Deliverance & Yoga
APRIL 2011/JULY 2013
Q:
Dear Ron, The few people who know what yoga really is have been upset that it is allowed to be practiced on a regular basis in the St. Joan of Arc church building in view of the body of the church containing the sanctuary. Yesterday a lady who practices yoga and who is a Eucharistic minister prayed the rosary with us after Mass in the adoration chapel. She was in the lotus position the whole time and when I mentioned to her after the rosary that EWTN just had a program the night before that yoga should be renounced, she said that yoga gives her energy to communicate with her inner self. She went on to make the statement that “WE ARE ALL GOD“. That blasphemy in front of Jesus in the tabernacle upset me so that when everyone was gone from the Church, I took holy water and sprinkled it in the Yoga room in the name of Jesus Christ for satan to be gone. My question is: Where does satan go when we drive him out? Can he follow me around and go home with me? What else should I do? I have told this to the Pastor but I think he is still going to allow yoga to continue there. Please pray for St. Joan of Arc church. Prayers, Rose Alfidi
A:
We do not know with certainty where satan or any demon is sent when we pray deliverance and drive them out. When I was actively involved in the deliverance ministry I was told by ordained and lay experts to pray this way: In Jesus name I bind the spirit of (for example – Yoga), (bind means to ‘tie them up’ – so to speak – so that they cannot use their powers) and I command you to go to the place that Jesus has prepared for you. Amen!
For a longer answer: “The following schema for deliverance prayer: (1) Begin with praise and thanks to God. (2) Pray for the protection of everyone present and all family members. (3) Ask for the intercession of Mary and the saints. (4) Bind the power of satan and demonic spirits. (5) Pray deliverance prayer quietly. If a person has the charismatic gift of word of knowledge or discernment of spirits, he or she may know the name of a spirit, for example, a spirit of fear. The prayer prayed silently then would be: ‘In the name of Jesus I command the spirit of fear to leave this person immediately and go directly to the cross where Jesus will do with you as He wills.’ (6) After the deliverance prayer, pray that the Holy Spirit will come upon the person, bringing healing and filling him or her with grace.”
“The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name’.”
My fee for this report: Please say one Hail Mary for me!
This report prepared on August 27, 2005 by Ronald Smith, 11701 Maplewood Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024-8482, E-mail: hfministry@roadrunner.com. Readers may copy and distribute this report as desired, without restrictions in number, as long as the content is not altered and is copied in its entirety.
† Let us recover by penance what we have lost by sin †
YOGA IS A HINDU MEDITATION TECHNIQUE WHOSE GOAL IS UNION WITH THE BRAHMAN OR THE IMPERSONAL ABSOLUTE. WHILE IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE FOR HINDUS TO EITHER WORSHIP THEIR DEITIES OR INDULGE IN THE PRACTISE OF YOGA, FOR CHRISTIANS TO DO SO IT WOULD MEAN TRANSGRESSING THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WHICH IS TO “HAVE NO OTHER GOD” THAN THE PERSONAL GOD OF THE BIBLE.
CHRISTIANS WHO PERFORM YOGA OR OTHER HINDU RITUALS MIGHT SUFFER HARMFUL SPIRITUAL AND EVEN PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES BROUGHT ON BY THE “ELEMENTAL POWERS” THAT MAY BE ATTACHED TO THE DEITIES OR THEIR SYMBOLS AND RITUALS.
SEVERAL CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF SUCH OCCURRENCES ARE PROVIDED IN THE REPORT
“DANCING AND BHARATANATYAM IN THE MASS“, PAGES 107 THROUGH 121, AND IN “BHARATANATYAM – I“, PAGES 93 THROUGH 107. BHARATANATYAM IS A HINDU DANCE.
FOR INFORMATION ON YOGA, PLEASE READ [continued at the end of the article]:
NEW AGE GURUS 01-SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR-THE ‘ART OF LIVING’
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/NEW_AGE_GURUS_01-SRI_SRI_RAVI_SHANKAR-THE_ART_OF_LIVING.doc
YOGA-SUMMARY
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA-SUMMARY.doc
YOGA
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA.doc
YOGA, SURYANAMASKAR, GAYATRI MANTRA, PRANAYAMA TO BE MADE COMPULSORY IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
YOGA IN THE DIOCESE OF MANGALORE
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA_IN_THE_DIOCESE_OF_MANGALORE.doc
FR JOHN FERREIRA-YOGA, SURYANAMASKAR AT ST. PETER’S COLLEGE, AGRA
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/FR_JOHN_FERREIRA-YOGA_SURYANAMASKAR_AT_ST_PETERS_COLLEGE_AGRA.doc
YOGA-WHAT DOES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SAY ABOUT IT?
