Yoga is an essential part of Hindu philosophy and the two cannot be separated.

This is from the Hindu American Foundation: “Yoga is a combination of both physical and spiritual exercises, entails mastery over the body, mind and emotional self, and transcendence of desire. The ultimate goal is moksha, the attainment of liberation from worldly suffering and the cycle of birth and rebirth.”

As a Catholic the term “rebirth” in this excerpt should be very disconcerting. Catholics simply do not believe in rebirth. As Catholics we believe you are given one lifetime. You are baptized and will live your life as a believer in Christ as your Savior. You aren’t given multiple lives to work out your final destiny.

Additionally, Catholics “get” suffering. Maybe sometimes too much; but nonetheless, we don’t—as a group—run from suffering. We understand its redemptive value. While we may wish to be liberated from it and can certainly pursue that through Christ, we don’t see it as our “ultimate goal.” Our ultimate goal is to unite our lives with Christ, the Suffering Servant.

Or there is this from the Hindu American Foundation: “There is the concerning trend of disassociating Yoga from its Hindu roots. Yet, even when Yoga is practiced solely in the form of an exercise, it cannot be completely delinked from its Hindu roots.”

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Psalms 96:3-6 Declare his glory among the Gentiles: his wonders among all people. (4) For the Lord is great, and exceedingly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. (5) For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils: but the Lord made the heavens. (6) Praise and beauty are before him: holiness and majesty in his sanctuary.

photo: Wikipedia

Catholic Bishop: Yoga, Tai Chi, Reiki may seem fine, but are spiritually dangerous to Christians.

These techniques are widely recommended as being good for fitness and relaxation, and few would at first see anything dangerous about them, Bishop Julian Porteous, one of Sydney’s auxiliary bishops, commented in his foreword to the book.

However, he warned, “The world into which the practitioner is introduced is inimical to the Christian faith.”

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These (LCWR) sisters are into all the crazy stuff you tell us about.

There are new age ideas about inclusiveness, reiki, yoga, male oppression.

They make four “Generous Promises” which include working for systematic change, getting rid of institutions in favor of inclusiveness, and taking care of “Earth,” who is dying.

That was new to me. How have we not heard of that one from you?

Apparently the earth is a person, and you can also find reference to revering “Earth” on their site.

Maybe I’m just too young to understand. Is this idea a holdover from the 60′s or has it just “evolved” since then?

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“Catholic Yoga” – Latest new age danger to the true faith, takes root at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral.

The Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, IL, once a “small wooden church,” is now offering yoga classes on Wednesday nights that “coincide with the liturgical calendar.”

According to the church website, the yoga classes will be taught by experienced yoga instructors who are “part of the Catholic community in Chicago.” Ali Niederkom, one of the instructors, is experienced in yoga and prayer programs in Chicago area churches and “offers faith-based yoga classes” in the Catholic community.

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Editor’s note: Acts 20:29-30  I know that after my departure ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And of your own selves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Why Yoga is incompatible with Catholicism

FATHER JOHN HARDON, S.J.

Yoga is incompatible with Catholicism because the best known practice of Hindu spirituality is Yoga. “Inner” Hinduism professes pantheism, which denies that there is only one infinite Being who created the world out of nothing.

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From The Catholic Culture Library:

At the core of the philosophy of yoga are the beliefs in the law of karma, reincarnation, the potential for self-realization or enlightenment without external aid, and a practiced and finally ultimate withdrawal from the world which is deemed to be an illusion or projection.

The core beliefs of this ancient discipline are, at best, incompatible with Christian doctrine, having been negated by the radical entrance of Christ into human history. Through the Paschal Mystery of His death and resurrection, we and the physical world were redeemed from sin and enabled to enter heaven.

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A 2-Part Story: Yoga In One Catholic Parish