The Clash of Two Loves?

Make no mistake about it, I am Christian. But, I’m also a yoga teacher. Is there a clash between these two loves in my life? I didn’t think so until last week when I was discussing the Bible, life, and yoga with someone I had met at a networking meeting. She knew that I was a yoga instructor, and the topic of Christianity came up seemingly naturally in our conversation, but it wasn’t until we began diving into the discussion that I realized she was questioning how I could reconcile teaching a Hindu-based practice while claiming to love the Lord. The initial question seemed quite innocuous to me, because I had always entered into my yoga practice as a time when I could make another connection with God, and I like to bring this aspect into my teaching. From the very beginning of my yoga teaching career, my first and foremost ideal has been to teach the practice in order to improve overall health, increase movement, improve physical well-being, mental sharpness, and to facilitate a mind-body-spirit awareness . . . not to mention just taking the time to breathe, recharge, and reconnect.  Many, if not all, of my students are Christian also, and it is the spiritual connection that they say differentiates my classes from others they’ve attended.

After our discussion, as we were going back to our cars and parting ways, my acquaintance handed me a couple of pamphlets on the dangers of practicing yoga if you are Christian. I was shocked that she had these things prepared for me in her car, and even more shocked at my initial response, which was fear, uncertainty, and almost shame. I wondered, have I been going against God this entire time and didn’t even realize it? I thought of family members and friends who don’t acknowledge my love for the practice and thought that perhaps it was because they thought I was going against my own beliefs and theirs. Having told this woman that I wished other people would have an open mind to Christ, I unwillingly took the pamphlets, thinking that I at least needed to know what some people were saying about it. 

After sitting with the material, I knew most of the things that they were saying about the practice, most of it very extreme. It was so far from what I was teaching, and the spirit that I work to bring to my classes. My question remained, “How can I feel such love for something that I do, for the people with whom I connect, for the help I’m able to give others and the love I get in return, for this to be something that God doesn’t want for me?” Make no mistake about it: I love the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and I will continue to bring this love and my love of yoga to as many people as I can, in the spirit which I had intended from the very beginning.  It’s what I’ve been called to do.

Doing Nothing

I love the smell of a bookstore. Walking in the double doors of the store the other week, my eyes wandered back and forth as I took in the shelves upon shelves of books, ones I’ve read and have yet to read. I inhaled deeply, as if I were going into Mountain Pose, and let my body take in the smells of all of these delightful books. I walked right past the display of the electronic gadgets that falsely promote themselves as books, and entered deep into the heart of the store. I was looking for a book for my husband’s birthday, and once I found it, strolled in the direction of the checkout counter – only to find myself staring face to face with the “Bargain Books” section. Bad news. While I really didn’t need another book, how could I pass up a bargain?
I set my husband’s book down, and as I began thumbing through the pages of these amazing bargain books, my 18 year-old daughter called me. I told her where I was, and she said, “Mom, step away from the bargain books section.” She knows my love of books and bargains, the two of which together, are a deadly combination. I was able to get her permission to stay for a few more minutes when I told her about the bargain “body and brain” book (she’s studying to be a nurse), and as I flipped through the pages telling her about the brain stems and sleep disorders and ventricles, she said, “OK, only a few more minutes – and don’t forget that my birthday is coming up!” When we hung up I lingered even longer, picking up gems that I’ve wanted to read for a long time, like “A Course in Miracles” for the low bargain price of $10.98, or “How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking,” by Dale Carnegie for a steal of a deal at $6.98. By the end of the excursion, I had picked up a total of six books in addition to my husband’s one, and happily stepped up to the checkout counter.
One of the books in my stack was “The Joy Diet” by Martha Beck. She is a favorite author of mine, because I can totally relate to her. She has a humorous and sarcastic writing style, but she is a busy mom, writer, and loves helping people work through their issues as a coach and counselor. I got into “The Joy Diet” last night, which prompted this writing. The first step in the plan is to take 15 minutes to do nothing – yes, I mean absolutely nothing – each day for a week. It’s only when you can master this for seven days that you can move on to step two. Seems easy when you say it, but doing it is something else entirely. While I like to think that I can “be still and know God” in my prayer, in my yoga practice, and in sections of my daily life, putting it to a timer is something altogether different. I think that’s why I like bookstores so much – it gives me the feeling that I can allow myself to be swept away into “nothingness” for a period of time and get lost in a book, all with the potential of taking my mind and spirit to another level through its pages.
When was the last time you spent 15 minutes doing absolutely nothing? At first it seems like a guilty pleasure, and when you get down to it, it is shockingly difficult! Perhaps give it a try for a week and see how it makes you feel. See if it changes you, quiets your mind, brings you closer to your Creator, makes you a better person. Let me know what happens and I’ll do the same. Until then, I’ll be staying away from the bookstore for awhile.