Author: Erin

I write - all the time - mostly random thoughts on that which makes me happy every day of my life.
Psalms Rewritten

Psalm 80 for the Modern Person

by ErinLeave a Comment on Psalm 80 for the Modern Person

I found Psalm 80 to be so applicable when you feel stuck in a relationship situation. The poetry in it when you read it several times is wildly symbolic to how we must listen to our needs of our body & spirit to navigate trying situations. And how recognizing your desire for something different is part of the change you crave. Soli Deo Gloria.

Listen,

To the voice that guides me to choose rest & hydration, that leads me alongside others who value rest & hydration & other good things,

You are spiritual in nature. In between the creation of music & music itself, in the blend of harmony.

You, spiritual voice that guides us to choose good things for our bodies, you are a light.

We all have access to you. You give perspective.

Come present now and help us all see. (v. 1,2)

selah

To wake up clear headed, to feel able & willing – this is what will mark a shift in my perspective. This is what we all need.

To smile, like a sunflower smiling at the sun.

To feel clear, able & willing, to smile from the heart – that is how I want to feel when I wake up. This will make a difference.

The rut I am in feels long. I know it will pass but this? This is brutal.

My body has taken in grief.

All of my relationships and my experiences within them point me to some aspect of this cycle I am in.

Shift my perspective so I wake fresh with a clear mind. Bring my eyes open through the beauty of the natural world so I can feel strong in my spirit and generous with kindness. (v. 3-7)

selah

The character of people & circumstances flourish and mature in the pattern of nature: rooting, transforming through seasons, branching out, producing fruit. (v. 8-11)

Since this can be seen as truth, so must it be true we can be taken advantage of, we can be wiped out… conditions can cause us to wilt.

Why? Because it is natural? Natural to end? To go to compost?

So this could be it for me, for the relationship, for the situation, for the job. This could be the end. (v. 12-14)

Yet, I am writing this because my spirit is alive and desiring growth and relationship.

It feels anointed, my suffering feels directional – strengthen me in this. (v. 15-17)

So, again, please –

Divine perspective, clear trustworthy voice, you – the radical shift that comes in day to day miracles & awe inspiring wonder –

Hold me with your left hand’s counsel & protect me with the power of your right,

I am committed to understanding.

I will trust your presence.

I will recognize the present compared to the past and I will remain present in relationship to the future.

Warm my heart, teach me gentleness – so I can be clear with the most precise good thought. (v. 18-19)

Prayers

Psalm 27 for the Modern Adult

by ErinLeave a Comment on Psalm 27 for the Modern Adult

This rewrite of Psalm 27 stems from my experience establishing faithfulness – courage and clarity – in a life with constant chatter.

Soli Deo Gloria

1: God is truth that holds all truth. I do not have to convince others of my beliefs or defend myself. I can feel peace in all circumstances which is life-giving as life is not about “being right”, cheating death or “having it all”.

2: When my humanness makes me feel like a waste, I remember my spirit is untouchable.

3: Even when, in hindsight, I can see how I would do things differently, I am compassionate with myself. I do not obsess over the parts of me that don’t fit my ideas of “good” or “right”, of “perfection”, “healed” or “healthy”; I accept all parts and from this acceptance, I navigate life.

4: This confidence and clarity is connected with divine love and I hope to be able to operate from this each day.

5: Truth will always prevail. If I can remember this, I won’t take on battles that aren’t mine.

6: Patterns of thought that manage and react – that try to control and predict – are obvious. I will be curious instead of fearful. I will feel my feelings instead of making things about other people. This will inevitably make life more enjoyable. Alleluia, self control!

7: I am going to need that self control when I get triggered and I start feeling sorry for myself, get angry, anxious or depressed.

8: I am committed to truth. To spending time inward and in prayer. I will guard against believing I know how other people should be or that I know the right way everything should work.

9: I desire freedom from suffering. I desire the awareness to see truth. I desire compassion when I feel disgusted with myself. When I get mixed up and suffer because of my limited beliefs, God, stir compassion in me even then so I can wake the next day renewed.

10: I desire the peace of mind you have when you prayerfully discern, saying yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no, even when it disappoints my family.

