ARE THEY COMPATIBLE? Yoga & Christianity

[Denise]

ARE THEY COMPATIBLE?
Yoga & Christianity

February 2006By Joel S. Peters

Joel S. Peters teaches theology at a Catholic high school in Montvale, New Jersey.

Este artículo: en español

It is not at all uncommon these days to see Yoga advertised and promoted. Books on Yoga abound, websites dealing with its philosophy and practice are numerous, and instructional seminars are routinely offered in gyms, health clubs, and even some Catholic institutions. It has so successfully permeated our culture that most people don't even raise an eyebrow at the mention of it. In fact, some Christians have integrated Yoga into their lives and may thus admire their own "inclusive" attitude. Or they see nothing wrong with practicing Yoga and would be quite surprised to learn that it represents any spiritual threat whatsoever.

It is precisely because of this ignorance about Yoga -- on the part of professed Christians -- that I have chosen to write this article. I don't doubt that the vast majority of believers who practice Yoga are blissfully unaware of its true nature and purpose, and they probably view it as "simply exercise." But herein lies its greatest danger. When Yoga is written off as a mere physical discipline with little or no regard for its spiritual underpinnings, we run the risk of being misled about something that could have a significant bearing on our own spiritual well-being.

What Is Yoga?
The origins of Yoga date back as far as 5,000 years, and for a long time the principles of Yoga were passed on as oral tradition. This tradition was eventually committed to writing, and Yoga thus made its appearance in the four ancient Hindu writings known as the Vedas, the oldest of which dates to about 1500 B.C. An individual named Patañjali later compiled and codified the sum total knowledge about Yoga. Sources vary on when this occurred, with dates ranging anywhere from the fourth century B.C. to the second century A.D. His work, called the Yoga Sutra, is the authoritative text on Yoga and is recognized by all of its schools.

The word "Yoga" comes from the Sanskrit root word yuj, meaning "union" or "to yoke." Sanskrit is the ancient language of Hinduism, and so it should be no surprise to learn that Yoga is inextricably linked to this religion. In fact, "Yoga" is very similar in meaning to the Latin word religio, from which we get our word "religion" -- meaning "to fasten" or "to bind." In the case of both words, the clear implication is that a person is being "yoked" or "fastened" to something spiritual. More significant, though, is the reason for Yoga's development.

In Hinduism there are three paths to salvation: works (rituals, duties, and ceremonies that add to one's merit), knowledge (understanding that not sin, but ignorance about the true nature of our existence, is the cause of evil and misery), and devotion (the worship of Hindu gods and goddesses). The path of knowledge is used most often by the Brahmin or priestly caste (highest stratum) in Hindu society. Within this path there are three schools of philosophy: Vedanta, Sankhya, and Yoga. So, plainly put, Yoga is a system of Hindu philosophy designed to lead the practitioner to spiritual enlightenment or salvation. The specific mechanism involved in the process is the use of physical postures (asanas) coupled with breathing exercises that are specifically designed to enhance meditation and alter one's state of consciousness so the practitioner may attain oneness with a "higher reality."

While it is beyond the scope of this article to deal with the numerous styles of Yoga, it is relevant to note that although components within the branches of Yoga may vary, the ultimate goal is the same, namely, the altering of one's consciousness to attain a spiritual state.

But Don't Resource Materials on Yoga Disavow any Religious Connection?
You will certainly find plenty of denials of any connections between Yoga and religion from some authors and instructors. Consider the following examples: "Yoga is not a religion, therefore it can be practiced in partnership with any religious belief" (Rammurti S. Mishra, Fundamentals of Yoga). "Yoga is a complete system of how to live our lives. It leads us to a whole new way of living. It is not a religion, yet it can be combined with a religion to increase the richness of any tradition" (Mischala Joy Devi, The Healing Path of Yoga). "Some people think that yoga is calisthenics, epitomized by the headstand, the lotus posture, or another pretzel-like pose. Others think it is a system of meditation. Yet others regard it, perhaps fearfully, as a religion. All these stereotypes are misleading" (Georg Feuerstein and Stephan Bodian, eds., Living Yoga). "So what is Yoga, anyway? Yoga is not just stretching, just breathing, or just meditation. It is not just crossing your legs, closing your eyes, putting your thumbs and forefingers together and chanting 'Om....' And it is certainly not a cult or religion" (Larry Payne and Richard Usatine, Yoga Rx).

