Just two days after publishing the last post, I took a deep dive. I’d wrestled with externalizing a hot topic in Christian communities: yoga. I felt the call to learn for myself the origins of yoga, yoga philosophy, how emotions store in the body, and how to work them out in the form of embodied prayer. And now, 200 hours of training later, I am a certified yoga instructor.

There are many godly people who believe yoga is the missionary arm of Hinduism.

There are many godly people who find that Christian yoga is their favorite way to connect with God.

I admit to being led by fear when I threw out my yoga books and canceled my yoga practice subscription in the fall of 2019.

Rather than finding peace, I found suffering in a body that post-accident, was no longer free to run a 10 miler. Heck, walking was difficult. 10,000 steps were no longer possible. Pain levels were at an all-time high. I couldn’t dance it out in Jazzercise, because the twisting and impact threw my body out of alignment, and I struggled to even stand up straight. It was as though I was carrying the weight of the world in my body, with no way to release the tension that came along with all the day-to-day demands of life.

Desperate, I turned to God and asked for protection and then took a leap of faith. I begged for understanding and took a chance on membership in The Yoga Abbey. After 2 years of not practicing yoga, I was still searching unsuccessfully for a form of movement that resonated with me. I was searching for something I could look forward to. Until now, it felt like someone should pay me by the minute to exercise! I just couldn’t connect anymore. With Christian yoga, I couldn’t wait to get on my mat in the morning and open my heart to everything God had to offer me.

I was surprised to feel safe in this form of movement. Not only did I feel safe physically, I felt safe spiritually as well as I learned to be still and soak in the presence of God. I found a place where I could lay down what no longer served me. There were many times God’s restoration released stored emotion and healing tears. This form of embodied prayer held me in awe and wonder of such a creative God, who would pursue me no matter what and find me here. I found the most profound union with God that I’ve ever experienced.

I wondered how I could’ve ever allowed outside opinion to dictate my prayer and worship of God. I have never felt closer and more in union with God’s will. I’ve concluded that God is much bigger than I can possibly imagine.

I can agree that some yoga practices have the potential to lead an ungrounded Christian astray.

Lots of things cause people to go astray. It likely has more to do with foundation than circumstance.

Division causes people to go astray. God warns against division.

This bible passage continues to inform my heart:

“…We told him to stop because he was not one of us.”

“Do not stop him, “ Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.”

The call on my heart is to serve the people out there in the world in need of God’s healing love. He’s asked me to help people come to a place of silence for His creative love to shine forth in their souls. I’m not here to make the holy holier. I’ve been called out to the margins to serve a world in need of God’s healing love.

Will there be critics? Surely. Isn’t it interesting that as this past year unfolded, God has revealed to me the areas of my life where I was externalizing? These were the places where I wasn’t living my fullest potential with boldness. It’s humbling to admit. Truth is, no one likes conflict, do they? It’s a common tendency from childhood to learn from the voices surrounding us. One thing I know for sure is that God has been calling me out of that my whole life. Seems like I’ve forever followed the untraditional path. I’ve always been that fish swimming upstream, going about life a bit counter-culturally because my soul has always known what God is asking of me. If you know me, you know this about me.

Down gentle paths of peaceful guidance I will go. Would you like to come along with me? I extend to you the warmest welcome…

Everyone has been asking if/when/where I’ll be teaching. Lots of opportunities are unfolding, so keep an eye on the Yoga page here at The Natural Healing Project. For now, you can find me at The Natural Healing Project on Podbean.