“To Whom It May Concern: A Letter from a Catholic Yogi”

I am writing this article to bring awareness to the practice of Yoga, as a Catholic.

An offensive and disturbing video entitled “The Occult, Harry Potter, Yoga, Chi, and Combating the Demonic” was sent to me by someone who I thought was a friend.  The video, which can be found on YouTube, was created by a group of lay people, not clergy, named “Sensus Fidelium”, meaning sense of the faithful.  This self-appointed group believes that they have the pious expertise and moral authority to interpret the Word of the Lord, as well as how the Catholic faith should be lived, as applied to the elements of the video, specifically, Yoga.  I will not attach the video because I will not advertise such radical and extremist (not old fashioned, and not conservative) but again, radical and extremist “Catholic” views on the world in which we live in today.  One of the key assertions is that “Practicing yoga is practicing Satanism” based on “the idolatry of Buddha, the elevated states of consciousness not attained through God, and the sensuality of the movement” (Sensus Fidelium, n.d.).  Furthermore, there are several other assertions of Catholic supremacy, ignorance, judgement, criticism, ridicule, intolerance, hatred, and condemnation for other religions, spiritual rituals and practices, philosophies, cultural beliefs and customs.  Facetiously speaking, I never knew that Jesus Christ was such a raging, malignant, narcissist?!?

But I digress, the person who sent the video to me shall remain nameless, but sadly, it came from a person who I have been nothing, but loving and kind with during the duration of a brief friendship with the family.  I have no idea what her purpose was for seeking out, and sending, such a video to me, as it was texted without any additional message.  Therefore, I am left to surmise that her purpose was to communicate what she thought of me, both as a Catholic, and as a human being.  I had no idea that my life had become such a topic of conversation or that my soul’s salvation had become such a concern.  Hence, the title of the article.  With that being said, please allow me to clarify the insinuations that I have deduced from the video, as well as a few things about myself, to whom it may concern…

• I am not the Devil. I am not under demonic influence, and nor, do I practice Satanism.  I am not a witch, a Wicca, a Gypsy, or a Shaman.  I am not a Hippie, I do not do drugs (and never have), and I am not a promiscuous temptress driven by lust and sin.
• I am Catholic; a practicing Catholic. I have received all of my developmental sacraments.  I attend mass, weekly, and in reverence of holy days.  I seek confession and repent, as needed.  I say daily prayers, both in the morning and evening.  I pray novenas and light candles in honor of saints.  I believe in God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  He is the only God that I pray to, and honor.  I try very hard to be a good person.
• I am not a Pagan. I do not pray to the moon, the sun, the planets, the tides, the animals, or anything else.  I am, however, fascinated by all of the beauty, life, and energy of Mother Earth and the Universe.  How could I not be?  They’re all part of God’s creation.  This is not idolatry.
• I utilize holistic healing practices: Acupuncture, Reiki, the Chakras, Essential oils, incense, herbs, spices, plants, crystals, and sound frequencies, etc. to both cure and prevent ailments in my body. A comprehensive approach to life seems to resonate with me the most, as I am best able to understand human behavior from a kaleidoscopic perspective.
• I am intrigued by Eastern cultures, customs, and philosophy. I enjoy the diversity of other languages, architecture, decors, foods, music, rituals, and art.  However, that should not be perceived as being open to religious conversion, as it is simply an appreciation of different ethnicities.  Again, I am, and will always be, a Catholic.
• I practice yoga—as an exercise, a way of honoring and nurturing my body—mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. For me, practicing yoga is the same as practicing self-love.  As a child of God, isn’t that what I am supposed to do?  Honor, nurture, and love the body in which God has blessed me with.

With all of that being said, I am a multi-faceted person, and I always have been.  I am not uni-dimensional, and nor, do I believe that anyone should be, as that is what leads to egocentrism.

I like who I am, and I am comfortable in my own skin.  I do not see the human body as being impure or inherently sinful.  I also do not see spiritual or artistic expressions of the body as being impure or sinful either, as the intentions of such are not to arouse; but perhaps for some, it is as the old adage goes, “It is in the eye of the beholder”.  Regardless, being on a mission of a search for sin is a hypocrisy to the fundamental beliefs and values of the Catholic faith, in my opinion.

As a Catholic, there is a code of conduct to live by, but that is rooted in grace, love, compassion, forgiveness, and mercy.  As a Yogi, there is also a code of conduct to practice by, which includes the same values.  You see, Catholicism and Yoga are not mutually exclusive; one is a religion, the other a practice, but yet, they seem to be beautifully interconnected.  For instance, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word “yuj”, meaning to yoke or unite; mind, body, and spirit.  Coincidence or irony?  Perhaps that is why there are so many Catholic churches and organizations that offer Yoga classes.

Personally speaking, my practice has strengthened my relationship both with myself and with God.  In fact, many of the conversations that I have with Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother, are the thoughts, feelings, sensations, and realizations that come into awareness during my practice.  All that I have learned through Yoga has become the insight and clarity of what I need to pray for, what I need to change, and what I need to heal from, all with the help of God.  Each and every day is about being a better person and living my life in a better way than the day before; just perhaps not by the staunch standards of some.  Being “a good Catholic” is not necessarily the same as being a good person.

I have always believed that it is not my place to judge or condemn anyone else, and nor is it anyone else’s place to judge or condemn me.  In fact, it has always been my experience that those who tend to judge and condemn others, do so merely to feel superior, and/or to control and manipulate those around them for their own selfish purposes.  Furthermore, it has also been my experience that those who use religion as a means to justify their behavior are usually the ones with the most behavior to repent for, and/or conceal.  I do not believe that anyone’s trials and tribulations, errs and failures, offenses and sins are any of my business, and nor do I believe that mine, or even the distorted perceptions thereof as insinuated by the video, are anyone else’s either.  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).

In the meantime, life your life and do the right thing; be ethical, be moral, be kind, be accepting, be tolerant, be empathetic, be compassionate, be forgiving, and be loving—to everyone, not just to those you feel are worthy of love, but to everyone.  “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

I will pray for the creators of the video, as well as for the person who sent it to me, as they must truly need some peace in this life…

Lastly, the United Nations declared June 21st as the International Day of Yoga.  It is a day to promote global health, harmony, and peace.  This year, 2019, marked the fifth annual since its inception in 2014.  The theme was “Yoga for Heart” with a dedication to “Climate Control for Our Global Community”.

Please help bring awareness to the practice of Yoga.  As a Catholic, and as a human being, it is my sincere hope that those who see darkness in the world may see the light, love, and beauty in all others.

Amen and Namaste.

Sincerely,

Erinn E. Vranches, Catholic and Yogi.