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA-WHAT_DOES_THE_CATHOLIC_CHURCH_SAY_ABOUT_IT.doc
TRUTH, LIES AND YOGA-ERROL FERNANDES
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TRUTH_LIES_AND_YOGA-ERROL_FERNANDES.rtf
WAS JESUS A YOGI? SYNCRETISM AND INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE-ERROL FERNANDES
YOGA IN PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH CHRISTIANITY
By Fr. James Manjackal MSFS http://jmanjackal.net/eng/engyoga.htm;
jmanjackal@yahoo.com;
As a Catholic Christian born in a traditional Catholic family in Kerala, India, but lived amidst the Hindus, and now as a Catholic religious priest and charismatic preacher in 60 countries in all continents, I have something to say about the bad effects of Yoga on Christian spirituality and life. I know there is a growing interest in Yoga all over the world, even among Christians- and this interest is extended to other esoteric and New Age practices like reincarnation, reiki, acupressure, acupuncture, pranic healing, reflexology, etc. which are therapies against which the Vatican has cautioned and warned in her document “Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life” (February 3, 2003).
For some, Yoga is a means of relaxation and easing of tension, and for others it is a form of exercise, promoting fitness and health, and for a few is a means of healing of sicknesses. There is much confusion in the mind of the average Catholic – lay and cleric – because
Yoga as promoted among Catholics is neither entirely a health discipline nor entirely a spiritual discipline, but sometimes one, sometimes the other, and often a mixture of both.
But in fact,
Yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline
and I know even priests and nuns in the seminaries and novitiates who promote Yoga as help to meditation and prayer. It is sad that nowadays, many Catholics are losing trust in the great spiritualities and mysticisms for prayer and discipline handed over to them by great saints like Ignatius of Loyola, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Sales, St. Teresa of Avila, etc. and are now going after the Eastern spiritualities and mysticisms coming from Hinduism and Buddhism. It is in this regard that a sincere Christian should inquire into Yoga’s compatibility with Christian spirituality, and the wisdom of incorporating its techniques into Christian prayer and meditation.
What is Yoga? The word Yoga means “union”, the goal of Yoga is to unite one’s transitory (temporary) self, “JIVA” with the infinite “BRAHMAN”, the Hindu concept of God. This God is not a personal God, but it is an impersonal spiritual substance which is one with nature and the cosmos. Brahman is an impersonal divine substance that “pervades, envelopes and underlies everything”. Yoga has its roots in the Hindu Upanishads, which is as old as 1,000 BC, and it tells about Yoga thus, “Unite the light within you with the light of Brahman”. “The absolute is within one self” says the Chandogya Upanishads, “TAT TVAM ASI” or “THOU ART THAT”. The Divine dwells within each one of us through his microcosmic representative, the individual self called Jiva. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes the Jiva as “my own eternal portion”, and “the joy of Yoga comes to the yogi who is one with Brahman”.
The yogi Patanjali explained the eight ways that leads the Yoga practices from ignorance to enlightenment – the eight ways are like a staircase – They are self-control (yama), religious observance (niyama), postures (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama), sense control (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), deep contemplation (dhyana), enlightenment (samadhi). It is interesting to note here that postures and breathing exercises, often considered to be the whole of Yoga in the West, are steps three and four towards union with Brahman! Yoga is not only an elaborate system of physical exercises, it is a spiritual discipline, purporting to lead the soul to samadhi, total union with the divine being. Samadhi is the state in which the natural and the divine become one, man and God become one without any difference (Brad Scott: Exercise or religious practice? Yoga: What the teacher never taught you in that Hatha Yoga class, Watchman Expositor Vol. 18, No. 2, 2001).
Such a view is radically contrary to Christianity which clearly distinguishes between Creator and creature, God and man. In Christianity, God is the “Other” and never the self. It is sad that some promoters of Yoga, reiki and other disciplines and meditations, had misquoted some isolated Bible verses to substantiate their arguments such as, “You are the temple of God”, “The living water flows from you”, “You will be in me and I will be in you”, “It is no longer I that lives but Christ lives in me”, etc. without understanding the context and the meaning of those words in the Bible. There are even people who portray Jesus as a yogi as we can see nowadays such pictures of Jesus in convent chapels and presbyteries – Jesus presented in yogic postures of meditation!
To call Jesus a “yogi” is to deny His intrinsic divinity, holiness and perfection and suggest that He had a fallen nature subject to ignorance and illusion (Maya), that He needed to be liberated from the human condition through the exercise and discipline of Yoga. Yoga is incompatible with Christian spirituality because it is pantheistic (God is everything and everything is God), and holds that there is only one Reality and all else is illusion or Maya.
