Session 3

Thank you all for your participation in the last 8 week segment of Yoga and Worship. There were quite a few new people in the class this session and I've been so blessed by you all!

Yoga and Worship will be resuming for another 8 week session beginning Wednesday, Jan. 12th, running through Wednesday, March 2nd.

May our "attitudes of gratitude" and contentment shine forth this holiday season!
The Lord bless you all!

Pam

Don't forget to Breathe!

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Happy Valentines Day!

And don't forget to BREATHE!

People have been asking me about the music I use in class. I would be happy to make CDs for everyone if it wasn't illegal!! : )

However, for those of you who are interested, here are some of the artists and albums I've used:

CD Title: The Dwelling Place ~ various artists (Great CD)
Songs:
Oh the Passion
Make My heart your home
Redeemer, Saviour, Friend

CD Title: Communion (Great CD)
Songs:
Here Is Love
O Lord of Hosts How Lovely

CD Title: Instruments of Your Peace
Songs:
Be Thou My Vision
Hear My Prayer

Artist: Phil Wickham
Songs:
Divine Romance
You're Beautiful

Artist: Chris Tomlin
Songs:
Unfailing Love
Amazing Grace
(The entire Amazing Grace Soundtrack CD is wonderful!)

Artist: Third Day
Songs:
Ruler of the Universe
Magnificent Holy Father

Artist: Casting Crowns
Songs:
Jesus Hold Me Now
At Your Feet
Always Enough

Others:
You are my King ~ The Newsboys
Jesus Loves Me ~ DC talk
The Air I Breathe ~ Ingrid DuMosch
He Knows My Name ~ Tommy Walker
Love Never Fails ~ Brandon Heath
My Saviour My God ~ Aaron Shust
Amazed ~ Phillips, Craig and Dean
From the Inside Out ~ Seventh Day Slumber

I hope this helps! These songs can be purchased individually on Itunes. The 3 CDs mentioned above are all very worshipful.

Balance

Welcome back to Yoga and Worship, and welcome to those of you who are new-comers! On this page I try to recap the points from some of the lessons we're learning. If you look back over the older posts, you'll also see some instructions for the postures we are learning.

Last week we focused on BALANCE. We talked about how balance can imply something very tenuous, for example, a precariously balanced boulder on the edge of a cliff. And yet in another sense, balance can also imply something very stable, with weight equally distributed so that a firm foundation can be achieved. We talked briefly about the difference between "being busy" and "being engaged". If you have time, take a moment to review the previous postings on mindfulness, awareness and "being present in the moment". All of these concepts are related and can definitely help us in our moment by moment walk with our Lord.

This coming week we will consider the concept of "creating space".

Once again: Welcome to class! ~ and thank you for the blessing of your participation!

Namaste *

* Sanskrit word meaning "I honor the divine in you".

Thank you for the blessing of your participation!

Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
This Moment is a Gift….that’s why it’s called “the Present”.

This is our final week together for a season. I will close out this blogsite for now with a copy of the final reading from class. I hope this will be a good reminder for us all as we continue to practice "being in this moment" with our Lord!

“Afraid in a fearful word, we very much want certain things to happen, and we very much want certain other things not to happen. Our experience of life is like that of a trapeze artist – but instead of rings, we swing from one intense attachment to the next. We begin yoga with an eye to the results. We’ve heard that stretching is good for the back, or helps with stress, and so we “go to yoga” to get a little something we feel we are lacking. We may do this with many things, programs, or projects we think may be helpful….sometimes even things Bible study, church, etc. In our consumer culture, this attitude of finding “something we need” or think we might be lacking, serves the purpose of getting us to yoga, or Bible study, or church in the first place. But this attitude must be abandoned if we are to stay there. This is because the first year of yoga practice or first experience of Bible study, or first “whatever “ often produces spectacular results. Pain vanishes, disease processes and posture problems reverse themselves, peace of heart increases… a whole new world is presented to us. Why not hope for more of the same? Because it is in this hoping that we lose sight of the true beauty we have discovered.

The purpose of and work we do in yoga practice is an immersion into the NOW. The work we do on our mats teaches us to commit wholeheartedly to the present moment. We act in the moment with all our hearts, whether it is in silent prayer and meditation or poses or complete relaxation. We act in the moment with all our hearts because we are learning that that is all there is… this moment with the Lord. We are finding that the only result worth achieving is being fully present where we are NOW, as we move from moment to moment. To be attached to the results, be they more flexibility, a stronger core, or greater peace of heart is to place the cart before the horse and to miss the point. This is the way yoga practice can benefit all aspects of our lives. All positive outcomes are by-products of our increasing moment by moment awareness of the presence of the Lord . Striving for outcomes will become unrewarding. And then we will put our mats (or Bibles or whatever else we use to “obtain results”) on the shelf to collect dust, alongside other things we’ve used in the hope of achieving specific results. The alternative – being fully present and open to the present moment as an expression of your love for life and the Lord – is the path that leads to a long and fulfilling practice.

MINDFULNESS and AWARENESS

"What deadens us most to God's presence within us, I think, is the inner dialogue that we are continuously engaged in with ourselves, the endless chatter of human thought." Fredrick Beuchner


This week, try to spend just 3-5 minutes quieting your mind, letting the presence of the Lord fill your heart and mind. Sit quietly in simple seated pose, turn your mind to the Lord living WITHIN you. If your mind wanders, no worries... just smile inside, knowing that the Lord loves your mind...even when it wanders!

FOR YOUR PRACTICING PLEASURE

Asana sequences: Week 4

Here is my attempt at providing you with some practice

sequences : ) Hopefully, my artistic abilities will

improve with time!

Have a blessed week~

See you on Wednesday!

Thank you!

Thank you for coming to Yoga and Worship. Stay posted! I'll try to have some poses, sequences and pictures up by the weekend. I will also list the album titles for the music I use for those of you who asked about it. Have a blessed week!