Mixing The Occult With St. Ignatius

 

Meet "Fr." Fr. Bobby Karle, S.J.--where the "SJ" evidently stands for "spiritual junk." He is the founder and director of Ignatian Spirituality and Yoga. Its mission, since 2013, is about engaging with the larger school of philosophy that makes up the yoga path to samadhi (union with the Divine), and bringing this tradition in its fullness into conversation with Ignatian Spirituality. As "Fr. " Bobby says, "Yoga helped me deepen my relationship with Jesus and integrate the various parts of myself."

What does an inherently pagan Hindu and occult spiritual practice have to do with St. Ignatius and his Spiritual Exercises, you ask?  Ignatian Spirituality & Yoga is grounded in experience and encounter. Our programs create and hold spaces to engage in practices that encourage greater stillness and deeper awareness of the body, breath, and interior space. What, exactly, does that jabberwocky mean? Through stillness and awareness we encounter God and can explore how and where we are being called in our lives. (Emphasis mine). "Experiences" and "encounters"! Vatican II blends well with the occult and pagan.

Still not getting it? That's because "Fr." Bobby is enlightened by Vatican II and you're not! Nostra Aetate para. # 2 reads:

Thus in Hinduism, men contemplate the divine mystery and express it through an unspent fruitfulness of myths and through searching philosophical inquiry. They seek release from the anguish of our human condition through ascetical practices or deep meditation or a loving, trusting flight toward God... 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...The Catholic (sic) 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.

Hence, "Fr." Bobby states As an organization, it is vital to us that we are engaging in this in a respectful, responsible, non-oppressive way that honors the contexts and depths of both traditions (i.e., Hindu and "Catholic"). Ah, yes! "Conversation" and "dialogue"--Modernist code words for syncretism, i.e., the attempt to reconcile or merge opposing philosophies or principles and is a hallmark of both Modernism and the occult. (For all quotes above except Nostra Aetate, See https://ignatianspiritualityandyoga.com). 

The subject of this post is to examine the occult---in the form of yoga---which has been injected into what the Vatican II sect blasphemously calls "Ignatian Spirituality." (N.B. The information for this post is taken from a plethora of sources, both online and in print. I take no credit for the material herein, only for condensing it into a terse and readable post---Introibo). 

 Hinduism: The Paganism Behind Yoga

Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world today with about 800 million adherents. Hinduism does not have an individual founder.  Scholars typically trace its origins to around 1500 B.C. in what is now known as India.  It began as a polytheistic and ritualistic family of religions with various sacred rites performed by the heads of particular households or tribes. Around 800 to 300 B.C. the Upanishads were written.  The Upanishads might be very loosely considered Hinduism's equivalent of the New Testament.  This book expounds on the idea that behind the many gods stands one ultimate reality known as Brahman.  Brahman is an impersonal essence that is the basis of all existence.  Hindu thinkers of the time began to understand Brahman as "nirguna," which means "without attributes or qualities." 

Herein lie the three major false teachings within Hinduism: (a) it is polytheistic, (b) it is pantheistic, and (c) it is inherently immoral. 

The Teaching of the Church

The First Vatican Council decreed in the Dogmatic Constitution On The Catholic Faith ("Dei Filius") Chapter 1: 

"The Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church believes and confesses that there is one true and living God, Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, Almighty, Eternal, Immense, Incomprehensible, Infinite in intelligence, in will, and in all perfection, who, as being one, sole, absolutely simple and immutable spiritual substance, is to be declared as really and essentially distinct from the world, of supreme beatitude in and from Himself, and ineffably exalted above all things which exist, or are conceivable, except Himself." 

Hinduism is polytheistic, believing in a multiplicity of "gods." These so-called gods are part of the ultimate impersonal reality of Brahman. This is a form of pantheism which teaches that "God" and nature are the same thing. Pantheism comes from two Greek words, pan meaning "all" and theos meaning "god."  Since God is the Supreme Being, it is illogical to assert more than one "god," unless you lower the definition for "god" which is exactly what Hindus have done. The "gods" have power over certain things and sometimes even need things from us. This is not God. 

Pantheism, either asserts that the universe and God are identical (which is basically atheism with reverence for nature), or nature is an integral part of God (for example, my heart is not me, but an essential part without which I cannot survive). Now, read again the definition of the First Vatican Council. It is unambiguously monotheistic (One True God distinct from the universe He created). To what "god" do Hindus take "a flight to God with love and trust" as Vatican II taught? 