If there is only one absolute reality and all else is illusory, there can be no relationship and no love. The centre of Christian faith is faith in the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, three persons in one God-Head, the perfect model of loving relationship. Christianity is all about relationships, with God and among men, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22: 37-39).
In Hinduism, good and evil, like pain and pleasure, are illusory (Maya) and therefore unreal. Vivekananda, the most respected icons of modern Hinduism, said “good and evil are one and the same” (Vivekananda: The yogas and other works, published by Ramakrishna Vivekananda Centre, NY, 1953).
In Christianity the vexing problem of sin as an offence against the Holiness of God is inseparable from our faith, because sin is the reason why we need a Saviour. The Incarnation, the Life, the Passion, the Death and the Resurrection of Jesus are for us means for salvation, that is to set us free from sin and its consequences. We can not ignore this fundamental difference in order to absorb Yoga and other Eastern meditation techniques into Christian spirituality. The practice of Yoga is pagan at best, and occult at worst. This is the religion of antichrist and for the first time in history it is being widely practised throughout the Western world and America.
It is ridiculous that even yogi masters wearing a Cross or a Christian symbol deceive people saying that Yoga has nothing to do with Hinduism and say that it is only accepting the other cultures. Some have masked Yoga with Christian gestures and call it “Christian Yoga”. Here it is not a question of accepting the culture of other people; it is a question of accepting another religion which is in conflict to our religion and religious concepts.
It is a pity that Yoga has widely spread all over from kindergarten to all form of educational institutions in medicine, psychology, etc. calling itself as a science while it is not a science at all; and it is sold under the labels ‘relaxation therapy’, ‘self-hypnosis’, ‘creative visualisation’, ‘centering’, etc. Hatha Yoga, which is widespread in Europe and America for relaxation and non-strenuous exercises, is one of the six recognized systems of orthodox Hinduism, and it is at its roots religious and mystical, which is the most dangerous forms of Yoga (Dave Hunt, The Seduction of Christianity, page 110).
Remember the words
of St. Paul, “No wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light” (II Cor 11: 14).
It is true that many people are healed by Yoga and other Eastern ways of meditation and prayers.
Here the Christian should ask themselves whether they need healing and material benefits or their God Jesus Christ in Whom they believe, Who is the source of all healings and good health.
The desire to become God* is the first and second sin in the history of creation as chronologically recorded in the Bible, “You said in your heart, I will scale the heavens, above the stars of God I will set up my throne; I will take my sit on the mount of Assembly, in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds, I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14: 13-14).
*See Rose’s question on page 1
The serpent said to the woman, “You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God who knows what is good and what is bad” (Genesis 3: 4-5).
The philosophy and practice of Yoga are based on the belief that man and God are one. It teaches one to focus on oneself instead on the One True God. It encourages its participants to seek the answers to life’s problems and questions within their own mind and conscience instead of finding solutions in the Word of God through the Holy Spirit as it is in Christianity.
It definitely leaves one open to deception from God’s enemy, who searches for victims whom he can take away from God and the Church (I Peter 5: 8).
For last eight years, I have been preaching the Word of God mainly in European countries, which once were the cradles of Christianity, producing evangelisers and missionaries, martyrs and saints. Now can we call Europe Christian?
Is it not true that Europe has erased all its Christian concepts and values from lives? Why is Europe ashamed to say that it has Christian roots? Where are the moral values and ethics practised by Europeans from down the centuries and handed over to other countries and cultures by the bold proclamation of the Gospel of Christ? From the fruits we shall know the tree! I believe that these doubts and confusions, apostasy and infidelism, religious coldness and indifference came to Europe ever since the Eastern mysticisms and meditations, esoteric and New Age practices were introduced in the West.
In my charismatic retreats, the majority of the participants come with various moral, spiritual, mental and physical problems in order to be liberated and healed and to have a new life through the power of the Holy Spirit. With all sincerity of heart I will say, 80 to 90 % of the participants had been to Yoga, reiki, reincarnation, and other Eastern religious practices where they lost faith in Jesus Christ and the Church. In Croatia, Bosnia, Germany, Austria and Italy, I had clear instances where individuals who were possessed with the powers of darkness cried out “I am Reiki”, “I am Mr. Yoga”, identifying themselves to these concepts as persons while I was conducting prayers of healing for them. Later, I had to pray over them by the prayer of deliverance to liberate them from the evil possessions.
There are some people who say, "There is nothing wrong in having the practices of these, it is enough not to believe the philosophies behind". The promoters of Yoga, reiki, etc, themselves very clearly state, that the philosophy and practice are inseparable. So a Christian cannot, in any way, accept the philosophy and practice of Yoga because Christianity and Yoga are mutually exclusive worldviews. Christianity sees man's primary problem as sin, a failure to conform to both, the character and standards of a morally perfect God. Man is alienated from God and he is in need of reconciliation. The solution is Jesus Christ "The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world". Through Jesus' death on the Cross, God reconciled the world to Himself. He now calls man to freely receive all the benefits of his salvation through faith in Christ alone.
