Yoga and Christianity

So many times I have heard the question raised "Is Yoga Christian" or something along those lines. At the heart of this question is fear - if I try yoga, am I defying God's will or giving the devil a foot hold in my life, my heart? I don't believe that to be the case. I do believe that as a Christian, yoga is a perfectly safe practice. I am a Christian - this is the first and foremost of the defining roles I claim. A Christian, mom, wife, friend, daughter, sibling, teacher, yogi. Yes a yogi, I teach yoga as well as practice yoga. I am good at yoga - God has blessed me with a gift of leadership to help others (and myself) live a more healthful life through quieting the mind, breathing deeply, withdrawing from the outside world, honoring the body and listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit that lives within. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God. You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. We honor our bodies, which simply means we listen to and respect ourselves. If we feel tired we take rest, if we feel pain we take care, if we feel strong we challenge ourselves. This is not contradictory to anything we know as Christians. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control. We quiet the mind of the endless loop of thoughts that drown out the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. In all things, all places we choose Who and what influence the words from our mouths, actions from our hands and feet as well as the thoughts in our minds and hearts. This month, I have added a new class to our schedule - "Yoga and Prayer". It is a class I have wanted to add for a long time, a class that will allow me to share my faith in community. I love the community we have created at Harmony Health, I love how we know eachother, care for eachother, support and love each other in our community. Yoga has always been a space for me to be still (even while moving mindfully), be present and be a listener. I am can not wait to share part of my Sundays with you. In the Christian faith Christmas is so much more than holiday songs, gift exchanges, delicious food and family gatherings - it is a time to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior. During the month of December, Yoga and Prayer will be Advent focused. Each week we will meet for prayer and yoga, we will reflect on the meaning of the Advent season and the lighting of candles. The first purple candle (which has already been lit)represents HOPE, the second LOVE, the third (a pink candle) JOY, and the fourth PEACE God of light and hope, look upon us in love, and fill us with the spirit of Jesus that we may love you and serve you in your kingdom. Protect us during this week and keep us watchful in prayer as we await the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world, and who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Goal setting and Gameplans

We want to make changes, reach new heights, break old habits, plow through a bucket list... It all starts with a step by step plan. One of the biggest pitfalls we can face is being unsure of where or how to get started - so we find any and every excuse not to. The first and best thing we can do for ourselves is allow room for imperfection. Make it clear from the get go that it is okay to have a bad day, a weak moment, a setback. If we can bounce back from setbacks and not beat ourselves up over shortcomings we can stay positive and committed to the gameplan we have set. Here are some more ideas for success with 2015 goals. 1. Write down your goal - no matter how big or small, personal or professional, silly or stoic - we are more likely to accomplish what we set out to do if we take the time to write it down. Be clear, detailed and timely with the goal. 2. Find reasons, get rid of excuses - a million excuses will pop up each day, you only need to hold onto to the one REASON and let the excuses fall by the wayside. 3. Tap in to a community of like minded people - these are the folks who are going to cheer you on even when you may self doubt, they will be truthful and supportive, they will look at your goal and ask how they can help. 4. Identify your limiting areas and ask for help when you need it - what may come naturally to you may be a struggle for another and vice versa, if you struggle in an area look for someone who can lend expertise. 5. Celebrate - once you have reached a goal take a moment to acknowledge your accomplishment, enjoy your success. Celebrate! Our goals say a lot about who we are, where we come from and where we are going. Take the time to follow these steps and you will begin to see your goals becoming your reality and your dreams coming true.