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CHRISTIAN YOGA
The Sanskrit word, yoga, means 'yoke' - to couple or unite. Christian Yoga is a way of uniting with Christ. As Jesus tells us, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29). Our Christian yoga program weaves together body postures with breath, sacred and classical music, prayer of the heart and body, and meditation. We bring ourselves to God as a whole being — body, mind and spirit. St. Paul wrote, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?" (1 Corinthians 6:19) Our bodies are the intimate habitat of God. As we relax the body, and quiet the mind, we are better able to be still in meditation and open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit. Physically our participants improve flexibility, balance and coordination; build strength; feel happiness, healing in the body, and an improved sense of well-being. The community of men and women participating in Christian yoga at Manresa is growing — the programs are offered Mondays and Thursdays throughout the year. Christian yoga is used to complement retreats offered for caregivers and women. It is especially effective when used in conjunction with meditation retreats and by private retreatants, who often join in a class while at Manresa. The 2009 Spring & Summer Series
Our program will create a space for peace and meditation within you and provide for an "upward lifting" of your mind, heart, and spirit to that of Christ. Classical yoga postures, with flowing therapeutic movements, blended with Scripture, and sacred music, will be used to quiet your being and allow God the inner sanctuary within you - it is a part of your movement to a new and more holistic life. We invite the person of prayer to receive rather than to offer … it is a time for listening rather than for asking or speaking - listening to the inner voice of God and the leading of the Spirit … a time to rest in the presence of God. Come and join our community - you will find it to be a special place.
Equipment: Please bring your exercise mat and blanket or towel (some extra mats are available for your use.) Therapeutic bands are needed and are available for purchase at a cost of $ 7 at the first meeting. Registration: Mail your name, address, phone number, and your check payable to Manresa, or register on line. Equipment: Please bring your exercise mat and blanket or towel (some extra mats are available for your use.) Therapeutic bands are needed and are available for purchase at a cost of $ 6 at the first meeting. When the weather is warm we often gather outside. Bring a sweatshirt. Spring Session I: Monday Evenings 5:30 - 6:45 PM - April 20,
27; May 4, 11, 18; June 1, 8 We think you will find that Christian yoga will enrich your prayer, meditation, and exercise all in one practice. It is truly a way to pray with every cell of your body. Visit the Manresa Web site for details on our programs. This is your invitation … "Come, Join Us!" For information about some other Christians who practice Yoga, click here. Some Comments & Feedback
Christian Yoga started me on the path to a deeper trust in God's hand in my life. In easing the stress from my body, it quiets my mind to help me trust God's presence in the challenges of my daily life. —Susan Raymond Christian yoga is a form of prayer for me, involving mind, body, and spirit. I also find it especially helpful in quieting my entire being before a Christian mediation "sit". I experience Christian yoga as a strengthening of my body, as well as a nurturing of my entire being as a temple of the Holy Spirit. Christian yoga plays an important part in my relationship with God, others, and myself! —Artemae Anderson I've been doing yoga since September and my flexibility has increased tremendously. It seems to have helped with my golf game and has given me much better focus in day to day activities. It has actually made me look at food differently also. I do not eat as poorly as I did before. It has been a real blessing in my life. —Andy Szombat Often for me, Yoga class is like a beautiful spiritual experience in which the mind, body, and spirit are moving together in harmony. —Deanna Tabar Yoga at Manresa is a gift from Grace Seroka. Her encouragement to find God in our physical and emotional bodies allows us to deepen our faith. When I attend class, I feel a sense of tranquility and peacefulness. —Rosemary Fox When I meditate at the end of the session and you read to us from scripture, I feel like I am floating and hearing the words of an angel speaking to me. Thanks from the bottom of my heart! —Leslie Krajewski I have always wanted to take a yoga class and this one fit
into my schedule but what a blessing waited for me! I expected
the class to be special because of the Christian aspect but
it did not prepare me for the Spirit-lead peacefulness that
was truly evident in our sessions. Thank you for a fantastic
experience! —Alice Kolbasa
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You
are invited to Manresa each week to share a time away from your
busy world … a time for solitude and silence … a time
for prayer and meditation … a time to refocus your attention
on God … Come join with us in our prayer of Christian Yoga.
Leader:
Grace Seroka (Certified Yoga Instructor and commissioned intern
of the Ignatian Spirituality Program. She also has completed
the Spiritual Exercises.)
When
I first practiced yoga over thirty years ago, I appreciated
the physical benefits of flexibility and balance as well as
the mental tranquility it produced. Christian yoga, however,
has taken my awareness to both a deeper and a higher level.
I feel a wholeness-- an integration of body, mind, and soul.
I think of the Scriptural injunction to "be perfect",
that is, "complete", and Christian yoga leads me closer
to that goal. —Rosemarie Gancer