Unlike Yoga, Christianity views Salvation as a free gift, it can only be received and never be earned or attained by one's own effort or works. Today what is needed in Europe or elsewhere is the powerful preaching of the message of Christ coming from the Bible and interpreted by the Church in order to remove the doubts and confusions wildly spread among the Christian in the West and to bring them to the Way, the Truth and Life: Jesus Christ. Only the Truth can set us free.
BE AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF YOGA
Single Christian Network Forums – Post by: Elizabeth_HSC on May 19, 2009 EXTRACT
https://www.singlec.com/christian-dating/index.php?action=printpage;topic=20504.0
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Just want to share with you this testimony of an Ex-Yoga Teacher, which confirms that Yoga really glorifies “that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray” (Revelation 12:9). For this reason, the Christian should not allow his body (the temple of the Holy Spirit) to be engaged in any “pose” that expresses worship to Satan.
Recently I received an email about Yoga from my friend. Please read the testimony below so you will know why Christian should not learn Yoga. [For the testimony alone, see Yoga – A satanic trap!
http://d-m-v.blogspot.com/2009/04/yoga-satanic-trap.html]
Madam Choy Poh Shon (from Malaysia) is the member of Wesley Methodist Church, She wrote a book “Confessions of an Ex-Yoga teacher”.
This is what Madam Choy Poh Shon’s told my friend, when she went to visit her:
On Wednesday, I attended a talk by an ex-yoga teacher, Madam Poh Shon Choy, who sold her yoga centre (earning lots of money giving yoga lessons) and severed all ties with yoga. She urges us to inform relatives, friends, Family members, etc., NOT to get involved at all.
For those who had taken up yoga lessons (hot yoga, power yoga, pe-la-tei, so on), repent and ask God for forgiveness.
Many claimed that they only join to keep fit, only doing the exercise poses and not meditation.
Christians think it is OK so long they don’t participate in the Meditation part. Madam Choy explains that the central of Yoga (originated from Hinduism) is the spirit of Kundalini (spirit of snake or cobra).
Yoga poses are actually animal poses (e.g. camel, rabbit,). All these look very normal and harmless, stretching and exercising. But the danger is, once a person does such poses, the spirit of Kundalini (the snake is in a coiled position) is stimulated or aroused. As the persons goes from basic to intermediate to advance stage of yoga lessons (still not meditation yet), the coiled “snake” will be aroused further. It will rise and rise further.
There are seven centres in the human body – starting from the navel.
The final centre is the part between the eye brows (known to many as the third eye). When the spirit is aroused to the final centre, the third eye will be opened. This is called the full enlightenment.
The first thing the person sees is demons. For some, they will become insane seeing such horrifying demons.
For others, they are not afraid and will have the power to fore-tell other people’s health, problems, luck, etc (like a fortune teller). In fact, they manipulate and control other people.
The meditation part will come in very subtle.
Madam Choy said she was approached by a couple who found her contact from the yellow pages and told her they wanted to teach her new things about yoga.
She was very keen and sat under their teaching. She learnt how to meditate and it must be done in odd hours of the day (past midnight). So she tried. She actually felt a wriggling feeling in her stomach! She also mentioned that her third eye was opened. She could see her own aura (electric fields in all human beings).
Her turning point came when God caused her spiritual eyes to open – she witnessed a lady being delivered, wriggling like a snake on the floor. Madam Choy thanked God for being gracious to her; she took 1-2 weeks to be delivered. She knows of a lady who took 3 months to be cleansed!!
It is a sad thing; there is even yoga lessons for children.
In the States, a Methodist started the Christian yoga. However, there are some believers who still continue, saying that they find no harm after doing yoga for 3 years.
Madam Choy says it is our soul that is in danger. The evil one will try all ways to ensnare/trap Christians.
Someone in the class raised a question! If we have the Holy Spirit, how can the spirit of kundalini be aroused?
Madam Choy replied our God is a holy God; the Holy Spirit will be grieved and will depart. God cannot be mocked.
God’s spirit left King Saul when he disobeyed God. To God, rebellion spirit is witchcraft.
We are not against yoga teachers, yoga students but we are fighting against powers, principalities in the Spiritual realm.
