVD purely for it's physical exercise? Thank you so much.

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Liz

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Answer

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Dear Liz

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Just sitting in a comfortable position that merely "happens" to be a position similar to yoga is not problem. There is no yoga or meditation taking place in such a case.

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Yoga itself is not "just an exercise." The very design, the postures and movements, are all designed according to a Hindu cosmology and are designed to place one in an altered state of consciousness, to open on up to the "energies" within the body and in the universe. This is what is meant by becoming "more aware of your body, mind and environment" mentioned by the Yogi master in the article.

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Yoga cannot be performed without this effect regardless of whether or not one intends this effect.

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Here is a warning from none other than Carl Jung, who's psychology was intertwined with the occult:

quote: "One often hears and reads about the dangers of Yoga, particularly of the ill-reputed Kundalini Yoga. The deliberately induced psychotic state, which in certain unstable individuals might easily lead to a real psychosis, is a danger that needs to be taken very seriously indeed. These things really are dangerous and ought not to be meddled with in our typically Western way. It is a meddling with Fate, which strikes at the very roots of human existence and can let loose a flood of sufferings of which no sane person ever dreamed. These sufferings correspond to the hellish torments of the chönyid state..." --C. G. Jung, Introduction to The Tibetan book of the Dead

I have had a couple of deliverance clients who have been harmed by the "Kundalini Awakening".

I think anyone interested in Yoga ought to read an article by Subhas R. Tiwari, a professor at the Hindu University of America. He is a graduate of the famed Bihar Yoga Bharati University with a master's degree in yoga philosophy.

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The article is Yoga Renamed Is Still Hindu:http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2006/1-3/09_opinion.shtml

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You will see a sentence in that article, "In 2003, the Vatican issued a more conciliatory directive permitting Catholics to engage in the "New Age " in general and yoga specifically, but still warning against its spiritual and meditation practices."

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The Author of the article is wrong on that statement. The Vatican warns against the New Age and does not permit Catholics to participate in it.

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The Vatican document he is referring to is "A Christian Reflection on the New Age"

(http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/interelg/documents/rc_pc_i)

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No where in that document is new age practices permitted. Yoga is mentioned twice in the document and neither time is that mention a positive one.

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Thus, other than that one mis-statement in the article, the article gives good information about yoga from a person who is an expert in yoga.

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Also of interest are the words in an Open Letter to Evangelicals about Hindu evangelization : http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1991/01/1991-01-06.shtml

quote: Hindus everywhere are becoming stronger and more assertive: ... 2) The West is clearly open to the Hindu message, ready to hear about yoga, meditation, mysticism, healing and the ancient ways. Such "products" were too sophisticated for public consumption 30 years ago, but today they're the hottest item on the shelf. Not a small part of this phenomenon is related, indirectly, to the coming of age of the New Age movement...

Consider these words a warning: quote: A small army of yoga missionaries - hatha, raja, siddha and kundalini - beautifully trained in the last 10 years, is about to set upon the western world.

They may not call themselves Hindu, but Hindus know where yoga came from and where it goes. This letter was written in 1991.

Since then the "missionaries" have already set upon us and in large part have converted many, even those in the Church.

BOTTOMLINE : There are risks in performing Yoga, even if you think you are only doing exercise.

There are spiritual ramifications. Besides, why use Yoga, why take the risk? There are plenty of exercise routines that have no spiritual risk.

Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM, L.Th.

Catholic apologist, catechist, spiritual director, and spiritual warfare/deliverance counselor holding a degree of Licentiate in Theology.