Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly

Episode: Angelamarie Scafidi — Yoga Isn’t Just Stretching: Why It’s Spiritually Risky | DSH #1536
Release Date: September 18, 2025
Guest: Angelamarie Scafidi
Host: Sean Kelly

Overview of Episode Theme

This episode features a deep-dive conversation between host Sean Kelly and Angelamarie Scafidi—a former yoga teacher, astrology podcaster, Reiki healer, and New Age devotee turned born-again Christian. Angela shares her personal journey from "spiritual but not Christian" to a passionate advocate for Jesus, exposing the spiritual risks she sees in New Age practices, especially yoga. The discussion challenges mainstream views of spirituality, explores the clash between New Age and Christian worldviews, and addresses the legalistic nature of the spiritual realm.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Angela’s Journey from New Age to Christianity

• Angela describes her former life deeply embedded in New Age spirituality: channeling, crystals, astrology, Reiki, yoga, tarot, and moon rituals.
• Her pursuit of fulfillment in these practices never filled the void she felt—despite outward success, popularity, and "real" spiritual experiences.
• Catalyst for change: After years of searching, depression, and self-harm, a desperation breakdown led her to utter, "Jesus, save me."
  • She describes a sudden peace, freedom from anxiety, and a sense that Jesus did what 10 years of New Age practices could not.
  • Quote: “I said three words. I called out to the living God and he came for me. He met me there and just delivered me from depression, anxiety and intrusive thoughts literally overnight.” (15:24)

New Age Practices: Real Power, Real Danger?

• Angelamarie warns that New Age “works” because it taps into real spiritual laws that God created, but does so “illegally”—outside of Jesus.
• Channeling, astrology, manifestation, and yoga can all bring results, but according to Angela, open doors for demonic influence.
  • Quote: “The manifestation stuff, you’re absolutely 100%—manifestation works because you’re interacting with God’s real spiritual law, the real spirit realm. You’re just operating illegally.” (03:40)
• She describes her progression: crystals → mediums → Reiki → deeper into spiritual “addiction,” always needing more to recapture the initial high.
• Yoga, specifically, is reframed as spiritually dangerous:
  • Yoga is not just stretching; its movements “awaken” the Kundalini spirit (depicted as a serpent) and align with a spiritual system opposed to biblical Christianity.
  • Quote: “Because the whole premise of yoga, whether or not this is your intention, this is what it was made to do through those movements...you’re giving permission to that spirit through yoga to come in.” (00:14, repeated at 46:29)

The Spiritual War: Deception & Objectivity

• Angela discusses how New Age spirituality markets itself as light and love—but, referencing Christian scripture, warns that “Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
  • Quote: "Second Corinthians 11:14 says, Satan masquerades as an angel of light. Isn’t it interesting that the mantra of New Age is light and love?" (19:43)
• The worldview of total relativism in New Age collapses, she argues, when adherents police what’s “right” or “authentic,” since the underlying belief is that truth is subjective.
• She rejects the idea that spirituality alone is good: “Something being spiritual does not mean that it is holy. Something working does not mean that it’s working legally. Something that feels good doesn’t mean that it is good.” (27:55)
• Angela emphasizes the "legalistic" modality of the spiritual realm: agreements, consent, and spiritual contracts are central.

Conversion & Repentance

• After her initial Jesus experience, Angela tried to “blend” Christianity and New Age practices, but found this inconsistent with biblical teaching.
  • Quote: “You can’t do that. You can’t just slap the name of Jesus on a yoga practice or a Reiki thing ... God does not contradict himself. He does not operate through spiritual plagiarism.” (16:11)
• Her full turn came reading Isaiah 47 in a bar—a sobering moment that gave her conviction and, she says, a “new heart,” realizing her need for repentance.
  • Quote: “I was recognizing I’m not God. He’s God. I’m actually a sinner.” (21:19)
• She publicly repented to her podcast audience and dropped all New Age practices.

Relationship with Friends & Sharing her Faith

• Angela describes being “zealous” in warning friends about the dangers of yoga and New Age—sometimes, in hindsight, too brashly.
• Gratefully, two close friends ended up leaving New Age practices as well, though she now prefers a gentler, love-focused approach.