Let’s be on guard, be aware! May Jesus Holy Spirit be with all HIS children and also guide us at all time to be careful. God Bless all those reading this. Elizabeth
SELECTED RESPONSES
Post by HISSERVENT:
Thank you Elisabeth, I wondered about this practice, I know of someone who does the so called exercise only and I challenged her about it, she said exactly what you said, she justifies it by saying well I only do the exercises and not the meditation. Well that was 3 yrs ago and I have recently heard from her, her life has been turned upside down and she can not explain it, she said anything that could go wrong, has. She keeps saying I am a Christian why is all of this happening? I have tried to get her to look at what she is doing and yet she refuses to acknowledge she is doing anything wrong. How blind she is to the dark side of the spiritual world and all of its dangers.
Post by TWOBLESSTWO222:
Thank you Elizabeth, for the informative post. I had never heard of this snake spirit that is being aroused during yoga. I do think we Christians have enough spiritual attacks to fight without inviting these things by practicing yoga or other traditions that are not Christ-centered and Christ-worshipping. Be blessed.
Post by STEVE1126:
I was aware that the poses are the no-no’s. Each specific pose invites a specific kind of demon. Any Christian who has participated in yoga does need deliverance.
Post by: TESS206:
Elizabeth, as a former follower of the wiccan/pagan ways I’m going to have to agree with you on this one, sorry SF and the others who pooh-poohed this as hogwash, those seven power centers you mentioned are commonly known in the pagan community as chakras the first one beginning in your lower body around the reproductive system, and depending on which branch of the occult your with, some say there was an eighth that was later discovered, the last one is called the third eye or the crown chakra.
Now I not saying that all Christians can be infected, but when you practice… make no mistake you invite these spirits to get a little closer and they are deceivers they are good at it, they have been doing it for a long time and they count on your unbelief, they will take certain truths and twist them just enough to attract your interest! I have known my Wiccans who where at one time of the Christian faith including some who were ministers who said they just started out of curiosity, because they though they should keep their enemies close or know their enemy better. Example me when I first started hanging with this crowd, one of the male members told me the reason I had so many relationship problems was because I had the largest sexual chakra he had ever seen and that if I wanted him to he could draw some of that energy out of it without ever laying a hand on me! Now please don’t judge me for this it was a long time ago and I thought since he had agreed to do this without molesting me I allowed him to do so! Big mistake! shortly after he supposedly took energy out I was an animal, I couldn’t get enough and have since been told by a counselor that I was addicted to sex! I know that I’m still a baby Christian but when I went to the Lord in prayer, he helped me to put this part of my behavior in hibernation for lack of a better term! I have surrendered this part of my body and have been pure for almost 2 years now! It wasn’t easy but when you ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to surrender and truly want to please God He is faithful! Be careful ’cause our enemy is roaming about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour!
Post by BEVERLEEANNE:
Thank you Tess for sharing. I agree that we have to be very careful because we can open the door to demons harassing us if we do anything that is not of God.
Post by: Elizabeth_HSC:
Thanks Tess and also for all other comments. Before I did receive this said email from friend, my church (Full Gospel Assembly) did highlight to us some many a time not to be involved with Yoga, for there is a spiritual force in it.
Yes, I agree we are born again Christian but we still must check our self daily, how strong our walk with Jesus. Many have fallen ignorantly. So I do agree with Sis. Tess’ comments that we should not make any mistake in inviting these spirits to get a little closer and they are deceivers they are good at it, they have been doing it for a long time and they count on your unbelief, they will take certain truths and twist them just enough to attract your interest! So I pray that all my brothers and sisters in Christ will not fall into this trap. Elizabeth
The Facts on the New Age Movement
By John Ankerberg and John Weldon, 1988, GLS Publishing, 2000, pages 36 and 37.
Some people in the NAM are encountering frightening and unexpected psychic powers, hallucinations, abrupt possession by spirit entities, psychic attacks, and
the often uncontrollable and painful kundalini arousal.
Others are encountering severe depression or suicidal tendencies… Because these experiences are occultic and represent contact with demonic powers, the end result of ‘properly integrating’ such experiences may, from a Christian point of view, be merely a ‘properly integrated’ but demonized individual who is convinced he is advancing spiritually.
The New Age practitioner who wants deliverance from these problems, who wishes to ‘turn off’ the switch, is left with a dilemma. The New Age has no ‘off’ switch, and such a one may be left at the mercy of spirits and forces that will not leave him alone. Abstinence is the only safe recommendation because occult practices open the doors to demonic deception, manipulation and possession.
Once forbidden practices are engaged in and encountered, a person may only be delivered through the power of the Biblical Jesus Christ.
These New Age practices and powers must be renounced (Luke 13:3, James 4:7-8), the sin of involvement repented of and confessed to God (I John 1:9), and Christ must be received as personal Saviour and Lord (John 1:12). Any experience of hindrance should be resolved with constant prayer (I Thessalonians 5:17), Bible study (I Thessalonians 5:21-22, II Timothy 2:15), and responsible Christian counseling.
