CATHOLIC PRIESTS PROPAGATE YOGA. APPROVAL BY BISHOPShttp://www.cbcj.catholic.jp/eng/jcn/mar2006.htm#10; http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=19107
JAPAN, SHIMONOSEKI. March 20, 2006 Every Thursday evening at 7:30, about 10 people gather to practice yoga in the library of Chofu Catholic Church in Shimonoseki, western Japan. In July, when the weather gets hot, they move to the chapel. Their teacher is Father Alex Varickamakal, a Jesuit born in Kerala, southern India.
The 49-year-old priest started to teach yoga here in 2001 and is now teaching in three parishes and a public community center in this town of Yamaguchi prefecture, about 800 kilometers southwest of Tokyo.
Yuko Sakai, one of the yoga students, told a reporter she would come "even if it meant changing my work schedule."
The 49-year-old priest started to teach yoga here in 2001 and is now teaching in three parishes and a public community center in this town of Yamaguchi prefecture, about 800 kilometers southwest of Tokyo.
Yuko Sakai, one of the yoga students, told a reporter she would come "even if it meant changing my work schedule."
For her, an hour of yoga is "time that provides relief from my busy life."
Chofu parish started to host the yoga classes in 2005, on the initiative of Shizuka Harada, a parishioner.
Harada said that when she heard of Father Varickamakal's yoga classes in the other parishes, she thought, "This may be a chance to bring new people to our parish." She suggested the idea to her husband, who heads the parish council.
Harada, her husband and their daughter prepare the parish hall for the class and collect voluntary donations to cover Father Varickamakal's expenses. Drawn by word of mouth, people who had never been to the parish started to come. Young parishioners asked for the class to be at night, after work. Harada, who also takes part in the yoga class, described her own experience: "It calms me down. After doing yoga, I feel refreshed."
Yoga became popular in Japan after magazines published features on Hollywood actresses doing yoga as a way to keep fit. "But they use yoga just for money," Father Varickamakal commented.
The priest traces his yoga practice back about 20 years ago, to when he was a seminarian in India. "Yoga goes beyond exercise. It is a time of prayer that reaches the level of soul, fulfilling it," he said.
Chofu parish started to host the yoga classes in 2005, on the initiative of Shizuka Harada, a parishioner.
Harada said that when she heard of Father Varickamakal's yoga classes in the other parishes, she thought, "This may be a chance to bring new people to our parish." She suggested the idea to her husband, who heads the parish council.
Harada, her husband and their daughter prepare the parish hall for the class and collect voluntary donations to cover Father Varickamakal's expenses. Drawn by word of mouth, people who had never been to the parish started to come. Young parishioners asked for the class to be at night, after work. Harada, who also takes part in the yoga class, described her own experience: "It calms me down. After doing yoga, I feel refreshed."
Yoga became popular in Japan after magazines published features on Hollywood actresses doing yoga as a way to keep fit. "But they use yoga just for money," Father Varickamakal commented.
The priest traces his yoga practice back about 20 years ago, to when he was a seminarian in India. "Yoga goes beyond exercise. It is a time of prayer that reaches the level of soul, fulfilling it," he said.
"Yoga is suitable to settling one's mind and leading one to silence," the priest added, noting that Blessed Teresa of Kolkata had called prayer "the fruit of silence." "I use it as an opportunity for people to encounter God," he continued, explaining that "no one would be interested" if he used the word "religion." But he uses words of the Bible for the meditation that ends the yoga sessions. Recalling his first yoga class here, Father Varickamakal said it was in Hosoe parish, where he lives, and the intention was "to open our Church to our neighbors." Later, due to a lack of space, he started to rent a room in a public community center, which later asked him to run classes for the center. The priest also runs classes in Hikojima parish. Participation in all the priest's groups is free, but many who take part make contributions to cover expenses.
One of his students, Sadako Nagaoka, explained how the practice has benefited her. She said that she started last April after hearing about it from a friend, and that a bothersome back pain went away from the very first time she started practicing,. That was not the only effect. " My mind is filled with joy. With this joy, I don't even think of quarreling. This sense of refreshment is incomparable. I'm now so much more interested in prayer," testified Sadako, who said she had never been to a Catholic church before she started the yoga classes. END
One of his students, Sadako Nagaoka, explained how the practice has benefited her. She said that she started last April after hearing about it from a friend, and that a bothersome back pain went away from the very first time she started practicing,. That was not the only effect. " My mind is filled with joy. With this joy, I don't even think of quarreling. This sense of refreshment is incomparable. I'm now so much more interested in prayer," testified Sadako, who said she had never been to a Catholic church before she started the yoga classes. END
[The New Leader April 16-30, 2006 also carried this report about Fr. Alex Varickamakal SJ]
I wrote to a Mangalorean Jesuit seminarian Bro. Arun D’Souza, who is studying in Japan, in May 2006, asking for his comments. He had earlier displayed indifference to my ministry when I had sent him a self-introduction.
His reply, after a couple of reminders:
“… Two things are clear as far as I am concerned with the topic YOGA. The first, I believe in the power of yoga, and in the Indian context Yoga could be an inevitable part of christianity. I consider yoga as yet another form of coming closer to the message of God... whatever the belief of the veterans be.
The second, I do not practice yoga, and hence I can not vouch for the benefits of the yoga. Therefore I would like to keep myself away from the discussion on yoga, my perspective would be from what I have seen in my eyes, and read through my mind, nothing from my personal experience…
Fr Alex SJ is a yoga teacher in Japan, he has a group of men and women in Yamaguchi area where SFX [St. Francis Xavier] preached Jesus and most of his participants are not Catholic, yet believe in Jesus, eventually Alex intends to baptise them.. as its the custom here. I stayed with Alex for four days during the Christmas vacation, he took me around to different places, in Yamaguchi area. He has many people attending his program and its one of the most effective ways of spreading Jesus as people in this country are interested in Yoga…” END
NOTE: It is obvious from the above that Jesuit priests get their penchant for Yoga in their formation at seminary*. One cannot straighten a crooked tree. *see also I 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 22, 23
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