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May Catholics Practice Yoga?

6/22/2017

5 Comments

 
I am asked periodically what I think of yoga and specifically of Catholics participating in its practice. Here is my response of limited scope:

In 2003 the Pontifical Councils for Culture and Interreligious Dialogue created a working document on the New Age called Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life. Its purpose was to put New Age challenges in context, and to help teachers of the faith in particular to dialog with those in the New Age movement while teaching the truth without compromise.
​
“Even if it can be admitted that New Age religiosity in some way responds to the legitimate spiritual longing of human nature, it must be acknowledged that its attempts to do so run counter to Christian revelation.” (1.4)
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The need to involve the senses in interior prayer corresponds to a requirement of our human nature. We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to translate our feelings externally. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible to our supplication. (Catechism of the Catholic Church p. 2702) 

With Yoga having known Hindu roots and being undeniably of the Hindu religion in expression and experience, it is in no way safe for a Christian to participate in. Yoga is made up of poses for the 330 million Hindu gods. Sometimes in America we get a watered down version and it may even be called Piyo or other (Pilates/Yoga combined), but it is nonetheless, not of Christian orientation at all. Wether you make your coffee strong or weak, it is nonetheless, still coffee!! Get my drift?

We should all love to strengthen, stretch, meditate and relax just as much as the next, but we must choose an expressly Christian, better yet, Catholic approach to it and they're out there. 

Furthermore, when we practice yoga, and claim as yet to be faithful Catholics, we give scandal to our fellow Catholics, and ones of especially weaker faith, who may fall away after having followed our example and partaken of the New Age. We cannot risk it and if you pay for attending then you really condone it. Can you imagine a total non-Catholic tithing into our collection basket at Mass? That would be saying something!

Lastly, you might think you can just "take Jesus in there with you" like I used to think, but you have no idea what god the person next to you is praying to or what spirit they might be channeling. I'm totally serious here! We had better acknowledge the unseen amongst us and not pretend it isn't influential.

...so pick up your Rosary beads and strengthen and stretch while you "FIT" in that daily Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy or both!

Note: I produce videos for my clients which address the human need to stretch, strengthen, relax and be at prayer. (Try this one with me
https://vimeo.com/205714592.) They are easy to follow and are always faithful to the Church's teachings. I enjoy Pilates which doesn't seem to be of any religious bent and is therefore presumed to be safe to practice. There are others doing good in this arena too. Check out www.soulcore.com as another possibility.

For a much fuller explanation please read this 2 part article below:

http://contemplativehomeschool.com/2017/02/23/yoga-centering-prayer-and-mindfulness-part-i/
http://contemplativehomeschool.com/2017/03/02/yoga-centering-prayer-and-mindfulness-part-ii/

PraiseMoves Christian Alternative to Yoga:
https://praisemoves.com/category/about-praisemoves/why-a-christian-alternative-to-yoga/

Be fit and FAITHFUL always!
5 Comments
Daniel Gabler
6/22/2017 02:44:48 pm

Outstanding overview! !! I too often wondered about the answer to this question (and the counter response of: 'I'll just bring Jesus in with me.') Spot on!!! Thank you for sharing your wisdom! Daniel G. Milwaukee, WI

Reply
Cathy Carson link
6/23/2017 05:11:51 pm

Thank you for your insightful article! After learning of the spiritual dangers of yoga, I walked away from teaching and practicing it. I'm thankful to have discovered Pietra Fitness which is an alternative to it that features stretching and strengthening in the Catholic tradition and incorporates bodily prayer, Scripture and sacred music. So appreciate you encouraging others to care for their bodies, minds and souls!

Reply
Rebecca Dussault
6/24/2017 05:50:48 pm

I am now in contact with the founder of Pietra Fitness and hope we can collaborate one something in the future. At least, we'll keep sounding the horn for the good news about how we can properly steward our body and souls to be faithful and fit.

Rebecca Dussault link
6/24/2017 05:49:05 pm

Thank you for the comments. I cannot stress how important it is to be black and white on this as Catholics! If you and I have an area of grey because we've justified taking Jesus with us to a more benign yoga class, and even if we are unswayed in our faith, we ultimately give scandal. We are however indebted to Our Mother the Church to offer or at least encourage the alternative. For many, they wouldn't go worship at other protestant churches or a Muslim mosque, but someone think yoga isn't what it is...

Thank you for helping to raise your voice to better inform and inspire the faithful.

Reply
Tippett Kathleen link
3/27/2019 10:57:32 am

So is pietrafitness okay for a Catholic ?
And what about praisemoves ?
Thank you !

Reply



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    Rebecca Dussault 
     
    Olympian and World Champion Rebecca Dussault has been an elite athlete for most of her life and a Catholic from the cradle. She pursues her passion for Faith, Family, and Fitness daily.  As wife, mother and world-class athlete you’ll see how she ties it all together keeping to Catholic priorities.  She is the founder of FitCatholicMom.com where she trains Catholic women in the spiritual and physical demands of pursuing health and holiness. She will motivate you to queue up your body and soul to better search for and communicate the full beauty of the Catholic Faith.

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