Mental, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual Connection 

 

About Yoga 

Yoga is more than just another form of fitness, it is also a mental and spiritual practice, in the sense that the work that goes into aligning your body can also be used to align our mind and spirit. 

​

The word Yoga means to “yoke” or to “unite” and the discipline aims to bring the mind, spirit and body into sync. This is accomplished through the three main components: breathing, postures, and meditation. As a student of yoga, it is through the physical effort of attaining the postures and controlling your breath that we learn to focus and calm our mind and spirit as you fully immerse yourself in your practice.  

Yoga is not a religion, but a philosophy that can be applied within the life of a believer. As Christians we believe that God is three persons: the father, son and Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in all of us, therefore God lives within us. As Christians, we also believe that when we are connected to the Holy Spirit in us, then we will be more at peace. 

​

About Fit4God Yoga 

Fit4God Yoga was developed based on the following beliefs: 

• We cannot control the events/experiences/circumstances of life, but we CAN control our response, by not being “conformed to this world”, but by being “transformed by the renewing of our mind” (Romans 12:2).

• “…mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6) 

  • God lives within all of us, through His Holy Spirit, which lives in us. The more connected we are to His Holy Spirit, the more at peace we will be. 

  • God has given all of us meaning and purpose (Romans 12:6-8).

• “…as a person thinks … so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). 

  • We have troubled minds, and when we follow our troubled minds we produce impure thoughts.

  • Getting our thoughts under control is the first step to free ourselves. 

  • 15 minutes a day of meditation helps capture our thoughts and increase happiness.

• “… present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 

  • Connecting our mind and spirit can decrease physical stress and tension; which can lead to decrease in pain and inflammation. 

  • Connecting our mind and spirit can decrease emotional eating and feelings of fatigue, which can lead to weight loss. 

  • A physically relieved body can lead to increased strength, power, balance and flexibility. 

 

5 Day Yoga Meditation 

​

Day 1: Your New Habit

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2: 10-11 “These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God”

 

Here we are, beginning again. Lost, broken, distracted, and weary. Feeling overwhelmed, lonely, and confused about what’s next steps. There always seems to be a next step, another thing to do, obligation to fulfill, another task to complete. 

 

Let’s form a New Habit… taking time for self. Taking time to yoke the mind, body and spirit. Time to reconnect with self, to be one with our emotions, to be one with  the truth that lives within, even the ones that are made up of lies that we may have told ourselves. It is risky...Being with God is Risky, but being with You, “the you'' that has been conformed to this world is even more risky. We have to die daily, this feels and is the riskiest of all.

 

When you take time to be with You, you take time to be with the Holy Spirit that lives in you and keeps you in constant conversation with God. He knows you. He knows your every thought, your every worry—every pause and breath and turn of your heart. If the one who knows you better than anyone says He is safe—what else can be trusted? 

 

Let meditation or coming to your mat, coming to Fit4God Yoga classes or another class, because being with self is being with God, so let’s make this become our new habit. 

 

 

Day 2: Are You Coming 

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:19. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places”

 

God is bigger than our greatest fear, our greatest hope; so today let His presence and promises energize us; bringing us forward; leading us to what He has Destined for us. God…has healing for our heart, our past.

 

He created us with strength, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that his son left within us to keep us connected to our Eternal Father, which makes us divine. So, some so that we may live in our divinity. He made us to be humble, not meek. He created us to walk with lifted heads, proclaiming His name, showing this world that we are loved, even if they don’t love us or they know not how to love.

 

For the reality of being loved and known and made and wanted and perfected in faith is what allows us to go forward, grasping hold of His hand, and pulling other daughters…So, Are you coming?

 

Day 3: Fully You

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25).

 

Being fully in God, in the Holy Spirit is being Fully You. When you truly hear Him, feel His presence you begin to think about yourself less. You strive less. You have nothing to prove. For this reason we can let go of our insecurity, let go of stories that are false, let go of memories that can’t be changed. Begin your day thinking about who you are, as that is how you remember your connection to the Holy Spirit, to God. 

 

He placed in us a desire, a longing. Pursue this longing. Don’t ignore this. Pay attention to what it is you long for. Ask yourself if you long for more, from a conviction of knowing who you are. Notice if you long to be more whom He’s created you to be, and not someone different. Notice if you long to go further, with Him, using the talents and passions He placed within you—or if you are trying to prove yourself, if you wish you were more loved, more liked, more noticed, more cared for, more desired, more perfect.

 

There are gifts within you, gifts He longs for you to see. So Rise. Raise your head and remember who you are and know your place and how He has chosen you and how the beginning of freedom and self-forgetfulness and love for God, is knowing who you are. 

 

Day 4: Keep Fighting 

Scripture: (Ephesians 6:16-17) “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” 

 

God is here. He has given us a heart that knows what is good, what it needs to live and thrive. We struggle against this true part of us, and that is where the Holy Spirit and the word of God comes in. He tells us enough. 

 

Don’t be afraid of the struggle of self, the part of you that wants to rise up and fight surrender. The Holy Spirit will help you fight. Jesus has already fought the battle and won. Don’t be discouraged by mistakes you make, and the way you fall. 

 

Keep fighting, for God has already fought against darkness for the sake of your life. 

Keep fighting, for God has chosen you and you are worth dying for. 

Keep fighting, because He has come for you, He will not leave you.

Keep fighting, for there is more light to come, more hope to come, more joy to come, for you.

 

The outcome, at the end, is good. Keep pushing on. Keep fighting.

 

Day 5: Your Friend 

Scripture: (Revelation 3:20). “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” 

 

God is the Friend who asks to be invited in. The friend in the quiet, the quiet within you. The guest outside the door knocking, waiting. He is always here, there, not far away. He is your Friend and He loves us. He is the Friend who will not disappoint. He is the Friend who will be strong when you need. He is the Friend who will give you words of hope when you feel sad. He is the friend who knows what you mean when you say “I am dying inside” or “I am so alone.”

 

God is the Friend who can be heard, even amidst noise. He is the Friend who equips us to love others. If you don’t let God into your relationships, into your work, into your moments of doing and going and trying, you will feel hollow inside. You will feel alone. He is the Friend who knows everything about us and knows we can, indeed, hear Him. Listen

 

God is the Friend who desires to make friends with those who love, who nurture, who pour kindness into one another. Listen to Him. You can be that friend.