To the Momastery crowd: My thoughts on yoga and meditation

Women Seeking Christ — Fri, 22 May 2015 08:48:27 +0000

My sister posted a link to a post over at Momastery’s Facebook wall. [Dear reader: What I write below will make a lot more sense if you read her post first; I can’t succinctly summarize. But in short, she’s been accused of being un-Christian by doing meditation.]

Here is my two cents that I’d like to contribute to the gentle conversation. (I love how Glennon invites us to “gently discuss” this.)

I actually can understand why people feel this way (that meditation is “not Christian”). I personally don’t think it’s all about a fear of quiet (although I’m sure in today’s hurry-scurry-worry-socialmediaflurry world, heaven knows we could all use a little more quiet).

Truth be told, there can be and are things in the world of yoga/meditation that have the potential to run against Christian concepts. When you are chanting something in another language that translates into something that doesn’t invoke the name of Jesus (which is pretty important in Christian prayer/connection with heaven), that has at least the potential to feel wrong in some way.

Tonight, in fact, I did my third session of yoga, and I felt that sense of “this is not familiar.” I even felt a twinge of “is this ok?”

I suspect that perhaps it’s the unfamiliar that people often fear. Perhaps we fear the thought that our own religious/spiritual rituals may not be the only place He can be found. (This can be especially jolting if your belief system is a “one true way” kind of belief system. I have felt that…it can feel confusing.)

But no. It’s amazing that God can be found in so many places.

Could I even go so far as to say that it’s incredibly Christian to believe that God can be found in many different places, to believe that He speaks to people in a language they can understand, and that He wants all of His children to feel a connection with Him, no matter where they are, no matter where they live, no matter what their spiritual tradition may be?

I’ve used this scripture before, but I will share it again.

For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding. -2 Nephi 31:3

We worship a God of abundance. Coming to know and feel that universal love — even as I also believe in the rightness and truth of my faith and its rituals (which, not surprisingly, are all about His universal love) — has not diminished my faith but has, in fact, increased it.

I feel safer in God’s care knowing that I can find Him in so many places, not just within the bounds of my faith tradition.

I stand even more amazed at Who He is when I see how He works in so many people’s lives, in so many different ways.

I feel joy and gratitude when I can feel connect with the very real threads of truth that can show up nearly anywhere — which means I have more potential to feel more connection with more of His children everywhere.

I see Him in self-help and business programs, in other faith and non-faith spirituality, in people’s passion for and connection with nature.

I see Him in my decision to try yoga. I see Him in the way my instructor is responding to her own personal inspiration as she chooses what we focus on each week.

And I’m so grateful.

God is everywhere. I love seeing Him at work in others’ lives, and I love learning from others — as He guides me to others — many ways I can better see and connect with Him.

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Family Fridays: Namaste

Women Seeking Christ — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:00:57 +0000

~by Julie Pettit

When my littlest one turned eight months old, she found a new tool to help herself drift off to sleep. As I rocked her in my arms, she would sing-hum an almost meditative “om.” Often it started as an “ahhhh” that lasted for a few seconds before she ended with a louder, punching “AH!” Then she would take a breath and start over. Sometimes she would just hum the /m/ sound.

One January morning I rocked her before her first nap. Her eyes started looking towards her forehead, her eyelids took longer blinks, and she started her meditative song.

“ahhhhhhh…..AH. ahhhh……AH.”

Her head was nestled in one of her favorite places, my left armpit. I lifted my elbow to bring her ear closer to my lips.

“ahhhh….” I chanted with her.

She switched to “mmmmm…”

I followed.

I giggled a bit. A not-yet-toddler not-baby and mother, seemingly meditating together.

“ommmmm….”

While we were humming, I remembered the word ‘namaste’ from my days doing yoga at the local gym.

Namaste: I honor the divine in you.

We took a breath together, and continued.

“ommmmmm….”

– – – –

It is easy to think of tiny newborns as having more of the divine and less of the world. More spirit, less earth. And then they grow, teethe, wake often through the night, make their will known with loud screams. The divine seems further away. The newborns become infants become toddlers become preschoolers; and by then, well, if I get a 30-second glimpse of the divine in my child each day it sometimes feels like a miracle.

– – – –

My baby’s body relaxed a bit more. Her song got quieter.

“ooommmmmm….”

(namaste)

– – – –

Divine Nature. It’s a value we teach our Young Women, and encourage them to honor that sacred piece of themselves. But outside of that setting, do I often think about the idea? The truth behind it?

We are actual children of God the Father. He is our King, and therefore, we are Divine.

I am divine, as are you, and each of my children.

Yes, my children need my help learning to count, read,color in the lines, and put their shoes away when they come in the house. But how am I allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me in nurturing the divine in my children, and to honor daily that heavenly part of them?

– – – –

Her song became quiet, her breathing slow. I rose from the rocker, placed her in the crib, and then leaned over and whispered in her ear.

“Namaste.”

_______________________

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To the Momastery crowd: My thoughts on yoga and meditation

Family Fridays: Namaste