Goddess Kundalini or demon?
http://www.saint-mike.net/qa/sw/viewanswer.asp?QID=383
July 16, 2007
I practiced kundalini yoga for over 20 years. At one time early on, a beautiful woman in a vision entered into me in the left side of abdomen, and then I saw a golden triangle come out of my forehead. I believed this to be the “goddess kundalini” and felt fortunate.
I have since gotten back with the church, been to confession, and renounced all new age practices. I confessed new age involvement in general, perhaps not this particular experience. My concern is that I may now still have this demon inside of me, and want to get rid of it. I’m concerned that this may fall into the category of a demon stronghold that needs fasting to get rid of. I haven’t had great discipline with fasting recently. Any advice? -Garry
I praise God that you came to your senses and renounced all that nonsense activity. I call it nonsense, but that is not meant to underestimate its danger. This stuff is highly dangerous as you found out.
The sin of your involvement has been forgiven and removed by the Sacrament of Confession, but the consequences of this activity may remain.
Living the good Catholic life such as frequent participation in the Sacraments, daily prayer and devotion, use of sacramentals (e.g., holy water), bible study, good works, etc. will often get rid of the consequences.
If you believe that more needs to be done to remove the consequences (e.g., the presence of this demon), then I suggest that first you avail yourself of the advice given in our Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance which is one of the pages linked on our HELP page linked below. Follow the advice of that document, and also use appropriate prayers found in our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog, linked below. Hedge Prayer of Protection and Rebuking Particular Spirits are two that come to mind that you should pray. Others may be applicable to you too.
If all the self-help strategies do not help, then you may want to contact us for a Personal Consultation.
We will be praying for you. -Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM
[Yoga] Kick boxing
http://www.saint-mike.net/qa/sw/viewanswer.asp?QID=939
March 16, 2009
I used to exercise to a popular kick-boxing DVD which helped me lose weight and get into shape. But one thing I did not like about it was that during the warm-ups and cool-downs the instructor talked about making a ball out of the air surrounding your mid-section, that is, making a ball out of energy centered over one’s gut. The instructor would ask us to move this ball, as if it had real substance, from left to right and so on. There were other types of stretching, breathing, and insight that this instructor “preached” that sounded spiritual in nature. Do you know if the energy ball exercise is derived from yoga?
As a teenager, many years ago, I lost 50 pounds one summer by doing yoga and by controlling what I ate. I honestly believe that through this yoga a demonic influence was introduced into my
life. I had learned yoga from a TV show and there was one instance where I was “displaced”, while being instructed. What I mean is, in what I thought was just a few seconds, 10 minutes had passed and I was physically in a different position on the floor from where I started. It was if I had not moved, but the room moved.
From that time on until my late twenties I had to battle demons that held me down in my bed, uttered curses, and caused dissention between me and my wife to be. I also became interested in occultic matters; not that I wanted to delve into those religions, but I wanted to know about them, which as you have stated before, can be very dangerous. For this reason, I believe, a demon showed itself to me once–the scariest moment in my life.
Luckily these attacks ended when I returned to attending mass regularly and got rid of occultic books, and that was almost 20 years ago.
So I wanted to know if I exercise to this kick-boxing DVD again, can I ignore the energy-ball part, or do you think this is harmless? Or should I just find another exercise program? I don’t want to see a demon again! –Ron
I am glad to hear that you abandoned yoga and the like. The fact that the attacks went away when you got rid of the materials and began attending Mass regularly. The Eucharist and the Sacrament of Confession are powerful in deliverance.
The “energy-ball” exercise in your kick boxing DVD is not harmless. Any idea of manipulating “energies” is something we need to avoid like the plague. There is nothing wrong with kick boxing itself, but it must be done without the “energies” nonsense to avoid opening doors that you do not want opened. -Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM
Yoga posture or legitimate stretch?
http://www.saint-mike.net/qa/sw/viewanswer.asp?QID=1124
December 19, 2009
I am trying to find some reliable guidance on what distinguishes a yoga posture from a legitimate stretch (as part of a warm-up or cool-down after exercising).
Over the years, I have participated in cross-country running, basketball, ballet, tap dance, choreography, and fencing. I also have had the misfortunate to take some yoga classes, which I ceased after experiencing a frightening spiritual experience and subsequently learning how dangerous that practice is.
Some yoga postures are clearly specific to yoga, and I know to avoid them. Unfortunately, many warm-up/cool-down stretches that I already knew from sports and dance programs seem almost identical to what was being done in my yoga class. Because that particular yoga class was supposedly to “stretch and strengthen”, I don’t know whether the teacher had incorporated “regular” stretching and physical therapy moves into the yoga class, or whether everything technically was a yoga posture. (At one point, the teacher mentioned that a lot of modern physical therapy has incorporated yoga moves because of their success in stretching and strengthening various parts of the body, particularly the lower back.) So how am I supposed to tell what is yoga and what isn’t?
