Relevance of Practicing Karate and Yoga for an Integral Growth in Religious Life

Through the Second Vatican Council, Catholic Church reminds us that we should accept “whatever truth and grace are to be found among the nations, as a sort of secret presence of God” (AG 9). Hence, I would like to consider both Yoga as well as Karate as means for seeking God in oneself and there by reflecting the Divine presence in everything.

When I recollect on the learning of Karate, I would like to stress its significance for the integral growth of any person. I believe that there are numerous benefits for a woman who participates in karate, and it is not just for men. I had thought that karate is either for attack or for self defense, but my experience with karate taught me that it is not at all for attack and is much more than self defense. It is true that women should know how to defend themselves if the need arises. Women are viewed as the weaker sex, and therefore are the target of crimes. Karate can replace timidity with technique.  Self control is a fundamental principle taught in karate. Karate can teach women about themselves and how to better control their emotions. In addition to that Karate builds self esteem by enabling women to feel capable of defending themselves and by overcoming challenges. Karate rewards participants with new belt colors. Advancing from one belt to the next brings a feeling of accomplishment. In this busy world, the learning of karate helps to relieve stress and anger. It allows anger and stress to be displayed in an acceptable manner. The physical activity coupled with a feeling of accomplishment makes karate a natural stress reliever. Indeed, Karate is hard work, but it is hard work that pays off in many ways. Karate also provides an excellent workout for the entire body. It increases muscle strength, balance and flexibility for the body.

There are various styles of Karate.  I was learning the Karate style ‘Wado-Ryu’ which means way to harmony. The benefits of ‘Wado-Ryu’ are many. Aside from the obvious physical aspects such as strength, fitness, agility and balance, ‘Wado-Ryu’ emphasizes the development of respect, honor, discipline, and understanding in a mental as well as a physical capacity.  From my own experience I can say that I became more confident, balanced and disciplined in my personality. Karate provides countless advantages to women as well as men. To get these benefits, we should have the readiness to join a karate class and commit to the program. Surely it would help us to lead a committed life too.

As I think on the practice of Yoga, I believe that the heart of Yoga is spirituality, which can be best defined as the process of self awareness, self discovery and self realization. Self purification, self study and continues contemplation on Isvara (The Almighty) constitutes practical yoga, which is also the aim of Christian Spirituality. Every Christian is called lead a spiritual life where Spirituality is a personal inner journey. In fact, Yoga is a way to inner peace and harmony during this personal inner journey. The word Yoga means ‘union’, the goal of it is to unite one’s transitory (temporary) self, ‘Jiva’ with the infinite ‘Brahman’. Swami Gitananda Giri Gurumaharaj says, “Yoga is four fold awareness; awareness of body, awareness of emotions, awareness of mind and awareness of awareness. One should start with the awareness of just how unaware one is!”. Hence, Yoga plays a significant role for the integral growth of any person. The following are the three ways, which any religious person or even a Christian can make sense of Yoga in the daily life.

·         Yoga as a way to prepare for meditative prayer: A few simple yoga exercises would help us become relaxed in body, relieved of mental preoccupation and restful in spirit. It would lead us to maintain the posture of our meditation too.

·         As a practice in cultivating spiritual values: Patience, sensitivity, non-judgment and many similar spiritual values can be cultivated on yoga mat. As we work with our abilities and limitations of our bodies and our habitual ways of responding to challenges, we have the opportunities to practice these virtues.

·         As a physical health practice: A good yoga routine is one of the most comprehensive, holistic health practices available. All of the dimensions of physical fitness are cultivated in an integrated way. These include strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, concentration and deep breathing.

In my view, yoga enables me to have a positive valuing of the body, its ways of knowing, creating an awareness of my interconnectedness with other bodies, human and non human, increasing the capacity of concentration and meditation. Above all, I realize that yoga practice leads me from ignorance to enlightenment, to experience ‘Atman’ within ‘atman’- God within oneself.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8). The vision of god is the highest goal of all the religions in particular to Christian Spiritual life. Systematic and regular practice of yoga as well as karate would make the body, mind and spirit of a person pure. Ultimately it leads us to be in union with the Almighty.

-           Sr. Bincy K. Mathew UMI