Exactly what IS a great gift? To some it's like beauty, "...in the eye of the beholder," or in this case, the receiver. When I search for "a great gift" to demonstrate my love and affection, I try to give something that the recipients can not or would not give themselves. I also find it emotionally rewarding to know that the gift will not be dated---will not go out of style, wear out, break, or get lost with other clutter. In other words, it's timeless! It can be "a very present help in trouble." A great gift may not be bought but must be given freely.
I'd like to give the world the lasting gift of a daily Christian yoga practice. Yes, Jesus Christ said that He is the vine and we are the branches. I contend that yoga is the grafting tool. The ancient tools of yoga teach people exactly how to remain "in the vine" in order to bear much fruit. This week as you sit on the floor in a "Seated Wide-Angle Pose" (Upavistha Konasana) read from The Old Testament Scriptures, the Book of John, Chapter 15, especially verses 1 through 11. Give Christian yoga a chance to keep you grafted to God, who "is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalms 46:1, KJV)
- Physically---Tomorrow morning and every morning this week, awaken by acknowledging your Creator as the source of every breath while your feet touch the floor, hip-width apart for balance. Look up, and sweep your arms overhead (Read the April 13 and 27, 2009 blogs for details.) with a deep, three-dimensional chest inhalation. Then with a long and thorough sighing exhalation, slowly lower the arms out to the sides with palms up, pausing briefly to recognize your Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. To finish the exhalation, slowly bring both hands together in prayer position (anjali mudra) and bow your head slightly forward to engage the chin lock (jalandhara bandha), and be consciously aware of the Holy Spirit within your being.
- Take a second smooth and deep inhalation in an "Upward Salute" (Urdhva Hastasana), and then bow before your One and Only God (Remember--body language matters!) as you exhale to release your breath and your day to His leading. Inhale again to look out before stepping back into "Plank Pose" OR "Downward-Facing Dog Pose" (See the May 4, 2009 blog.) and exhale to lower both knees lightly onto the floor under your hips in the "Child's Pose" (described in my first 2009 blog) if you don't choose to complete the "Salutation to the Son" as described in the May 2009 blogs. Remain in this position to pray and meditate, before inhaling to come up onto the hands and knees where you may practice a few rounds of the breath-synchronized flow between "Cat and Cow", breathing in each Christ-like quality you want to exhibit and exhaling its counter-productive opposite. These two basic flow positions (asanas) will be targeted in next week's blog.
- To transition into this week's "Seated Wide-Angle Pose" or Upavistha Konasana take a deep inhalation while looking up, lifting the tail bone and the gaze upward in opposing directions as the ankles cross under the hips. Exhale very slowly and carefully onto the sit bones, or onto the corner of a blanket or pillow aligned right under the tail bone if you have tight hips. This will slightly lift the the tail bone and help to maintain a natural curve in the lumbar back to support this seated position with a forward tilt (anterior) of the pelvic basin instead of collapsing into a rounded back. Then inhale to extend both legs straight out to the sides with flexed feet (toes pointing upward) to protect the knee joints, and create lift and spinal extension through the crown of the head as the shoulders relax down and away from the ears. After that deep expanding chest inhalation, lift the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles (the bandhas) to protect and support the lumbar back during the long and slow exhalation forward. As the upper torso folds forward between the legs remember to hinge only from the creases at the top of the thighs (the groin) and ground the tail bone down and back away from the heels of the feet as the hips continue to release in a forward fold during each exhalation. For those with tight hips and/or thighs, it may be necessary to bend the knees slightly so that the stretch is experienced in the belly of the muscles rather than in the more vulnerable joints.
- The smooth and steady breaths are the key to deepening this "Seated Wide-Angle Pose." Use each chest inhalation to keep the upper back extended and as flat as possible, even adding a chest expansion grip with the hands behind the back if necessary. Consciously use the exhalations to engage the locks (bandhas described in May 11, 2010 blog) in order to move further forward between the legs with lower back support to maintain the integrity of the concave lumbar curve. Some of you may be able to lightly grasp the calves, the ankles or even use the yoga toe-hold on the big toes to provide leverage for this stretch of the back, hips and thigh muscles. Move cautiously and respectfully into your best version of this position until your torso is as close to the floor (or a stack of blankets or pillows) as is comfortable.
- Mentally---Pay attention to your body sensations and the rhythm of your breath. Never use a strong will to force your physical body into a position that goes beyond "the edge" (the place of maximum resistance before pain) because your mind will then be stuck on your physical bodily sensations. An extremely uncomfortable position means that you will be unable to focus on your relationship with the Lord, or even read His Word from The Holy Bible with awareness.
- Spiritually---With practice you may eventually be comfortable enough physically, and focused enough mentally to be able to read God's Word and contemplate the meaning as it applies to your life at the moment. Wherever you are in this forward bending stretch, be sure to support the upper torso with the forearms, pillows or blankets so that you can spiritually remain in the presence of the Lord and abide in His Holy Word without distraction. Then you're ready to open your Bible to the Book of John, Chapter 15 and begin to read mindfully the words of wisdom that came directly from Jesus to His disciples (as recorded by the apostle, John):
"I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them in the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, an it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." (John 15: 5-8, KJV)
It is my fervent prayer that all who read this blog will utilize the disciplines of yoga as a grafting tool to mindfully abide in the presence of the Lord Jesus. Namaste, plf