In the limited research that I have done, it seems that every possible body position could conceivably be labeled yoga. For example, bending over to touch your toes with your legs straight can be called “Uttanasana” (standing forward bend), while sitting down and leaning forward to touch your toes can be called “Paschimottanasana” (seated forward bend). Both of these are extremely common ways to stretch one’s legs before and after exercise, and are commonly used in dance, gymnastics, athletics, etc. to stretch the hamstrings. So is one inadvertently doing yoga when one stretches this way, or there something else that makes common stretches such as these become yoga postures? Is it doing specific breathing exercises or meditations?
Because I am now afraid of inadvertently doing yoga, I have been avoiding all exercise and stretching. I would very much appreciate any guidance on how to distinguish between something that is a legitimate warm-up or cool-down stretch vs. a yoga posture. This yoga teacher even told me that some stretches that I thought I had “made up” years ago to get relief from chronic back pain were actually yoga poses!
I don’t know what to do when even lying down on one’s back with one’s eyes closed (as one might do before going to sleep) can be considered a yoga pose! It can’t be that ALL forms of movement and stretching are now forbidden. Thank you for any help you can provide. –Jane
If you stick to traditional stretching exercises you will be okay. Basically, any exercise book or guide that was published before the yoga fad will contain long traditional exercises not contaminated by yoga.
Usually books or guides that incorporate or borrow from yoga will say so. Nevertheless, staying with the long traditional exercises will be okay.
Remember, because some yoga instructors use some traditional stretching exercises does not invalidate those traditional exercises. It is the postures specific to yoga that represent a danger.
Spouse’s problematic books and music
http://www.saint-mike.net/qa/sw/viewanswer.asp?QID=1140
EXTRACT
January 13, 2010
How should one deal with objectionable books and music that belong to one’s spouse?
I am a practicing Catholic, my husband is not… There is no way I can unilaterally throw this stuff out without starting World War III, nor do I think I have the “right” to do so since it does not belong to me. I am praying for my husband’s conversion and have been saying the “Spiritual Hedge” prayers as well. Is there anything else I can or should do?
I am desperate to get rid of this stuff because I experienced a demonic manifestation in the house a few weeks ago that scared me to death. I was asleep, and my dream turned into a nightmare. I prayed to my guardian angel (in my sleep) and almost immediately afterward I felt an overwhelming presence of evil. I was terrified and desperately prayed something to the effect of: In the name of Jesus Christ, begone! I felt a wave of heat go through me and heard a roaring in my ears, and when I opened my eyes, there was something hideous in my room–a blue, glowing, twisted face.
I have gone to confession, given up yoga (which I belatedly realized might be part of the problem). I have also been blessing my children with holy water and holy oil at night because they have been afraid to sleep in their rooms. If you have any other advice, I would very much appreciate it. -Georgia
[Hindu-influenced maid under demonic attack]
http://www.saint-mike.net/qa/sw/viewanswer.asp?QID=237
January 25, 2005
My maid aged 30 (recently employed) who looks after my two children confided in me that a demon appears to her in the night as soon as the lights are out (she lies wide awake in fear) in a form of a handsome man and has sex with her which she says is very pleasurable. She has no idea how long it lasts but she feel completely drained when she wakes up in the morning.
She is unable to speak at the time this happens and cannot call for help. She is unable to tell anyone for the fear that they might think she is out of her mind. She spoke to her husband (he works the night shift and comes home after 1:00 am) and he does puja to the Hindu gods and goddess (Kali ma) as he is a Hindu.
My maid is a Christian but believes in Hinduism also. I am really scared and I ask your help as to what I should do. I am worried about my children who are looked after by her.
Besides this incident she has had other paranormal experiences too, for e.g. seeing dead family members, seeing other spirits and hearing sounds at night. I spoke to one of my friend who is protestant and she told me about the demons incubus and succubus, so I checked it out on the internet and found out that other people have also experienced similar experiences.
Should I say the Spiritual Warfare prayers for her safety or is it unsafe for me to do so? I mean will I be putting myself at risk?
She described that this demon as a hairy creature that has long, broad, webbed feet and is tall, very dark and handsome. I do believe her, but when I told my husband about it, he just dismissed the issue by saying that she is imagining things and that demons do not exist. -Judy
What you are describing does sound like your maid is in trouble. The fact that Hindu magic is being used makes matters worse. She needs to abandon any and all belief in Hinduism and ask her husband to stop the Hindu magic rituals on her behalf.
