oh my word - this is ridiculous! In fact, i find it quite offensive. It is these types of views that stop people from getting the most out of life. Yoga has benefitted me - and countless other people - greatly. if one believes that one is going to be "possessed" by evil spirits, one will draw negative things to oneself. It is both misonformed and in bad taste to slate yoga, especially if you do not understand its basis. and to say that someone may be possessed by evil spirits for reading a horoscope... is this serious? i think that Father Jeremy Davies is giving himself and the church a bad name.

Ignorance is very sad. It appears that his belief in "devils" et al derives from much fear. Although I don't know him, his comments seem to betray a fear of evil lurking behind every corner. Sad indeed.

Tara

Having been raised Catholic this, unfortunately, does not suprise me. However, according to the Bible the wise men from the east were led to the infant Jesus by a new star in the sky. So it would seem that reading the stars has been part of Christianity all along... As well as as an acknowledgement of wisdom from the east!

When one considers the pedophile coverup perpetrated by the catholic heirarchy, the rash of ebezellments by clergy and subsequent coverups, the attempted blackmail of a governor by a bishop, and now the admonition that yoga and reiki are doorways into demonic possession, the question has to be asked .... who is it that is really possessed by demons? One who is living the principles of yoga, or the person pointing the finger at yoga, who is forgetting that there are 4 fingers are pointing back to him.

PS: just for an added measure of absurdity, according to the vatican, it is no OK to believe in space aliens.

It's very sad. When I told a friend that I was doing yoga and how great I was finding it on many levels, her first words were. You have to stop, it lets the devil into your soul. How on earth does this start? Having read 'Autobiography of a Yogi' it is apparent that yoga is not a radical religion it is a philiosophy encompassing all aspects of your life. It is purely dealing in the positive changes you can make to your life to fulfil your true potential and live a great life. And christians are worried about alternative religions? We should all be worried about what is happening to christianity.

We should keep in mind that the focus of Christianity is Jesus Christ and his word. I'm new at yoga, but I'm fully aware of the benefits it has as well as the dangers, like all things, can come from it. Only when you idolize or divert your focus away from God, will you be subject to Satan and his plans. Yoga is no different, susceptibility-wise, to sports or hobbies. Views like that are of man, not of a religion as a whole.

This is beyond funny, sad or offensive. It is just plain stupid.

I am in the beginning process of creating a Yoga Blog where I will be posting my designs for Astro Yoga Babes - designs for T-shirs with poses for all the astrology sines with yoga poses. I will include a link to this article because, for me, you were brave to post such an article even if it does generate talk/controversy.

So sad... and somewhat hard to take seriously. I feel so much more in tune with Christ and God after I have gone to the mat and calmed all my fears and anxieties.

As a Reiki Master and yoga practitioner, I find this scenario very disturbing. The people who are claiming that yoga, massage and reiki are doorways to demonic possession have one thing in common ... they have no evidence to support their conclusions. Most, if not all, of those who so fervently espouse this position also have no personal knowledge or experience with any of these disciplines. They are unwilling to hear anything other than that which supports their narrow minded beliefs. Their positions are based on heresay and are grounded in ignorance and fear.

The frightening aspect of this is that this is the same type of mindset that created and perpetuated the holocaust.

The truth, supported by volumes of evidence, is that yoga, reiki and massage therapy have helped untold millions to have more productive and powerful lives. Fundamentalist Christianity on the other hand has a sordid and well documentated history of depravity and destruction.

Frightening, very frightening.

I find this most offensive as well! I'm going to massage therapy school as well as aspiring to do yoga school in the very very near future...these studies have don nothing yet to draw me to the occult or any other ways of diverting my attention away from my god. If anything it brings me closer with everything I learn good and bad!

I think that this priest's views are really funny more than anything else.
Besides, It is a reflection of his ignorance. Nobody will take someone's
silly comment seriously.!

I find this level of ignorance offensive. If yoga for relaxation is a gateway to demonic possession in the eyes of "the church", then is exercise for physical health ALSO a gateway to demonic possession? If that is so, then shouldn't we discourage our youth from physical activity not directly related to work? Both ideas are equally ludicrous and harmful.

I think its sad and also indicative of how male dominated philosophies dominate with using fear & oppression. Knowlege is freedom! God is just too big for one religion! We can change the world with consciousness!

thank you Michelle for levelling the playing field with your enlightened insight

This is very sad indeed that someone would be so narrow minded. I'm a 4th degree black belt master teaching the art of traditional tae kwon do. I've taught now for 19 years, children & adults the art of tae kwon do and yogi for warm-ups to stretch the tight muscles on ones arms, legs, body, and mind. If anything we are rooting out the evil inside the body and mind (if any) and protecting it from the evil outside. We build strong bodies and minds to keep the evil away. Why would anyone think different unless............. you fill in the blank.

I hope that people won't get the impression that this is something all Catholics believe. Obviously this is a misinformed, fear-based comment, but it's certainly not representative of what most practicing Catholics, or Christians as a whole, believe about yoga.

If anything, the opposite is true; in my experience, people who don't practice yoga believe it's "just stretching" or "not real exercise," which completely overlooks the philosophical and spiritual aspects of it.

It is sad, but it is true. The goal of yoga is to liberate a hidden energy called "the serpent" or kundalini. When you've got it then you can have ecstasies, visions etc. This is the power of the occult and not the poewer of the Spirit of God!

It seems like there's a lot of hate circulating here. A refusal by both sides to see some good intentions, and some slivers of human wisdom - a priest's refusal, perhaps, to see the truly positive benefits of yoga that many experience... and also a refusal by yogis to think compassionately about the concerns, experiences, or 'wisdoms' of other humans. Every practice, every religion, has to stand up to its challengers; yoga challenges our perceptions of our daily lives, our traditional religions, etc. Yoga must also respectfully face its challenges, brought on by this Catholic priest or by anyone. If the yogic community can't peacefully stand up to various challenges that are inevitably brought to it, and face these challenges with wisdom, patience, and respect, then what has yoga taught us at all?

It saddens me how the catholic church controls by fear. Demonic possession is truly not from anything but negative acts of self. To blame something on demons that you did is denying self, which is also equally sad. there is wisdom in both philosophies, but it becomes a power struggle when fear is involved. If the pope is afraid of losing power, then that means it is a flawed system in the first place. especially when the base of their philosophy is love. Is this truly loving, or completely possessive? are catholics falling into possession of a sort by listening to a simple man who may be learned but human and a "sinner" in the first place? If they listen to this ignorance, then they are missing a vital part of life that even children, especially children know, and that is discovery.

I agree that we should face this with respect, patience and wisdom. It is inevitable that we yogis should be challenged just as the world is challenging catholicism and christianity in general, and that we should not return a wrong for a wrong, but trying to see their view is the first part to wisdom and patience. it saddens me how they are being controlled in such a manner and are blind to it. for that is what i see happening. we cannot force them to change, and nor should we in the first place. there is patience in that, and as for respect, i do not believe it is disrespecting them to speak of it and discuss how it is affecting them. Plus, to have feelings towards those affected by this is the highest respect that can be brought.