Hinduism is inherently immoral. There can be no Divine Commandments. Hindus consider "everything to be sacred." Sacred to whom? If everything is "sacred" how do I survive by eating meat or vegetation which are also "sacred"? If there is no objective standard outside yourself, there are no objective moral standards either. To kill someone or not to kill someone is therefore a mere matter of preference or dislike. Who, or what, determines that which would be "sacrilegious"? This is a blueprint for moral relativism and chaos. Hinduism's teaching on reincarnation leads to a "caste system" where poor people are in that state allegedly because of their past life of which they have no remembrance (since it's not true). Eventually the soul will become "one with Brahman."  

Infallibly taught by Vatican I:

1. If anyone shall deny One true God, Creator and Lord of things visible and invisible; let him be anathema. 

2. If anyone shall not be ashamed to affirm that, except matter, nothing exists; let him be anathema. 

3. If anyone shall say that the substance and essence of God and of all things is one and the same; let him be anathema. 

4. If anyone shall say that finite things, both corporeal and spiritual, or at least spiritual, have emanated from the Divine substance; or that the Divine essence, by the manifestation and evolution of itself, becomes all things; or, lastly, that God is a universal or indefinite being, which by determining itself constitutes the universality of things, distinct according to genera, species and individuals; let him be anathema. 

Hinduism Grows in Influence

 As a result of Vatican II, Hinduism has gained a strong foothold here in the West. According to The Yoga Tradition. Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice by Georg Feuerstein, PH.D. (Hohm Press, Prescott, Arizona, [1998], xviii), "Yoga is the union of the individual psyche with the transcendental Self."  The "god" expressed in Yoga is spoken of as the Absolute, Higher Self, Ultimate, Divine Consciousness, Transcendental Self, and a plethora of other titles that speak of an impersonal, pantheistic deity that is in all things, though transcendent beyond them. Yoga is pushed during Vatican II retreats, and is even offered in their schools and churches. Now, "Jesuits" are merging it with "Ignatian Spirituality."

Enter "Fr." Joe

"Fr." Bobby got a boost from the Vatican II sect Jesuit rag, America magazine. Joe Hoover, SJ has this to say:

“Ignatian yoga,” a new entity that is drawing enthusiastic crowds to retreats and workshops across the country, sounds like a gimmick. People love yoga. People love the spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola. Mash the two together, and you have created a nice, marketable concept that can sweep a bundle of folks into the arms of the Lord and/or the Society of Jesus. .. Consider this: Most American yoga is actually workout yoga. It does not involve Americans—80 percent of whom are in one fashion or another Christian—making limber supplication to pagan gods. Contrary to the warnings of some church leaders, the practice of yoga is not tantamount to a kind of physical heresy. American gym yoga is mainly done by people who want to get fit, work out kinks, do some cardio, meet guys, find some inner calm, strengthen muscles, get centered, shed pounds, meet women—the usual reasons people go to gyms. (See americamagazine.org/faith/2019/02/08/whats-deal-ignatian-yoga-skeptical-jesuit-finds-out-232548). 

Is Joe right? Is there really "workout" yoga and "pagan/occult" yoga?  Experts in yoga seem to agree that you cannot do so. Swami Prabhupada  states, "Yoga is full of surprises. The first surprise was that it is not simply exercise. Yoga is a moving meditation, a system for developing the mind, the body, and the spirit in unison. This holistic approach makes yoga feel different from Western sports training." (See A.C. Bhaktivendanta Swami Prabhupada, The Quest for Enlightenment, Bhaktivendanta Book Trust , Los Angeles, [1977], pg. 3). 

Yoga is synonymous with Eastern meditation and pantheism, the idea that reality is identical with Divinity, and that all-things compose an all-encompassing, immanent "god." The goal of the yoga practitioner is to unify himself/herself with the "Divine-self" or "God-Self." Through yoga meditation, the person tries to lose contact with the conscious mind for an altered state of consciousness. This disassociation is meant to allow a person to become "one" with "the Divine." Even those who do not get to such altered states, have unwittingly opened themselves up to a decidedly pagan worldview and possible demon possession. The idea of being "divine" is the opposite of Christianity which tells us we are sinners in need of Redemption by the God-Man Jesus Christ.

When yoga techniques are labeled as "relaxation techniques" or "ways to reduce stress and exercise for health," it is misleading. Traditionalist Catholic meditation is the conscious, focused, reflective, cognitive attention to God, such as when one meditates on the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary. Yoga meditation results in an altered state of consciousness.