All are recognized Yoga masters, and yet one cannot help but pause at the incongruity between their denials about religious connections to Yoga and the material they set forth in their books that clearly shows how the practice of Yoga is a formalized means to a spiritual end within the context of a distinctly Hindu worldview. And if Yoga is truly not a religion, then how do we explain the fact that Yoga plays a very prominent role in the Vedas, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Upanishads, which are Hinduism's scriptures? So such denials are at best ignorance on the part of these authors (which is untenable in light of their status as Yoga masters) and at worst a deliberate misrepresentation of what Yoga actually is. Both explanations present some problems.

So Why Is the Practice of Yoga A Problem for a Christian?
At the heart of Hinduism is a monistic worldview -- one which maintains that all reality is ultimately one and that it shares a common divine "essence." In other words, my own true self or identity is really the same identity as all other beings. While the labels for this essence vary (e.g., universal mind, cosmic consciousness, a higher reality, eternal self), they all convey the same basic concept, namely, that the universe is comprised of an eternal, divine spiritual energy, and all entities in existence -- including humans -- are extensions of this energy. Yoga is the vehicle that unites the practitioner (male = Yogi, female = Yogini) with this cosmic energy. The task of the Yogi, then, is two-fold: (1) to discard the "erroneous" notion that each person is a unique being distinct from the rest of creation, and (2) to "become one" with this cosmic energy or so-called higher reality.

Professed Christians should already be noting that the aforementioned worldview is foreign to -- even diametrically opposed to -- their own. So the very defining context of Yoga is a radical departure from the Christian perception of reality, whereby the believer in Christ must rightfully acknowledge that (a) he is, in fact, a unique creation of God, (b) neither man nor the created universe is divine, and (c) the goal of this life is to grow in one's relationship with a personal, loving, divine Creator who, though eternally distinct from what He has created, calls us into fellowship with Him. The discrepancy between these two worldviews cannot be overstated.

But Can't I Just Gain the Physical Benefits From Yoga Without the Religious Aspects?
I submit that this question is misleading and betrays some ignorance on the part of the person asking it. It's misleading because it presupposes that a dichotomy can be made between the physical postures of Yoga and its underlying spirituality; it betrays ignorance because the Christian practitioner who asks it, in all likelihood, has not done research on Yoga before undertaking it. If he had, he would have realized that Yoga is by its very nature a Hindu religious practice.

To suggest that one can derive solely physical benefits from Yoga without being affected -- in some way -- by its inherently spiritual foundation is to miss the mark. Yoga is not primarily about limbering up the body; it is about using physical means to achieve a spiritual end. So the question of separating the physical from the spiritual in Yoga is really a contradiction in terms. In fact, if one consults the massive amount of Yoga material available, it becomes patently clear that any physical benefits are secondary considerations. Yoga is consistently presented as being primarily about actualizing one's spiritual potential, attaining "freedom," transcending the ego, and the like.

Perhaps by analogy a Catholic may ask if it's possible to receive the Eucharist and not be participating in something religious. Or think of it another way. If an atheist takes and consumes a consecrated Host, could we validly maintain that has he not received the Body of Christ because he doesn't believe that that's what it is? Could we assert that he has merely "gone through the physical motions" of receiving but has not engaged in a spiritual activity? Technically speaking, the Eucharist has a spiritual reality independent of the receiver's beliefs, and I propose that the same is true for Yoga. Just as the Real Presence is contained within a consecrated Host whether or not someone believes it, so also does Yoga have a spiritual component that is real, whether or not it is the specific pursuit of the practitioner.

"But hold on," you say. "I've been practicing Yoga for some time now, and as a result I've become more peaceful and it has had a positive effect on my physical well-being. And it certainly hasn't turned me away from my Catholic faith." Well again, I cannot deny that people do experience physical consequences from Yoga, but I suspect that Yoga's spiritual effects may be more subtle and therefore more elusive to identify. Keep in mind that humans are embodied spirits, so when we engage in a spiritual activity it naturally ought to produce some kind of result.

