Father Gabriele Amorth - the Vatican’s chief exorcist

Father Gabriele Amorth is the Vatican’s chief exorcist. He had held the title for 25 years, was appointed by Pope John Paul II and may have carried out more than 70,000 exorcisms.

Speaking at the Umbria Film Festival, the exorcist attacked Hinduism, Harry Potter and Yoga. On Harry Potter, he said;

”People think it is an innocuous book for children but it’s about magic and that leads to evil. In Harry Potter the Devil is at work in a cunning and crafty way, he is using his extraordinary powers of magic and evil.

“Satan is always hidden and the thing he desires more than anything is for people to believe he does not exist. He studies each and everyone of us and our tendencies towards good and evil and then he tempts us.

“My advice to young people would be to watch out for nightclubs because the path is always the same: alcohol, sex, drugs and Satanic sects.”

So, why is Yoga Satanic? According to exorcist Gabriele, Yoga is evil because it leads to Hinduism.

”Yoga is the Devil’s work. You thing you are doing it for stretching your mind and body but it leads to Hinduism. All these oriental religions are based on the false belief of reincarnation.”

Previously, Father Amorth has claimed that Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler were both victims of demonic possession. It is believed that the Vatican did attempt a long distance exorcism of Hilter, during the time of Pope Pius XII, but Gabriele Amorth would have unlikely to have been involved as the 85 year old would have been far too young. Amorth was ordained as a priest in 1954.

In Pure Spirit

Is the Vatican right? Is Harry Potter Satanic and does reading the books or watching the movies begin a path towards devil worship?

Is Yoga evil?

Related posts

1. Indian yoga guru claims gay sex is a disease that yoga cures
2. How your cat can help with yoga
3. Muslins banned from yoga in Indonesia

Although much of the yoga in United States has been stripped of its Hindu origins there are American Christians – like Dr Albert Mohler – who are suggesting the practise should be avoided altogether.

The CHRISoga movement is an attempt to merge Jesus and Christian worship with yoga exercise. It’s featured at the end of the video but without commentary.

In Pure Spirit

What do you think? Are you an American who practises yoga – do you feel as if the spiritual core has been stripped out? Do you feel it’s a safe exercise for you to do within the beliefs of your religion?

Do you do yoga? What do you feel about the American versions that have stripped out some of the spiritual aspects?

Related posts

1. Indian yoga guru claims gay sex is a disease that yoga cures
2. How your cat can help with yoga
3. India attempts to patent some yoga poses

Thousands have travelled to a temple in the Malaysian state of Perak to visit a Hindu temple. Visitors have come as far as Thailand and Singapore to see the boars which started to appear by the temple about a year ago.

Some Hindu devotees believe that the boars possess magical powers and are capable of brining good luck. Despite fears of swine flu the visitors, who are bussed in to the temple, attempt to touch the animals. Others will try and feed the animal and rub a four-digit number on the boar’s flank in order to maximise their chances of benefitting.

In Pure Spirit

How far would you travel for a chance of improving your luck?

Are you concerned that this temple might become a nexus of infection should one of the pilgrims carry swine flu in with them?

Related posts

1. Spain’s gays and lesbians to stage ‘kiss-in’ during pope’s visit

Indonesia is the largest Muslin country in the world. Although officially secular some 90% of the 234 million population are Muslim.

The Council of Ulemas, 700 clerics and the country’s top Islamic body, explained that the use of yoga could erode the Muslim faith.  The ancient Indian practise is popular in Indonesia, especially Jakarta, but it contains ritualised elements of Hinduism.  The recital of Hindu rituals in yoga mantras is considered haram for Muslins.

The Council of Ulemas was formed in 1975 by then-President Suharto. The Council was initially founded to allow politics and religion to continue alongside one another in Indonesia without crossing paths. In recent years, though, the Council of Ulemas has become more involved in politics and the issuing of fatwas.

In Pure Spirit

What do you think? Is it a good idea to keep religion and politics separate? Is it possible?

