What is Church teaching on yoga and reiki?

Valletta said:

sorry - I clicked the wrong post to respond to! This was response to Jim R, post #10.

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1Co 8:4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one."
1Co 8:5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"—
1Co 8:6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
1Co 8:7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through being hitherto accustomed to idols, eat food as really offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
1Co 8:8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
1Co 8:9 Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
1Co 8:10 For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?
1Co 8:11 And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.
1Co 8:12 Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
1Co 8:13 Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

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Yoga has deep spiritual roots that originate primarily in ancient Indian religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. These traditions used yoga as a means to achieve spiritual growth, meditation, and even enlightenment, blending practices of the body and mind.

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Exo 34:12 Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither you go, lest it become a snare in the midst of you.
Exo 34:13 You shall tear down their altars, and break their pillars, and cut down their Asherim
Exo 34:14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),
Exo 34:15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they play the harlot after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and one invites you, you eat of his sacrifice,
Exo 34:16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters play the harlot after their gods and make your sons play the harlot after their gods.

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Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality.
Rev 2:15 So you also have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Rev 2:16 Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

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Rev 2:20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
Rev 2:21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her immorality.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will throw her on a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her doings;
Rev 2:23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches shall know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.
Rev 2:24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay upon you any other burden;
Rev 2:25 only hold fast what you have, until I come.

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JimR-OCDS said:

But he's correct and I've heard priests say the same thing.

If you can't separate Hindu spirituality from the exorcise, then you'll have a problem
doing any exorcise, for much comes out of Greek culture. As it is, if you go to
most gym classes, you'll end up doing yoga stretching without even knowing it.
Yoga stretching is part of the exorcise routines in most of the exorcise programs.
Are you worshiping pagan gods doing these stretches? Of course not.

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Valletta said:

I just said it's best to stay away. Some of the poses have spirituality aspects associated with them.

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Gregory Thompson said:

Body movements that cultivate the energy in the body and promote vitality sounds good. However, the type of energy it promotes ends up making the flesh stronger and results in issues when attempting to participate in Christian Spirituality.

Reiki is the same deal, it promotes energy that strengthens the flesh through a more passive process.

The underlying question is: Do you want to be close to God or not?

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JimR-OCDS said:

Reiki and yoga exercise are not the same.

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JimR-OCDS said:

The poses have nothing to do with the demonic.

It's the same as people who claim the so-called horn hand sign is demonic.
It turns out that the "I love you," form in American Sign Language
is similar to the symbol used at rock concerts.

Fundamentalist always give opinions not based on fact.

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fide said:

There seems to me to be a related issue here, in your insistence that you can separate the "food" of yoga, namely its value as an exercise, from the total non-Christian reality of Yoga, which is therefore idolatrous:

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Akita Suggagaki said:

But we know that

1Co 8:4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one."

So the only danger is being a stumbling block to the weak.


1Co 8:8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
1Co 8:9 Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

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JimR-OCDS said:

The poses have nothing to do with the demonic.

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fide said:

Does that not concern you? It did St. Paul, very much.

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Akita Suggagaki said:

Back to the OP. What does the Church teach?

Religions, however, that are bound up with an advanced culture have struggled to answer the same questions by means of more refined concepts and a more developed language. Thus in Hinduism, men contemplate the divine mystery and express it through an inexhaustible abundance of myths and through searching philosophical inquiry. They seek freedom from the anguish of our human condition either through ascetical practices or profound meditation or a flight to God with love and trust. Again, Buddhism, in its various forms, realizes the radical insufficiency of this changeable world; it teaches a way by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, may be able either to acquire the state of perfect liberation, or attain, by their own efforts or through higher help, supreme illumination. Likewise, other religions found everywhere try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner, by proposing "ways," comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites. The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself. Again, Nostra Aetate #2

Nostra aetate

Declaration on the Relation of the Church to non-christian religions - Nostra aetate

www.vatican.va

Just because something is not "Christian" does not make it demonic.

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Gregory Thompson said:

Just curious, to hear from more than one Catholic: Is this really a teaching of the church? Is it optional? Curious.

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Akita Suggagaki said:

It is a document of the Second Vatican Council. That is pretty big.

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Gregory Thompson said:

Thanks that makes sense.

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Michie said:

Q: Can you explain the church’s teachings about yoga and reiki? Recently a priest gave a presentation in which he said that, to avoid the devil, Catholics should also avoid things like palm readers and ouija boards. He also mentioned yoga and reiki. I’ve practiced yoga on and off for many years and have found no religious references to it in my practices. My experience has been a western, non-religious practice for strength, deep breathing and calmness. I became familiar with reiki when I had cancer and received reiki treatments. Over recent years, medical practices and hospitals use reiki to help patients with relaxation and pain reduction.

A: First, this priest was absolutely correct in saying that Catholics should avoid things like palm readers, ouija boards or anything else related to the occult. Not only can engaging in such activities open us up to contact with evil spirits, but these activities are also a sin against the first commandment.

Continued below.

What is Church teaching on yoga and reiki?

Explores the Catholic Church’s perspective on yoga and reiki, distinguishing physical practices from spiritual risks with guidance.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

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Akita Suggagaki said:

Back to the OP. What does the Church teach?

Religions, however, that are bound up with an advanced culture have struggled to answer the same questions by means of more refined concepts and a more developed language. Thus in Hinduism, men contemplate the divine mystery and express it through an inexhaustible abundance of myths and through searching philosophical inquiry. They seek freedom from the anguish of our human condition either through ascetical practices or profound meditation or a flight to God with love and trust. Again, Buddhism, in its various forms, realizes the radical insufficiency of this changeable world; it teaches a way by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, may be able either to acquire the state of perfect liberation, or attain, by their own efforts or through higher help, supreme illumination. Likewise, other religions found everywhere try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner, by proposing "ways," comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites. The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself. Again, Nostra Aetate #2

Nostra aetate

Declaration on the Relation of the Church to non-christian religions - Nostra aetate

www.vatican.va

Just because something is not "Christian" does not make it demonic.

Click to expand...