The issue then becomes a matter of what type of spiritual impact Yoga may have on Christians who practice it and whether or not beneficial bodily results mean that one is still spiritually "okay." Increased bodily flexibility or heightened mental peacefulness really says nothing about the objective state of one's soul, so the ultimate barometer of any spiritual practice from a Christian point of view is: Is this endeavor leading me to a deeper union with Christ? Considering Yoga's express purpose, it is extremely difficult to answer this question in the affirmative.

Does the Catholic Church Formally Have Anything to Say About Yoga?
Yes. In a 1989 Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation (hereafter Aspects), the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith focused on various Eastern spiritual practices and the legitimacy of their inclusion into the spiritual lives of Christians. In a footnote contained in Number 2, Aspects specifically states that "The expression 'eastern methods' is used to refer to methods which are inspired by Hinduism and Buddhism, such as Zen, Transcendental Meditation or Yoga." So the Magisterium clearly has Yoga in mind when addressing the issue of Christians using Eastern spiritual practices.

While this document does not expressly condemn Yoga, it repeatedly advises caution about using spiritual, meditative, or mystical practices that are devoid of a distinctly Christian context. For example, Number 12 states: "proposals to harmonize Christian meditation with eastern techniques need to have their contents and methods ever subjected to a thorough-going examination so as to avoid the danger of falling into syncretism." It also affirms that bodily considerations (such as Yoga's postures, for instance) can indeed impact us spiritually: "Human experience shows that the 'position and demeanor of the body' also have their influence on the recollection and dispositions of the spirit. This is a fact to which some eastern and western Christian spiritual writers have directed their attention" (#26).

Most noteworthy of all the document's observations is the rather stark one that mental and physical euphoria -- such as that which might result from practicing Yoga -- are not always what they seem to be: "Some physical exercises automatically produce a feeling of quiet and relaxation, pleasing sensations, perhaps even phenomena of light and of warmth, which resemble spiritual well-being. To take such feelings for the authentic consolations of the Holy Spirit would be a totally erroneous way of conceiving the spiritual life. Giving them a symbolic significance typical of the mystical experience, when the moral condition of the person concerned does not correspond to such an experience, would represent a kind of mental schizophrenia which could also lead to psychic disturbance and, at times, to moral deviations" (#28). More will be said about this "psychic disturbance" later.

In 2003 the Catholic Church's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue released a document entitled Jesus Christ: The Bearer of the Water of Life (hereafter Bearer). While the focus of this document is the New Age movement, we again find the subject of Yoga included: "Some of the traditions which flow into New Age are: ancient Egyptian occult practices, Cabbalism, early Christian Gnosticism, Sufism, the lore of the Druids, Celtic Christianity, mediaeval alchemy, Renaissance hermeticism, Zen Buddhism, Yoga and so on" (#2.1).

Like Aspects that preceded it, Bearer advises definite caution about the use of non-Christian practices, but it goes one step further by calling into doubt the very context from which something like Yoga precedes: "It would be unwise and untrue to say that everything connected with the New Age movement is good, or that everything about it is bad. Nevertheless, given the underlying vision of New Age religiosity, it is on the whole difficult to reconcile it with Christian doctrine and spirituality" (#2).

This "underlying vision" bears a striking resemblance to the Hindu worldview, and many terms and concepts employed within the New Age movement convey essentially the same reality as the goal of Yoga: an altered state of consciousness that is a means to a transcendent, spiritual experience. The problem is that such a context is wholly foreign to a Christian understanding of the nature and purpose of prayer, meditation, and mystical experience. Moreover, the very notion of humans merging with a divine cosmic consciousness contradicts what the Church says about a bona fide Christian mystical experience: "In order to draw near to that mystery of union with God, which the Greek Fathers called the 'divinization' of man, and to grasp accurately the manner in which this is realized, it is necessary in the first place to bear in mind that man is essentially a creature, and remains such for eternity, so that an absorbing of the human self into the divine self is never possible, not even in the highest states of grace" (Aspects #14; emphasis added).