One disturbing proof of yoga’s spiritual nature is the way it affects practitioners over time. The International Journal of Yoga published the results of a national survey in Australia. 

(See pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3410203).  

Physical postures (asana) comprised about 60% of the yoga they practiced; 40% was relaxation (savasana), breathing techniques (pranayama), meditation, and instruction. The survey showed very significant results: although most respondents commonly began yoga for reasons of physical health, they usually continued it for reasons of spirituality. In addition, the more people practiced yoga, the more likely they were to decrease their adherence to Christianity and the more likely they were to adhere to non-religious spirituality and Buddhism.

Think about that:

• Consistent practice of Yoga is correlated with a diminishment of Christian belief.

• Practitioners typically begin Yoga for physical reasons but stick with it for spiritual reasons.

Physical Yoga IS Spiritual Yoga 

The basic premise of yoga theory is the fundamental unity of all existence: God, man, and all of creation are ultimately one divine reality. An editorial in the Yoga Journal declares this basic premise:

We are all aware that yoga means "union" and that the practice of yoga unites body, breath, and mind, lower and higher energy centers and, ultimately self and God, or higher Self. But more broadly, yoga directs our attention to the unity or oneness that underlies our fragmented experiences and equally fragmented world. Family, friends, the Druze guerrilla in Lebanon, the great whale migrating north—all share the same essential [divine] nature. (See Yoga Journal, May/June 1984, p. 4).

This is why physical yoga and Eastern paganism are mutually interdependent. Two aspects of the  kinds of yoga (asanas: physical exercises; and pranayama: breath work) are purported to be the third and fourth step of an eight-step discipline leading a participant to Samadhi (enlightenment, God-consciousness). These eight steps are:

• Yama (self-control, restraint, devotion to the gods [e.g., Krishna] or the final impersonal "God" [e.g., Brahman])

• Niyama (religious duties, prohibitions, observances)

• Asana (proper postures for yoga practices; these represent the first stage in the isolation of consciousness and are vital components for "transcending the human condition")

• Pranayama (the control and directing of the breath and the alleged divine energy within the human body [prana] to promote health and spiritual [occult/pagan] consciousness and evolution)

• Pratyahara (sensory control or deprivation, i.e., withdrawal of the senses from attachment to external objects)

• Dharana (deeper concentration, or mind control)

• Dhyana (deep contemplation from occult or pagan meditation)

• Samadhi (occult enlightenment or "God [Brahman] realization" i.e., "union" of the practitioner with "God")

The eight steps are interdependent, the steps of "postures" and "breathing" cannot logically be separated from the others. Thus, the interdependence of all eight steps reveals why the physical exercises of yoga are designed to prepare the body for the spiritual (occult) changes that will allegedly help one realize "godhood status." (See, e.g., Swami Nikhilananda, The Yogas and Other Works, New York: Ramadrishna and Vivekananda Center, 1953, p. 592). The postures are thought to "open up the body's chakras." These chakras are alleged energy points going from the base of the spine to the head. At the bottom of the spine is your power which must be released by bringing it up to the head. The whole idea of an "energy-force" that can be awakened is based on the Hindu belief that "Ultimate Reality" is an Impersonal "life-force" that flows through the entire universe ("Brahman"). 

By the very fact you engage in this practice, you are giving credence to the pagan ideas that the "energy force" that "heals and strengthens you" also brings you to a pantheistic "godhood status" with the "ultimate reality."  Whether conscious of it or not, you have adopted pagan beliefs while claiming the title of Traditionalist Catholic. A person's ignorance does not purify yoga from its spiritual falsehood. Most people are familiar with the famous "lotus position" (sitting cross-legged like a statue of Buddha) used by yoga practitioners with an erect back, having their index fingers curled around touching the thumbs while breathing and/or meditating. Yoga instructors will tell their students its a way of keeping focused, and the position is conducive to strengthening certain muscles.

Actually, the position represents a spiritual concept called Gyan munda, which "symbolizes the union of Self with the universe, the unification of one's soul and the supreme soul. The thumb symbolizes the supreme soul, and the index finger refers to the practitioner's soul." (See https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/6444/gyan-mudra). 

The theology of yoga should be apparent. It is not separate from the exercise. 

Meeting "Gods" and "Goddesses" Via Yoga

I have read many accounts of people who have experienced "contact" with pagan "deities." Here is one such account:

Ellen is a medical student, and thinks of herself as a rational person who doesn’t go in for mystical experiences. But one day as she closed her eyes and relaxed in Savasana, Ellen felt a powerful maternal energy around her and “saw” the Hindu goddess Durga, whose picture graced the yoga studio’s back wall. For a moment, the many-armed goddess’s face lingered in front of her, looking alive and full of compassionate love. Then the image disappeared—though the sweet, strong energy stayed with Ellen for hours.

