Welcome to my Blog
Deep calls to deep… Get comfy and settle in as I share my thoughts and latest musings about being a seeker of Truth and a curious observer as a follower of Christ. I write about practicing yoga from a Christian perspective, which includes topics like breathwork, meditation, and prayers to boost both physical and spiritual health.
Breath, Spirit, & Pranayama for Christians
What is Pranayama? What is Pranayama, and more specifically, what does Pranayama for Christians look like? Pranayama is one of the eight-limbs of yoga and a basic pillar of any true yoga practice. The practice of pranayama consists of controlling or expanding the breath, which is considered the vehicle of our “prana” or vital life energy. The breath-work exercises that make up a pranayama practice focus on balancing energies in the body, toning the nervous system, and strengthening and cleansing internal organs by eliminating excess carbon dioxide from the [...]
Embodying the Christian faith: a look at postures of prayer
Postures of Prayer, Embodiment & the Christian faith How can the postures of prayer benefit your spiritual life? What embodiment practices do you have as a follower of Christ? The Christian faith places a high value on the human body, perhaps more than any other religion. But what are the sacred practices of embodiment? In his book, Reclaiming the Body in Christian Spirituality, Father Thomas Ryan points out that while Christian theology holds the human body in high esteem, sadly the same Christianity "has given little attention to the [...]
Yoga for Kids: 3 tips for teaching Christ-centered yoga
Teaching yoga to kidsWhen I was first asked to develop a yoga curriculum for a local Christian summer camp, I was hesitant at best. Though I had been teaching yoga to adults for many years, I wondered how I could effectively share this powerful spiritual practice with a group of rambunctious kids? I didn’t want to teach yoga as merely a physical practice or just another PE class. I wanted to honor the roots of yoga and share the path of yoga as a Christian spiritual discipline. But how could [...]
Meeting Jesus in the Wilderness with yoga for Lent
What is Lent? What is lent, and what does meeting Jesus in the wilderness through yoga mean? Lent is a liturgical season on the Christian Church calendar designed to prepare our hearts and minds to better appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. It is a 40-day period of fasting, self-examination, and preparation leading up to the observance of Christ’s death on Good Friday and resurrection during Holy Week. During this time, Christians are invited to take a sobering look at the darkness and the sins which nailed [...]
Should Christians “do” yoga? Spiritual benefits of yoga for Christians
Spiritual benefits of yoga for Christians Are there spiritual benefits of yoga for Christians, or is practicing yoga spiritually unsafe for Christ-followers? Yoga is meant to be a spiritual practice and cultivates awareness of our spiritual nature. Traditional yoga practices consisted of solely breath and meditation practices with the intention of encountering the presence of God. The popularity of the practice of yoga illustrates the underlying desire of ALL people to find connection and communion with God. One’s understanding of God will vary depending on their particular belief system [...]
Should Christians “do” yoga? Mental & emotional benefits of yoga for Christians
Mental and emotional benefits of yoga for Christians In my previous blog post, we discussed the numerous physical benefits of yoga practice. Did you know that there are mental & emotional benefits of yoga too? Yoga is a helpful tool for navigating stress, tension, anxiety, and depression. Some of the most powerful mental benefits of yoga include its ability to help manage stress, and stress hormones, which are known to have devastating effects on the body and mind. Research suggests that the practice of yoga helps to reduce the [...]