Is it wrong of clerics to clearly spell out what is considered right or wrong according to their religious teachings?

Related posts

1. Banned: Valentine’s Day leads to hand holding and free sex
2. Indian yoga guru claims gay sex is a disease that yoga cures
3. How your cat can help with yoga

Vedic astrology, also known as Jyotisa or Hindu astrology, is an ancient system which is still widely used today.

Vedic astrology is interested in the connections between the macrocosm and microcosm and the concept of bandhu from the Vedas. The sidereal zodiac is used (rather than the Western tropical zodiac) as this allows for the precession of the vernal equinox.

The Vedic system tends to look at Rashi (zodiac), Bhava (houses) and Graha (planets). The Bhava is a zodiacal division based on local time and location.

The Rashi

• Mesa – Ram; Western Name: Aries; Element: Fire
• Vrsabha – Bull; Western Name: Taurus; Element: Earth
• Mithuana – Twins; Western Name: Gemini; Element: Air
• Karka – Crab; Western Name: Cancer; Element: Water
• Simha – Lion; Western Name: Leo; Element: Fire
• Kanya – Girl; Western Name: Virgo; Element: Earth
• Tula – Balance; Western Name: Libra; Element: Air
• Vrscika – Scorpion; Western Name: Scorpio; Element: Water
• Dhanus – Bow; Western Name: Sagittarius; Element: Fire
• Makara – Sea-monster; Western Name: Capricorn; Element: Earth
• Kumbha – Pitcher; Western Name: Aquarius; Element: Air
• Mina – Fish; Western Name: Pisces; Element: Water

The Bhava

• Lagna – Health, purpose of life, appearance
• Dhana – Inheritance, wealth, family
• Parakrama – Short journeyes, education, younger siblings
• Suhrda – Home, mother, property
• Suta – Lover, gambling, recreation, children
• Roga – Enemies, foreigners, servants
• Kama – Trade, death, honour, reputation
• Mrityu – Dowry, sexuality, occult, suffering
• Bhagya – Father, travel, luck
• Karma – Power, status, business
• Aya – Elder siblings, hopes, friends
• Vyaya – Sleep, secret enemies, liberation, expenses

The Graha

• Surya – the Sun; king, father, senior
• Chandra – the Moon; queen, mother, mind
• Mangala – Mars; ego, confidence
• Budha – Mercury; examination, communication
• Brihaspati – Jupiter; the great teacher, master
• Shukra – Venus; pleasure, reproduction
• Shani – Saturn; career, education, school of life
• Rahu – Ascending North Lunar Node; Head of the Demon Snake; an Asura intent on chaos
• Ketu – Descending South Lunar Node; Tail of Demon Snake; supernatural and occult influences

In Pure Spirit

Have you made use of Vedic astrology? How did it compare? Is it significant that Vedic astrology uses sidereal zodiac rather than tropical?

Related posts

1. The difference between astronomy and astrology
2. The five elements of Feng Shui
3. Bagua map – feng shui

Image by LollyKnit via Flickr

The word Namaste is Sanskrit. It is used as a greeting in India and Nepal by Buddhists, Jains and Hindus.

In yoga Namaste is said with the intent of saying; “I am your humble servant” although the literally translation is “I bow to you”.

Namaste is often accompanied with a shallow bow that’s made with hands press ed together at the front of the chest.

Spiritual and symbolitic meanings of Namaste

In Hinduism the bowing gesture or mudra which accompanies the word Namaste is symbolic.

One hand in the palm gesture represents the spiritual nature and the other hand represents the worldly self. The act of placing the two palms together in the bow is a gesture that the bower is trying to overcome differences and connect with the person being bowed to.

The word Namaste has also become recognised by practitioners of yoga and spiritual meditation across the globe. It is common to find namaste used to greet or wish someone farewell.

In Pure Spirit

Do you use the word namaste? Do you think you use it correctly?

Related posts

1. Christian TV network suggests Yoga can lead to Demonic Possession
2. How your cat can help with yoga
3. Poster: Yoga Poses