Months later, at a meditation workshop, she asked me what I thought her experience meant. After learning that she’d been in the thick of medical school pressures, I said that maybe the Great Mother was offering a bit of support.

When Ellen looked at me blankly, I suggested she try to access the energy again. “No preconceptions. Just sit in meditation and ask the Durga energy to be with you. Then notice how you feel.” Sounding extremely tentative, Ellen asked me what she should expect. I resisted the temptation to say something inscrutable, like “Don’t expect anything,” and told her, “You’ll probably feel some empowering and benign energy—energy that can open you up to a deeper source of strength.”

The practice I suggested to Ellen is called deity yoga, and it isn’t specific to the Hindu tradition. Christians do a similar practice, invoking Christ or Mary or other saints. Buddhists invoke different forms of the Buddha. In yoga traditions, the goddess is considered the embodiment of life-giving energy. Whether we encounter this energy spontaneously, as Ellen did, or explore it deliberately as a practice, the energy of the divine feminine can open us to our own inner source of empowerment.

(See yogajournal.com/yoga-101/philosophy/oh-goddess; Emphasis mine). 

Does anybody seriously believe putting yourself into an altered state of consciousness through pagan/occult meditation and having a hallucination (vision perhaps) of a pagan deity is like invoking Christ and His Blessed Mother in prayer?  The "divine feminine"? This is an occult/pagan doorway to Hell. 

Four Inherent Dangers in "Ignatian Yoga"

1. Demonic possession.  It can result when the word "OM"(or another "mantra") is chanted leading to an altered state of consciousness, or by assuming various yoga postures that are dedicated to the evil Hindu "deities." Invoke them, and they will heed your call, as Ellen found out above.

2. Apostasy.  People who get involved in the basic physical exercises often get intrigued by the deeper philosophical aspects of yoga and become lukewarm in their faith or even end up leaving the One True Church for pagan mysticism. This danger even has a study supporting its occurrence as was seen in the Australian study cited above.

3. Indifferentism. Even if an "Ignatian" yoga class seems harmless, with no pagan spiritual emphasis, and no outward Hindu trappings, there is still real danger. By participating in a yoga class, you are endorsing a non-Catholic belief system which is incompatible with Church teaching, regardless of what "Frs." Bobby and Joe tell you. 

You implicitly accept the heresy of Indifferentism; the false teaching that one religion is as good as another, and it matters not what you believe or do. When members of the Vatican II sect pray and/or discuss Catholic spirituality before, during, or after yoga you get syncretism, the attempted "blending or amalgamation" of all religions into a One World Church; it is the logical outcome of ecumenism which is at the heart of Modernism (and the occult) which fuels the Vatican II sect. 

Do not believe there is such a thing as "Ignatian" or "Christian"  yoga. Certain things can be "baptized" so to speak, and put in the service of God. For example, the use of certain true axioms and concepts employed by pagan philosopher Aristotle was put to use for the Church thanks to the great St. Thomas Aquinas. However, things that are evil per se can never be made "Christian." Can you imagine these same people saying you can have a "Christian abortion" by praying and singing hymns during the murder of the child in the abortion mill? Equally ludicrous is the idea that performing pagan rituals created in honor of false gods and heretical ideas suddenly become "Ignatian" if you pray to the same God Who commands "Thou shalt not have false gods before Me." 

4. Association with pagans and occultists. By going to yoga classes, you will be influenced by all the people who buy into paganism, are pagans, practice other forms of the occult, or who perhaps even fall victim to demonic influence. It's one thing to go somewhere with the purpose of converting people to the Faith, and its something altogether different to join in with pagan exercises and philosophy. Why expose yourself to such spiritual danger? Play with fire and you will get burned. 

Conclusion

Do not be fooled by the many bizarre, occult, and pagan activities now being labeled "Ignatian" by Jesuitical apostates. I have seen statues of Buddha in once Catholic chapels run by the Society of Jesus. Likewise, so-called Jesuit priests practicing Reiki and "centering prayer" is more and more commonplace. Now, there is the spread of "Ignatian Yoga." Beware.

If it were possible for a saint in glory to be saddened, I think we could hear St. Ignatius Loyola weep over the many ways Our Lord is being denied and denigrated by those using the appellation Ignatian.