Catholic priest in UK bans instructor from doing yoga, says it's a Hindu spiritual exercise

Southampton, England, Sept 27: Catholic priest John Chandler has banned yoga instructor Cori Withell from holding yoga classes inside the church premises saying yoga is a Hindu spiritual exercise, and he is supposed to spread the Gospel. Cori Withell, according to Daily Mail, paid £180 two months ago to book the church hall for yoga exercises for her students. But recently, the church cancelled her booking saying her yoga lessons are "not compatible" with the Catholic faith. The 37-year-old instructor was told by Father John Chandler that yoga is a Hindu religious activity and therefore not in keeping with his rules on promoting Catholic activities. Withell said staff at St Edmund's Church in Southampton accepted the booking two months ago and she paid £180.But with just ten days to go before the start of the classes she was called and told that yoga was from another religion so she could not have the hall. A separate pilates class she had booked was also cancelled.She said: 'I had never heard about any religious issue with yoga before but I have looked into it since and found that some other religions feel that when people meditate it could let the devil inside them. 'But there was never any meditation in my class – it was just exercises.'As a nation we have an obesity epidemic. I was trying to bring some exercise to the community and coming across blocks like this is frustrating.'I tried to explain to the church that my yoga classes were not religious at all and I even offered to come and demonstrate the class. 'It is about calmness and relaxation.'Father Chandler said the church was 'misled' by Withell's booking because he claimed that, at first, the hall was booked for pilates and then he found out it was also for spiritual yoga.He said: 'Yoga is a Hindu spiritual exercise. Being a Catholic church we have to promote the gospel and that's what we use our premises for.'We did say that yoga could not take place. It's the fact that it's a different religious practice going on in a Catholic church. 'We are not saying that yoga is bad or wrong.'Yoga enthusiasts criticised Father Chandler's stance as 'ignorant' and even urged the priest to try a session. Pierre Bibby, of the charity British Wheel of Yoga, said: 'Research demonstrates yoga improves people's health and wellbeing physically and mentally. Who could object to that?'A spokesman for the local Diocese of Portsmouth said in 17 years it was the first time he had been asked to comment on a yoga ban but it was up to individual priests.He said: 'We don't allow anything that can be construed as non-Christian worship.'There is a dilemma with yoga, which could be seen as a form of relaxation – or a non-Christian, possible Hindu, meditation. 'On the other hand, from the calls I have made there are some Catholic retreats which offer yoga.'