Hey everyone! I trust that you are having a wonderful day! Thank you for joining me on my journey to “becoming a yogi. ” I want you to situate yourself into a position that’s comfortable for you. Now, settle your bottom into the earth, inhale, and as you exhale, soften your crinkled brows, relax your gaze and close your eyes. Clear your mind of today’s business. Focus on the here and now. Let go of the weight of today. Relax, draw strength from the light surrounding you, release, and find joy in the little things!
I don’t know about you, but the past few weeks have been busy! I have so much work I need to get done! My work is consuming me. You know, like when a big fish swallowed up Jonah. In the midst of all my must-dos, I find time to enjoy life and make sure I don’t miss out on anything that might bring me joy. I am cultivating a wellness habit. I am so grateful that I am taking the time to make new connections, meet new people, and get out of my comfort zone.
My third weekend of yoga training is coming up this week. I cannot wait! I am discovering some fascinating things about the practice of yoga, my cohort of fellow yogi-ers, and about myself! I am looking forward to peeling back the layers of ME and getting down to my core.
Breathing Lessons for the Control Freak
During my second week of training, we learned about pranayama, the science of breath. If you’re a swimmer, you hold your breath because you must when you’re underwater. I sometimes hold my breath when I’m trying to keep from smelling an unpleasant smell, or I have to take a medicine that tastes awful (yes, I’m a big kid!). In some ways, I’m a control freak. My family would probably say that I’m a control freak in a lot of ways. However, the act of controlling something so automatic was awkward. It was so strange to intentionally, consciously, hold my breath. I could also tell that my brain was sending signals to my body, saying, “what is going on? we are freaking out!” I could feel my heart beating throughout my entire body as I inhaled, held for 2 seconds, and exhaled, holding for 2 seconds, repeating these actions in continuous cycles.
It was enlightening to think about each inhaled breath as a gift, and each breath exhaled as the removal of a burden. Not to mention, breathing exercises have great health benefits! When you’re able to slow down your breath, you’re able to control your stress response. How awesome is that? It’s also great news for control freaks like me!
Speaking of breathing, I have to share my recent experience. I took a slow flow yoga class two Fridays ago at 5 Points Yoga, Athens, GA (no, they are not paying me! 😊 ). This was my first in-person yoga class. Ms. Brenda was awesome! If you’re interested in a great beginner’s class, you should really check her out. She teaches the course online for those of you who are not in Athens. Ms. Brenda is a great instructor. She is patient and attentive. I was able to practice and focus on yoga freely! I’m not ready for pics of poses yet, but I’ll get there!
Guys, I had an epiphany! I realized that if you just BREATHE, it’s much easier to follow through with your movements! Who knew? Being mindful of your breath is very important in the practice of yoga.
My classes and training have been great, but there are certainly some things I’ve been grappling with as I travel on this journey.
Yoga versus Religiosity
Before I decided to start practicing yoga, I had to do some soul searching and research! As I researched, I hoped to find all positive things about spirituality, enlightenment, peace, and tranquility. What did I find?
· Yoga is anti-Christian
· The practice of yoga is the worship of false gods
· Yoga and Christianity is an oxymoron
· Yoga perpetuates White Supremecy
Whoa! What is going on here? I am in search of self-care, self-improvement, discovery. How could something so beneficial be contrary to my faith, my beliefs? I am not a theologian, and I would never profess to be, but I find comfort in knowing that yoga’s philosophy is very similar to my faith beliefs. I find strength in knowing that my belief system is strong enough that I allow myself to take an interest in something and not lose faith or turn away from what I believe in.
I will be honest and say that I often feel uncomfortable when a meditation leader will mention God or read a passage about God. Yet, they do so apologetically in the context of, “I don’t necessarily mean THE God, I mean whatever you choose to believe in. ” I understand that if someone does not believe in God, they might be offended if someone says “think about the goodness of God” during a guided meditation. But really? Do you have to take it that far each time? If you’re a believer in God, you are a believer. If you’re not, you’re not. I don’t feel that if you happen to be a believer, you should apologize for your beliefs. Isn’t the practice of yoga about spirituality and not necessarily religiosity and religious beliefs?
The interesting thing is that yoga is based on self-control, discipline, and free will or choice. These three things are evident in my faith. Yoga is spiritual in nature and pertains to the whole being. Hmmm, sounds familiar, the “body” of Christ. The yogi is called to hate the evil in the wrong-doer, but not the wrong-doer himself. I don’t know about you, but that sounds a lot like loving your enemies but despising their sins.
In fact, one of the eight limbs of yoga, Yama, consists of ethical principles that closely mirror the teachings of Jesus Christ. For example:
· Ahimsa – non-violence
· Satya – truth
· Asteya – no-stealing
I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Practicing yoga does not conflict with my religion. It enhances and supports my beliefs. By practicing yoga, I honor my body as a temple while remembering that it does not belong to me. My practice reminds me that we are in the world, but not of this world. Our responsibility is to let our light shine so that others can see its illumination and gain strength and encouragement from it.
If you are a believer who practices yoga and sometimes feels conflicted about your practice and beliefs, this article might help. The article’s focus is Christianity, but I am sure there are plenty of other resources available.
Joy in the Little Things
I like to say that with each new day comes a new opportunity for us to shine, grow, and love. Take some time to enjoy the little things. Take a walk or bike ride. Walk barefoot across the grass, feel the cool blades beneath your toes. Remember when you were a little kid, and you didn’t have a care in the world? You experienced the joy of simple things. You found solace in playing outside, blowing bubbles, catching fireflies in the summer, or riding in the bed of a pick-up truck. Don’t let the business of busy-ness distract you from being here, being present, experiencing spiritual growth, learning to breathe…
Please Join Me on My Quest
I’m sorry this post went a little long, but the religion thing was heavy on my mind. I wanted to share that with you. Feel free to check out my “check-ins” on Instagram. Drop me a line in the comments box below and tell me how you’re doing. I would love to hear from you!
I will leave you with this, “Find gratitude in the little things and your well of gratitude will never run dry.” ~Antonia Montoya
Namasté fellow yogi~becoming a yogi blog
