Was talking to [Joicy] about the nature of yoga and fortune-telling. She was relating how she received an email from a friend who did yoga, opened up her “third eye” in the process and thus saw and became possessed by demons. She did not give me the full email, but part of it over MSN, the reason being she wanted to know if what she said was true.
Humans, I believe, have a very strong filter. We see what we want to see and we ignore all other realities. That’s the reason, I think, why some people can see “demons” and others can’t. I always found it funny though; why are people so eager to see demons that they cannot see the angels that walk with us? I mean, when you read things about history and witchcraft and the saints, it’s always so much easier to see the demons than it is to see the angels.
I can only remember one Saint who was said to be able to see her Guardian Angel. I cannot remember her name right now, but that particular entry left me very hopeful. I’ve always been interested in Angels; why do we give such prominence to those purported to be the spawns of the Evil One (to use the analogy of staunch Christians) than to see the beauty of God?
Back to viewing the demon.
I’m a believer of free choice. At the end of the day, when God gave us free will, he also gave us the tools needed to use such free will; choice and thinking. At the end of the day, what comes into our lives is determined by our choices.
In the Discworld saga, Pratchett puts across an idea that might terrify people; that the hell and heaven you get sent to is completely determined by your belief of what you did. So the good person that thinks they’ve to atone for a guilt they cannot assauge will be sent to their version of hell, while the evil person who thinks they deserve rewards will go to their own version of heaven.
Unfair, unrealistic but I think perfectly true.
While this may be an oversimplification (and anyone will tell you I love to simplfy things) but I believe that was what happened to the girl who wrote about yoga leading up to the opening of her third eye and thus subsequently being possessed. I’d ask her not to question WHAT she did to deserve it, but to look within herself and reexamine her beliefs.
I know that when I undertook yoga, there was such a thing possible, but I view yoga in the strictest sense possible; that of an exercise. The meditation exercises I use to center myself, to understanding the world around me. I don’t see meditation as an exercise to coming close to God; I listen to the sounds of the Universe and work my own way there. Perhaps it’s just her, but I believe if you open yourself to the possibility of demon possession when doing such exercises, then the door’s open for them to come in.
[Minishorts] had an excellent post about God, life and highways yesterday. Until that post, I didn’t realise just how much I used meditation and prayers in this manner.
At the end of the day, when any activity is undertaken, I believe that everything needs to be in sync; body, mind and soul. Is the course of action right? Does it sit with my whole being? Is there anything that tells me NO, do not do this?
There is no room for doubts, but doubts are usually good indicators. Examine, understand, and address them. They are lessons.
Having been heavily involved in the spiritual realm (I’ve blessed homes, took part in deliverance, faced down someone who practised black magic, and seen angels and demons — cheh wah like the movie) I’ll offer these nuggets from my experience, as a Christian.
Anything you do involving the spiritual realm opens yourself to both demons and angels, and they are all real creatures. There are some activities that are more high risk than others (eg. going to a bomoh might be more ‘high risk’ than reading oh-noes! Harry Potter), and if you are a Christian (I should say if you belong to one religion) you should not mix and match the spiritual practices of one religion / belief system with another.
I don’t think yoga is innocent, at least from a Christian perspective. There is a definite spiritual realm to it. That said, I wouldn’t go screaming like an Evangelical (which I can be) or like a Muslim Mufti by saying that it is evil. Take it this way: our God is a jealous (ie. possessive!) God, and if yoga is all right for a Hindu, it would not be all right for us if it opens us to ‘Hindu spirits’ (I use this term very loosely) because our God wants us to be wholly His. In return He is wholly ours (the Song of Songs is a good example of this theology).
So am I saying that yoga is evil? Not at all. I refer to the words of St.Paul: all things are permissible, but not all beneficial. It is important for a Christian to discern (the word discern means ‘listen’ to the will of God). If, as a Christian, one feels that some elements of yoga is detrimental, quit. If not it’s all right.
I have some devout Catholic friends, do you want me to find out which Saint it was?
There’s also the question of how one defines angels and demons, of good and bad. Is a shadow spirit evil, or just dark? Kali is often thought of as a dark goddess since she deals with death and destruction, and in pop culture is often painted as the demon evil goddess. But in Hinduism, especially in Calcutta where she’s something of a matron goddess, she is both Death and Life; she Destroys so that Creation can flow.
I personally think “good” and “evil” are artificial distinctions placed by our lizard brains because the world is too vast and complex for our brains to comprehend. I don’t think there is an objective morality; people’s consensus of good and evil is relative.
Interestingly, Prachett’s view of heaven and hell is pretty much my philosophy (though I came about this myself, not from reading Discworld). Heaven and hell is what you make of it.
Humans are here on Earth, being given the choice and free will to decide.
Good or bad is a reality that one creates for themselves.
For me, I believe in angels. If we are calm enough, we are able to feel, hear or even see them. They are always there to keep us safe.. Will help us if we asked to be helped.
The opening of 3rd eyes for a friends friend of yours, I agree with you for what is her belief system. If she wants it to be closed, it can be done too.
I always believe this one thing.. things happen, happened for a reason.. ‘ ) Embrace it with a open mind, heart and things will be great~ Embrace love over fear~
Luv,
Teng Loo
Hmm, you don’t believe in the man-made rituals in religion, but you do believe in the Being.