11: I trust centering my day spiritually will help me to see the one best practical next step. Trusting it even if it is simply taking a nap.

12: When I start to doubt or obsess, when I feel worried or get controlling, when I start predicting the future based on the past (especially when I believe I know what everybody is thinking / giving them zero margin for their own human life), I pray God – activate my awareness of self control so I can rise above the thought patterns and avoid a whole lot of drama.

13: I trust there is goodness today.

14: Don’t “speak your mind”, wait for clarity that feels aligned with your values. If what you have to say is about other people, give it some time till you have identified what it is within you – your feelings and motivations – so that you can confidently shine light through your actions and interactions. I will stay patient for clarity. I will feel courageous because I am clear.

On Teaching Yoga

Listening to the Bod

by ErinLeave a Comment on Listening to the Bod

I am teaching a ton lately. The main studio I teach from has a few teachers traveling or out for personal reasons so I picked up quite a few classes to help out. At 4:30pm yesterday, I was teaching my 3rd class of the day and found my body resisting any and all plans I had for class.

The only thing I made a note of that my body agreed would for sure be a part of class was a traditional flow through the 6 directions of the spine. (Which a human should do daily for optimal health, so not a lot of room for debate there, anyhow..)

When I teach yoga, I am continually relaying invitations to my students’ practices based on what I am noticing in my own body. I call it cueing “acute yoga” – sharing felt sensations – moving awareness around and inviting breath to coordinate with one’s inner gaze.

The yoga I teach is a direct reflection of my personal practice so if I don’t do it? I don’t teach it.

As the class of 5 settled in, I shared with them about how much I have been teaching and – as such – have noticed the increase of dedicated time tuning into my bod has me in more fluid communication with my body. They chuckled when I shared the very true story about how, when eating a caprese salad before meeting my daughter (knowing I would take her out for a burger) my body said, “thank you – I really like this.”

“You’re welcome.” I replied :)

I mentioned earlier I don’t teach what I don’t do so, I thought in this inaugural journal On Teaching Yoga, I would share some foundational parts of my yoga & belief system.

1) I see the body as the first gift given in this life making it miraculous, spiritual, communicative

2) I pay attention to inner voice and inner dialogue and talk back, using breath & inner gaze as buffers between thoughts

3) I notice what I feel in my belly / chest / etc related to the thoughts I have and when images come to mind

4) I practice revolving consciousness and ascending breath as meditation 3 – 5 times weekly

It has been almost a year that I have been back in the studio after a COVID induced hiatus, teaching from my personal practice which has evolved immensely from when I graduated YTT in 2016.

Not only do I LOVE teaching yoga more than I ever have before, but that the way I am teaching these days has me talking more about the practice before and after class with others. AND I LOVE THIS EVEN MORE THAN TEACHING YOGA! :)

I am hearing from students on how the tone of the teacher’s voice and the presence of self displayed by the instructor impacts the practice.

I am learning how invitations to notice felt sensation ushers in a deeper flavor of being human.

I am learning about when they feel connected or disconnected from their bodies.

And in the studio – I am noticing how truly humbling it is to watch bodies move when I teach because they are teaching me. It’s so freaking cool.

In all of this, I am paying attention, big time, to how it all comes together because of that #1 foundational part of my yoga: the body is a miraculous communicative device. The body is so amazing: every cell, every memory.

There is a scripture I love love love love love (1 Corinthians 2:11) that emphasizes how nobody can know us – our body – our experience better than we know it and, likewise, we cannot know our body and our experience better than the Spirit of God.

When you look at what neuroscience tells us about how the left brain only ever registers roughly 4% max of the body’s sensory experience in a given moment, that scripture makes more sense than ever. Think about it. I sure am.

There are at least a half of a dozen other things I could say right now but I think I’ll wrap it up as listening to the body is a big huge wide topic and I am so curious where people are with this.

What do you guys think? What is the last thing your body said to you other than “I’m tired!” or “I’m hungry!” ???

This is totally a favorite thing for me to talk about!! I would love to know :)

PS – anybody have a trustworthy resource on somatic spirituality?