For those Christians who wish, perhaps, to use Yoga's meditative techniques as a preparation for or an aid to prayer, we ought to be mindful of the true nature of all spiritual activity: "Christian prayer is always determined by the structure of the Christian faith, in which the very truth of God and creature shines forth. For this reason, it is defined, properly speaking, as a personal, intimate and profound dialogue between man and God. It expresses therefore the communion of redeemed creatures with the intimate life of the Persons of the Trinity" (Aspects, #3; emphasis added). We also must be mindful of the fundamental difference between Christian and Hindu or Eastern mystical experiences: "For Christians, the spiritual life is a relationship with God which gradually through his grace becomes deeper, and in the process also sheds light on our relationship with our fellow men and women, and with the universe. Spirituality in New Age terms means experiencing states of consciousness dominated by a sense of harmony and fusion with the Whole. [Such] 'mysticism' refers not to meeting the transcendent God in the fullness of love, but to the experience engendered by turning in on oneself, an exhilarating sense of being at one with the universe, a sense of letting one's individuality sink into the great ocean of Being" (Bearer, #3.4).

Are There any Other Dangers Associated With Yoga?
Yes. Recall that Aspects stated that "psychic disturbances" could result from a discrepancy between a mystical experience and the state of the person’s soul. In other words, a person who is experiencing actual mystical phenomena but who is not deeply grounded in Christ may find himself dealing with some serious spiritual anomalies. It should not surprise us, then, to discover that psychic phenomena are part and parcel of Yoga’s "benefits." For example, Rammurti S. Mishra (cited above) claims that through Yoga a person can "acquire the power of seeing and knowing without the help of other senses…," "know past events and future incidents…," "open the third eye in you, which is called…[the] ‘divine eye,’" expect to experience auras and astral bodies which "are coming to serve him [the Yogi]," and obtain the powers of clairaudience and clairvoyance. One only has to browse the pages of the Old Testament to see that such abilities are really occult powers and are condemned by God in the most unequivocal and forceful terms (Lev. 19:26,31; Deut. 18:9-14; 2 Kgs. 17:13-15, 17-18; 2 Chr. 33:1-2,6).

Of the four Yoga masters cited above, Mishra is certainly not alone in claiming that Yoga can either develop a person’s psychic abilities or subject him to psychic phenomena. Feuerstein and Bodian note that experiences made possible through Yoga include "lucid dreaming, out-of-body states, clairvoyance, and other psychic abilities, as well as ecstasies, mystical states and, at the apex of them all, enlightenment."

Silva, Mira, and Shyam Mehta, in Yoga: The Iyengar Way, tell us: "The heightened states of consciousness [in Yoga]…result in spiritual wisdom. They also bring various supernormal attainments (siddhis), according to the object of meditation. Some are within the range of human experience, such as clairvoyance, clairaudience, and the ability to read minds."

Given these candid admissions by Yoga masters that the development of psychic abilities is a virtually unavoidable result of practicing Yoga -- in fact, it is the very goal -- the believing Christian is left with a serious moral and spiritual dilemma: Should he pursue an activity whose ultimate goal is to cultivate "powers" that God expressly condemns? There’s no avoiding the fact that Yoga can and does foster these abilities, and there’s no avoiding the fact that God tells us they are spiritually harmful to His children.

Conclusion
Yoga is inextricably grounded in a philosophy and a religious worldview that are substantially contrary to the Christian faith. Its express purpose is the achievement of altered states of consciousness that lead to spiritual "enlightenment." Perhaps the latent danger in Christians using Yoga is best summed up in an honest admission by Feuerstein and Bodian: "Admittedly, many aspects of yoga have a Hindu flavor, such as the Sanskrit mantras (sacred sounds) that practitioners may recite aloud or repeat mentally, or the ideas of moral retribution (karma) and reincarnation.... People of any religious or spiritual persuasion, as well as open-minded agnostics, can practice yoga with great benefit. Ultimately, however, they tend to have the kinds of yogic experiences that cause them at least to entertain, if not adopt, the theories offered by the yoga tradition" (emphasis added). Oh? And I thought Yoga was merely about physical exercise.

[KarlB]

I cycled through one of the Yoga 'exercize' programs that's on tv some time ago, which i'm sure would have asserted that it was simply about exercize.. but it had a kind of creepy, cryptic character.. to the whole production.. music, narrative, backdrop.. evoking a trance like quality. It was still about a philosophy and religion, it was just in subtext, which made it all the more obscurant.