Do you think God does Yoga?

I am not trying to be sarcastic or a heathen but for whatever reason I could not help but wonder this morning if God did yoga? As I attempted my warrior poses I could picture how majestic God would look (especially compared to me) with His graceful ability to balance perfectly. I asked a good friend who just happens to be a yoga teacher and her response was "of course! Breath of God - He is all about breathing!'

Yoga literally means union in Sanskrit, union of body, mind and soul.  I am of the belief that if we use this union to praise and connect with God, He will be absolutely thrilled that we are choosing to spend some time communing with Him. Now please, no hate mail, I understand that everyone has a different view ranging from a wonderful, calming work-out to new-age mumbo jumbo. Regardless of your view I have to say it is some of the toughest exercise I have ever done and during the past 6 months I  have found it to be an excellent tool in my ability to focus on the good in my life while exploring more of the characteristics in my life that I feel God may like me to improve.

This weekend I had the pleasure of taking a class that a friend was teaching at the beautiful Haven Yoga & Wellness studio....the catch was that it was a wee bit more challenging than I was prepared for (did I mention that I have been doing mostly light chair yoga due to some knee issues). That said a good yoga teacher apparently adapts for her students so a chair was procured and I was showed how to use it as a stabilizing prop when doing some of the planking style poses. I thoroughly enjoyed the class and wondered if I had gotten 'anything' out of it with my adapted poses, perhaps I thought, I was simply not good enough to do the tougher class. Oh was I wrong!  It felt good to be challenged so  the next day I looked up some on line classes for plus size women and found Helen Camisa! Her blog inspired me to focus on changing how I feel about myself as a 'woman of size'.  As I have used some of her tricks and adaptations I feel fantastic about being able to better do something I love without feeling the body shame that usually comes with this kind of exercise.

So as I have spent the last few days engaging in yoga I have been able to adapt my mindset as well. I do not do the yoga that Google pictures are full of, mine is a bit different and for the first time in a long time the shame of my 'size' has not stopped me. I have felt that union between myself and my body, it is not perfect but it is mine.

I feel refreshed and renewed....and for the first time in a very long time I have felt the breath of God.