A lot of people get cranky about yoga and its Hindu origins.  Those same people don't seem as cranky about the Germanic pagan origin of "Easter" and how this celebration of - originally for the goddess Ostara - became cooptated into the Christian observance of Resurrection Sunday.  I'm not Hindu, but I do like yoga and the friends who are venturing into this twisty world of quiet stretches.  I don't think about Brahman when practicing yoga; I do think about Jesus - crazy that.  

It could be the call to quiet and rest or the first salutations - often called "Sun Salutations" - that seem to direct my heart and mind to the author of my soul - EVERY TIME.  

This makes me wonder if we can turn anything into an offense or if we can likewise allow the Unseen God to redeem just about anything.  I sure hope I'm on the redeeming side because I lived long enough on the judgmental "Church Lady" team and lets just say that "ain't about love," but jockeying for position.

With that said - and if you're still with me - I'd like to offer a few aha's I've had while "practicing yoga" lately:

• Just breathe: sounds good to me. There's a whole lot of life in being still - something I have not mastered. In fact, the first Jesus-verse I ever learned is Isaiah 30:15 - about being still & trusting. Swing by Isaiah 30:18 before you move on - and you'll find where I'm living right now.
• Don't push: for someone who has a history of barreling into things (the good, the bad, and the ugly), the idea of taking the time to "do it right" or "right-ish" is revelation
• Rest where it is quiet: in a world where the biggest, brightest, and fastest are famed, Jesus took time to hang out by himself in quiet places and check in with his dad (Check out Luke 5:16 & Matthew 4:13 for starters)
• Where your eyes go - your body follows: how often do we get ourselves into compromise because we've followed what our eyes saw as desirable (put down that Reeses!)
• Where your mouth goes - your life follows: yoga is quiet so you can focus and allow other folks to focus on their stretching and "poses."  Invariably, I giggle or snort during yoga (yep - I'm that one yelling, "timber" when the "crane pose" becomes the "tree in the forest pose" or "I need a crane to get me out of this pose-pose")

  .  I'm also familiar with my mouth leading me into places where I do not want to go nor would I want to take anyone else there.  So glad that even this is redeemable.

• I love the child's pose - this pose of submission and honor, this bending-low-and-on-your-face pose stretches me in a good way and ALWAYS reminds me of the ruin of my own ego
• Life, like yoga - is much more fun in good company; if you are fortunate to have friends like mine, you are not the ONLY one facing the wrong way in class and occasionally you get to grin to a friendly face or stretch to touch fingers
• Corpse Pose: this one is all about resting and restoration; at the end of the active practice of balance and stretching and giggling, comes this restful, breathing, quiet, restorative pose...it looks a lot like sleeping. It's not easy for me yet to just be still, but I'm working on it.
• There is beauty in the imperfect practice.  
• I was born to be a pretzel. After 8 months of little exercise, I can still pretzel about. And I don't own that skill, I was born with it (and grateful for the innate flexibility)

A friend is on her way to becoming a certified "Holy Yoga" instructor. She seems to see this not primarily as a place where Christians can practice yoga without the Hindu influences, but as a way to connect life and light to people who may not ever walk into a church, but are looking for hope.  She has a remarkable hope and a clarity that leaves me grateful to pretzel in her orbit.  

I like the idea of Holy Yoga - each time I roll out my blaze orange mat (one day I'll have a pink one), it becomes a practice of quiet worship, remembering a price paid for my freedom, and a time to be quiet-ish.  

Got questions or comments about yoga?  I'd be interested in hearing from you.  Listening.  

I'd hope you'd listen, too.

1 Corinthians 9:27 NIRV