The Episcopal "YogaMass®": Another Attempt to Save a Dying Denomination

Liturgical dance, giant puppets of doom, Zen Buddhist priests, labyrinth walks, solstice services, mandalas, enneagrams, I thought I had seen it all, but no, Episcopal priests are an endless source of innovations in spiritual practice. Archbishop Cranmer's plan for "Common Prayer" has been tossed aside by these ersatz Anglicans who see no problem with things like a "Yoga Mass". They even have the gall to trademark the idea!  The latest, the YogaMass® - Home.

Episcopalians have a special weakness for syncretism. In describing their innovations, they usually hide the fact that there are real problems with these new practices through the use of familiar Christian jargon, and by avoiding the use of terms like "Eucharist" and "altar" which might scare away non-Christians, and using instead, words like "meal" and "table". YogaMass® is no exception. The Rev. Gena Davis, who might be hoping for money from book sales and the trademarking of her idea, explains it simply,

                                                    Rev. Davis welcomes you to Yoga Mass

"YogaMass® is a unique worship experience engaging and integrating all of our dimensions -- physical, psychological, and spiritual.  It reconnects us, through sacred ritual and practices, to the divine presence among us, within us, and in the sacred meal that we share as we seek to be transformed into the likeness of Christ." 

She tells it so sweetly that many progressive pewsitters will probably wander her way if they can find their way out of whatever labyrinth they have been spiraling into for the past few years.

Or not, for labyrinth walkers a special Yoga Mass is being offered this week,

YogaMass® "embodied spirituality on the mat, sharing Christ's sacred meal"Saturday, January 27, 4:00-5:15 pmYogaMass on the LabyrinthThe Hines Center for Spirituality and Prayer500 Fannin St. #100Houston, TX 77002

The Rev. Gena explains her vision,

"So why a YogaMass®?  Bringing together the practice of yoga, breath work, meditation, and Holy Communion is a way to encounter the Risen Christ on our mats, and to tap into the deep well of God’s divine light within us, so that it may shine through us and flow out into the world.  In the Church, Mass or Holy Communion is a sacrament, an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.  When we gather to celebrate and receive Holy Communion, we desire to become one with God in that moment, making it a sacramental moment, a sacred moment in which you know and experience what is true all the time and everywhere.  When we celebrate Holy Communion, we come into the present moment and experience divine presence around us and within us through the sharing of the bread and the wine at the table of Jesus."

"When we practice yoga, we also have the opportunity to have a sacramental moment, on the individual level, when our breath and our body come together in a way that we feel a truth of who we are in our deepest level of being.  We are in these bodies, with this breath, experiencing the gift of life.  Our spirits, our energies, move within us, and as we allow and engage this movement, we are on the path to wholeness and healing.  We discover the grace of knowing that God’s Spirit is within, not simply intellectually but also experientially.  In Christian terms, salvation begins when we open to the possibility of no longer being separate from God.   In our humanness, this is a process of discovery and rediscovery, and that hunger for divine connection brings us again and again to our mats."

"When we meditate, we can have a sacramental moment, coming to know the truth of the divine light within us meeting God’s Spirit, if even for a moment.  And even more, a meditation practice brings us into the process of ongoing conversion, in which, as Father Laurence Freeman, priest and Benedictine monk, says in his book, Light Within: Inner Path of Meditation, 'we arrive at a mindfulness of the one Christ present in our hearts and in the world, not remembering Jesus by turning our imagination to the past but mindful of his presence in the present moment.  …  We awaken to this presence at the deepest level of consciousness.'” 

"YogaMass® is designed to create the space where this union in the present moment, on our mats and at the table of Jesus, can be experienced in community – physically, psychologically, and spiritually.  Through engagement of our complete selves in body, soul, and spirit, and the recognition that the sacrament of Holy Communion reveals to us the deep truth and reality that Christ is present, YogaMass® offers a sensory and fully participative experience of Christ’s divine light and consciousness within."

Of course, part of her vision is to sell books. I have not read "Yoga Mass" (not willing to pay for a copy), but I found a review which paints a worrisome picture, 

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"Yoga Mass" reviewed by Jennifer Ball,

"Davis outlines the Liturgy of the YogaMass at the end of the book, which has been authorized for her use as an Episcopal priest."

Authorized by whom? Bishop Andrew Doyle? I wonder if he will sponsor a resolution for it to be included in the next Prayer Book? There's more deviations from the path in Davis' "authorized" liturgy,

"In the Liturgy, she quotes the Gospel of Thomas, which is not in the Canon, the authoritative teaching of the Church. You can’t find the Gospel of Thomas in your Bible, but Davis emphasizes that the Gospel of Thomas highlights 'inner seeing.' However, this could feel like a controversial idea to some conservative Christians who do not see the Gospel of Thomas as a viable source."

Controversial to say the least. Unbiblical is what I call it.

"Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the book is where she talked about Christian people’s fear of incorporating other religions into their practice. Could this be a slippery slope? Davis herself said chanting Aum at first felt like a 'betrayal.' This answered my question about whether Christians found this teaching controversial. It turns out it might not be easy to accept at first."

Meditative Yoga teaches freedom from attachments and mastery over the inputs of the sense organs. The practice of Yoga was never intended to be trademarked, bought, or sold. Patanjali would be upset if he had not mastered that emotion.

While preparing for this blog post, I had a vision too.

It is not going to be easy getting the vision out of my mind.

I see a mass of yoga pant clad mat-sitters walking up to the communion rail.

"likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control..." 1 Timothy 2:9