Hot Topics & Audience Questions

On “Extreme” New Age Practices (Ayahuasca, Psychedelics):

• Angela sees psychedelic use as part of New Age or occult, warning it opens spiritual doors and is used to seek answers outside of God.

Does she consider weed (marijuana) "demonic"?

• Yes. Angela argues that substances like weed are spiritual counterfeits for the peace, insight, and joy that should come from the Holy Spirit.
  • “When you smoke weed, it’s a counterfeit for the Holy Spirit ... That’s an idol. That’s worship.” (38:47)
  • Also shares her story of deliverance from weed addiction: “After I was water baptized ... I had the spirit of addiction cast out of me ... after that night, I never wanted it.” (40:13)

What about alcohol?

• More nuanced. Drinking in moderation isn’t inherently demonic or sinful, according to Angela, though drunkenness is discouraged and personal history should be considered (41:07).

Can someone do yoga “just for exercise”?

• Flatly “no” for yoga classes:
  • The movements, asanas, and system were specifically designed as spiritual practice for “yoking” to Hindu deities, she says. Intention doesn’t negate the spiritual law.
  • Quote: “It’s a spiritual practice with some physical benefit. It’s not a physical practice with spiritual benefit.” (45:04)
  • She differentiates basic stretching, which is fine, from participating in a structured yoga class or practice.

Explanation of Kundalini Awakening

• Yoga’s aim is “awakening the Kundalini”—literally, a serpent spirit at the spine’s base. She draws parallels between this, biblical serpent imagery, and spiritual possession.
  • Cites Acts 16:16 ("spirit of divination" translated as python).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You can be sincere and sincerely deceived at the same time.” (27:53)
• “True spirituality belongs to the born again because God is spirit. He wants to be worshiped in spirit and in truth.” (29:16)
• “Yoga's curation is to yoke, to worship, embody the characteristics of Hindu deities ... you can’t divorce the spiritualism of yoga any more than you can actually divorce the spiritualism of communion.” (43:24, 49:31)
• On religious relativism:
  • “We pick and choose all these other things in New Age where it’s like a buffet. A little bit of Buddhism, astrology, maybe even a Bible verse—but only if I can pull it from its context ... But there is this hard—no [to Christianity].” (18:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Angela’s initial take on yoga and spiritual overlays: 00:00–01:19
• Her journey through New Age, addiction to practices: 03:30–11:00
• Breakdown and calling on Jesus: 14:50–16:00
• Attempt to blend Jesus with New Age: 16:00–17:30
• Realization about astrology/yoga via Isaiah 47: 19:00–22:30
• Public repentance and aftermath: 22:30–28:00
• Her views on the “spirituality” missing from Christianity: 29:15–32:30
• Friend group and affinity for Jesus’s love: 32:42–34:00
• Psychedelics/weed/alcohol questions: 34:07–42:19
• Yoga, Kundalini, and spiritual law: 42:19–49:42
• Personal affirmation to Sean & final encouragement: 50:13–51:46

Tone and Style

The episode is candid, passionate, and unfiltered—Angela is deeply direct, weaving personal narrative with theological assertions, and Sean maintains an open-minded, inquisitive role without confrontational pushback. The tone is honest, sometimes humorous (self-deprecating jokes about the “emo phase”), often weighty, and ultimately earnest in its calls for self-reflection and spiritual discernment.

Concluding Reflection

Angela’s story provides a provocative critique of popular spiritual trends, framing them as both deceptive and spiritually perilous, while emphasizing the Christian gospel as the only true path to fulfillment.
Sean wraps up by expressing genuine learning and curiosity, even as he admits uncertainty about his own beliefs.

For more:

• Angela’s work: [Heaven and Healing Podcast] (primarily on YouTube)
• Closing challenge: “God sent me here to tell you, specifically, Sean, that he loves you and he died for you.” (51:20)

This summary provides a comprehensive walkthrough of the episode’s arguments, personal stories, and underlying spiritual themes. It is ideal for listeners seeking a clear understanding of Angela’s perspective on yoga, spiritual law, and her conversion narrative.