Repentance and Yoga

Yoga is the for body what repentance is the soul

I just started my yoga training class and I am ecstatic about it. It's the best therapy I've ever done, I feel more like myself than I have in months and I'm learning tons. And it's only just begun! I can't wait for the upcoming growth and changes. 

One thing that really worries me about my pursuit of yoga is inevitable the testimony testing. Yoga is inherently a physical and spiritual journey. It's meant to join the body and mind connecting into a greater life force. I cannot and will not ever leave the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it to be true down in my cells, much like I can feel the benefit and joy that comes from yoga. I know there is an incredible amount of truth built into the spiritual aspect of yoga, tasting of this part of the journey.

Repentance is like a spiral of advancement as you muddle through life. Hopefully that spiral ascends upwards but sometimes you stay at the same altitude circling instead of progressing up and forward. I have definitely been stagnant lately in this regard. And I couldn't seem to spur myself forward. I am hopeful that yoga teacher training will propel me back up to my normal happy hopeful self, the self who feels capable and determined to be a better disciple of Christ each day. 

Repentance is essentially change. Changing whatever thoughts, feelings, appetites, desires, doubts, behaviors, habits, traditions, superstitions, half-truths, and conveniences within our mortal selves that cannot fit within the home of our Heavenly Parents. This will require tremendous effort, stretching, growing, exerting and falling on our part. We cannot do it alone nor can we do it on the first try. However we are blessed with the people and the means to accomplish this seemingly impossible goal.

Repentance requires faith (obedience + hope) and diligence (faith + consistency) in order to be effective. And of course all of this has to be centered in and around the Atonement of our Savior. Much like a yoga class where steady movements and poses stretch our physical bodies, daily acts of repentance build our capacity for progression. If you take months off your yoga practice you will not be able to comfortably or quickly get into complicated inversions. Even completing the basic sun salutations will leave you sweaty and sore. But gradually coming back to the basics anyone can progress to the more advanced moves. The repetition helps build the foundation of strength and flexibility that is necessary for progression. 

Thankfully we don't have to fumble through yoga poses alone. There are gurus to guide and direct us. They can deepen our stretches simply by touching your lower back in the right place. They can spot you as you clumsily try handstands over and over again. They will be there coaching and encouraging you as you fall. Because you will fall. They can take you through sequences that will wring out toxins and trapped emotions to help you heal from the inside out. Much like our Savior, a yoga teacher will gently and firmly command you and then carefully place her hands on your body to direct the movement and flow of energy. You aren't alone in the stretching (growing, learning, changing) process. There are classmates, books and outside resources. You can ask for help. Sometimes the teacher will know what you need without asking. And sometimes you have to stay after class to get additional clarification on a certain pose. 

We are here on this fallen world to learn how to become celestial beings. Those beings have bodies and we need to learn how to care for our bodies here and now in order to receive a celestial body and live comfortably with our Heavenly Parents. I firmly believe in the connectedness between body and spirit. Yoga taps into that as you move, meditate and gain control over the outer and inner body. Your body and mind are a two part system learning to live the gospel. Healthy souls have healed their body and mind of the evils and vices of this fallen world. That can include any addiction, illness, abuse, sin, temptation, wicked desires etc. There are those people who have worked on their souls (body and spirit) disproportionately. I think yoga helps balance the two parts of the soul. By striving for depth in the physical practice strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, and spacial awareness are increased. But in order to achieve this there must be introspection and conscious decisions made to move forward. Mindfulness and intentions must be set, exerting incredible mental energy in the positive direction for change. 

When someone consistently and intentionally repents they change, and they can see how much more they need to yet change. There is no complacency, only joy in the journey. It may be hard at times but the overall feeling of the bad plus the good is joy. Similar to the sweaty, stretched, sore and energized feeling after yoga. Yoga breathes this joy into the body and the mind, healing and progressing you forward. So repent and do yoga!