Most Catholics who practice Yoga don't think they're
practicing anything contrary to the dictates of their faith. "Don't be stupid," they tell me, "what
could possibly be wrong with stretching and breathing exercises that have been
around for thousands of years and have been proven to aid in maintaining good
health?" OK. So why is the practice of Yoga a bad idea for
Christians in general and specifically for practicing Catholics? First of all, Yoga is a Hindu spiritual
technique, nothing more, nothing less; any physical or mental health benefits are
secondary to the spiritual objective.
Secondly, Hindu spiritual aspirations are simply incompatible with
Christian doctrines.
Hinduism is polytheistic
(belief in multiple gods), while Christianity is monotheistic (belief in one
God). Hinduism is also pantheistic (the belief that everything
is either God, or that everything is divine). Conversely, Christians believe in
the doctrine of creation, which holds
that only God is divine and that everything else (people, nature, the universe)
are His creatures. Despite the Hindu belief in multiple gods,
the spiritual goal is to ultimately recognize the unifying divinity in oneself,
which is called Brahman. Therefore, Hinduism teaches an inward quest to
discover one's own divinity, or "true self," who is god, and Hindus are taught to see past the so-called
illusions of existence to discover this truth.
The express stated purpose of Yoga (or path, of which there are several forms) is to alter consciousness
to meet the goal of Hinduism, which is to attain a higher state of
consciousness in order to discover one's divinity. Hatha
Yoga attempts to achieve this aim by making use of the physical manipulation of
the body to help create an altered state of consciousness which occurs as the
result of the effect of the exercise on the central nervous system.
Properly trained Yoga instructors understand all of this and
subtlety teach their students Hindu spirituality through the visualizations and
meditations that accompany the forms and exercises practiced during Yoga
sessions. The walls of Yoga studios are
often adorned with the images of Hindu gods and spiritual figures; these images
are not just for show, they are an integral part of Yoga. While I do not doubt Yoga's physical health
benefits and the calming effect on the mind, surely faithful Catholics can find
alternatives to Yoga that do not lead them down counterfeit spiritual
paths. For instance, it is possible to
adopt the stretching exercises of Yoga, detached from the overtly Hindu spiritual
aspects, as part of a good health regimen. Still, many objectionable Hindu spiritual
teachings and techniques have worked their way into the Catholic mind through
the allure of the New Age Movement. For
example, too many Catholics have jettisoned prayer in favor of meditation
without understanding the negative implications of that decision. To wantonly dissolve one's identity through
meditation can lead us away from Christ and leave us vulnerable to malevolent occult
forces. It's akin to a short-term sugar
high, seemingly good for the body and mind in the short run, but bad for the
soul in the long run. While I'm sure that
the world is full of Hindus and Yoga instructors who are noble, well-meaning
people, it's simply reckless for Catholics to practice authentic Yoga, as it is
a clear violation of our faith.