She needs to come back to Christianity 100% and begin to cleanse her life from any and all unChristian notions. It is only through Jesus Christ that she can truly find freedom from these demonic attacks.
You can certainly pray Spiritual Warfare prayers for her. You could be attacked yourself, and even your children if you pray for your maid, but God will protect you and not allow anything to happen that you cannot handle.
My biggest concern is for your children and household. I hate to say this as I do not wish to cause anyone to lose a job, but given the experiences she is having and the Hindu magic that is being applied, I think that it is best that she not be around your household, unless….
If she is willing to return to Christianity completely, and to do what needs to be done to rid herself of the demonic attacks (including, if necessary, seeking Deliverance Counseling) and if you are willing to take the risk, you could keep her as a maid and give her support in doing what is necessary for her to be free of this.
If she is truly interested in being free from this harassment and willing to do what is necessary, we might be able to help her in our Deliverance Counseling ministry. -Bro. Ignatius Mary OMSM
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON YOGA, PLEASE READ [continued from page 2]:
REPORTS
BRAHMA KUMARIS WORLD SPIRITUAL UNIVERSITY
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/BRAHMA_KUMARIS_WORLD_SPIRITUAL_UNIVERSITY.doc
CARDINAL OSWALD GRACIAS ENDORSES YOGA FOR CATHOLICS
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CARDINAL_OSWALD_GRACIAS_ENDORSES_YOGA_FOR_CATHOLICS.doc
CATHOLIC YOGA HAS ARRIVED
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CATHOLIC_YOGA_HAS_ARRIVED.doc
DIVINE RETREAT CENTRE ERRORS-05
YOGA PROMOTED
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/DIVINE_RETREAT_CENTRE_ERRORS-05.doc
FR JOE PEREIRA-KRIPA FOUNDATION-WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
FR ADRIAN MASCARENHAS-YOGA AT ST PATRICK’S CHURCH BANGALORE
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/FR_ADRIAN_MASCARENHAS-YOGA_AT_ST_PATRICKS_CHURCH_BANGALORE.doc
FR JOHN VALDARIS-NEW AGE CURES FOR CANCER
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/FR_JOHN_VALDARIS-NEW_AGE_CURES_FOR_CANCER.doc
PAPAL CANDIDATE OSWALD CARDINAL GRACIAS ENDORSES YOGA
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/PAPAL_CANDIDATE_OSWALD_CARDINAL_GRACIAS_ENDORSES_YOGA.doc
YOGA AND THE BRAHMA KUMARIS AT A CATHOLIC COLLEGE IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF BOMBAY
ARTICLES/COMPILATIONS
YOGA-02
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA-02.doc
YOGA IS SATANIC-EXORCIST FR GABRIELE AMORTH
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA_IS_SATANIC-EXORCIST_FR_GABRIELE_AMORTH.doc
YOGA-THE DECEPTION-FR CONRAD SALDANHA
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA-THE_DECEPTION-FR_CONRAD_SALDANHA.doc
YOGA-WHAT DOES THE CATHOLIC CATECHISM SAY ABOUT IT
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/YOGA-WHAT_DOES_THE_CATHOLIC_CATECHISM_SAY_ABOUT_IT.doc
DOCUMENTS
1. LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON SOME ASPECTS OF CHRISTIAN MEDITATION CDF/CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER OCTOBER 15, 1989
2. JESUS CHRIST THE BEARER OF THE WATER OF LIFE, A CHRISTIAN REFLECTION ON THE NEW AGE COMBINED VATICAN DICASTERIES FEBRUARY 3, 2003
TESTIMONIES
1.
TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-01
MIKE SHREVE
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-01.doc
2. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-02
TERRY JUSTISON
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-02.doc
3. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-03
KENT SULLIVAN
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-03.doc
4. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-04
MICHAEL GRAHAM
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-04.doc
5. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-05
BRAD SCOTT
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-05.doc
6. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-06
JANICE CLEARY
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-06.doc
7. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-07
CARL FAFORD
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-07.doc
8. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-08
ANONYMOUS
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-08.doc
9. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-09
DEBORAH HOLT
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-09.doc
10. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-10
DANION VASILE
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-10.doc
11. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-11
MICHAEL COUGHLIN
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-11.doc
12. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-12
LAURETTE WILLIS
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-12.doc
13. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-13
KEITH AGAIN
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-13.doc
14. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-14 VIRGO HANDOJO
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-14.doc
15. TESTIMONY OF A FORMER YOGI-15 PURVI
http://ephesians-511.net/docs/TESTIMONY_OF_A_FORMER_YOGI-15.doc
www.ephesians-511.net
michaelprabhu@vsnl.net
Categories: new age
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