This is the first guided reflection I am offering in July, since last week the holiday here in the States threw off my groove—as such, I am offering it to all of my subscribers instead of only to paid subscribers as is usual!
One of my favorite things about yoga is that almost always on my mat, I have a moment where something I’m experiencing in my body becomes a direct parallel to something I’m pondering or wrestling with internally or spiritually.
We see this example all over the Bible, but I think most directly of the prophets who were often instructed to literally act out the divine judgements God was bringing against the people. It’s one thing to listen to words, to believe them (or not), and ponder them internally; but, the experience is deepened immensely when we bring our embodied selves into the process. There’s something about tending to that mind-body connection that brings our faith down from theoretical loftiness and back into our actual skin and bones that carry us through our day to day lives.
I am not the first person to notice and explore this connection in the walls of our faith. Many authors are writing books and pioneering ways to live out a faith that acknowledges and honors our skeletal, nervous, muscular, emotional, and neurological systems.
However, I am a person who craves practice, and so as the Spirit leads I hope to angle more of these guided reflections to include movement of some kind.
Today, I am building on the theme of our last Lectio Divina with a reflection on greatness, childlikeness, and Child’s Pose in yoga. If you have never done a lick of yoga, or if you have no idea what a child’s pose is, I recommend you look through this article before starting to listen. I am new to cueing embodied movements, and as such I think my cues might not land you exactly in the intended pose if you are unfamiliar with the pose.
What you’ll need for today is a yoga mat (or folded towel or blanket) and a pillow or two if you tend to get uncomfortable on your knees.
Since this is the first of its kind in my reflection practices, I’d love for you to send me some feedback! Leave a comment, email me, or find me on Instagram and let me know how this landed in your body and heart.
Motus Divina