Since October, I have been allowing the obvious words (what the folks in my restorative yoga community are sharing) surface. I have sat with them and given them space to come together to help me string together something meaningful, some way to describe what it is one might experience in the practice.
There is always the option with yoga to simply call it yoga or restorative yoga or whatever and trust the practitioner will get whatever they need to get out of it. Yet, the depth of my study in regards to the Holy Spirit – the fruits of the spirit – the divine consciousness, somatic spirituality, the way it feels when you feel and then breathe and why that works to enter into some understanding of freedom – why, if you say you follow Jesus, this practice is actually so essential – how the elements of the earth actually poetically unlock the Psalms – how the understanding of Ishwara from yoga sutra connects you so beyond beyond – I mean… it’s the stuff that cultivates your faith life.
You have a faith life.
I think that is what I am realizing more and more.
See, my restorative yoga classes are a 50 / 50 split men and women. They aren’t explicitly teaching on the fruits of the spirit nor are they outwardly “spiritual” or “witchy” in anyway. Or whatever the words are that tend to be a marketing angle or conversation for the female demographic.
The classes are about care & curiosity of the physical body, awareness of the emotional or energetic sensations in the body and becoming present. Being present. Being present.
Coming back to being present.
<inhale>
<exhale>
You know, the more I think about it, I really don’t want to get into the market of saying I know the way to experience God or that I can usher you into some divine or transcendent relationship. I know my role in life, my gifting, is to host and make safe. I have been called and equipped to be endlessly generous with care and comfort. How some people are able to build, I am able to soften. I design paths to perspective rooted in spiritual truth; trustworthy because it doesn’t know the one right way.
One of the honors in my life’s work is when I connect with people who have experienced spiritual safety in the restorative yoga or spiritual direction I offer. My entire life shifted when I realized I didn’t have to pray, emailing God and wait for a response on whether or not I would get what I asked for. Rather, my study (thank you to my teachers) and my practice and the Spirit that dwells within me activated this understanding that you always have exactly what you need.
This presence of self and this full awareness of where you are – right here, right now – this is Stoic, Yogic and Christ Consciousness, Old Testament stories give us this in rich narrative & poetry.
And you know the thing that tells us otherwise? Ads.
My rule of thumb, and I have found myself sharing this more these days for some reason – is that whenever I find myself about to Google what I need or a solution to how I feel. Whenever I feel like I need a certain treatment or need to spend to heal, I ask myself what somebody in Bible times would have done. What would the most ancient of my ancestors do with the feeling I have in my body.
Sit on a rock?
Drink some water?
Get comfortable?
Look around?
Seek higher ground?
Try to rest?
Wander the natural world seeking a sage?
Allowing the intuitive yes and no to lead me in any of these ways?
We all have a faith life. Whatever you believe is going to work to bring love (connection), peace (an evenness within) or joy (hey! wow!) is your faith. Whatever you believe will happen again tomorrow like it did today (rising moon? setting sun, anybody?) Whatever you know is the way things always work (light after darkness is a good one or the process of compost or how elements of the natural world work together) is the way things will always work.
In yoga, Ishwara is the supreme divine. It is what taught our ancient ancestors and what continues to teach us today. Ishwara is ultimate because it is the beginning and the end. We experience Ishwara when we chant OM – the literal sound of a circle as the mouth goes from Ah to Oh to Mm.
Circles are a great way to recognize where your faith. Cycle of thought or cyclical behavior not working for you? Giving you anxiety? That’s a great place to start rewiring into a new loop. Clear the mind chatter by establishing the miraculous circle of body – breath – mind – breath – body – breath – mind – breath – body – you get it.
I guess what I am trying to say is that having a faith life is not “being spiritual” or “being Christian” or “being religious”. It is being human.
SO. What do you put your faith in?
<deep breath in>
Frozen Spaghetti 