I’m excited to share with my community how the Spirit Body Yoga dream has now come to reality. How God has worked this out in me over the last two decades. I stepped into my first yoga class back in 2006. I had been very curious about yoga for a while; I didn’t know why but yoga intrigued me. Although I was in pretty good shape at the time and had experience with a lot of different types of exercise, I was physically challenged during that first yoga class in a way I had never experienced before and the next day I had muscles screaming at me that I hadn’t even known existed. I thought to myself, “There’s something to this yoga thing”. So I kept going back and I fell in love!
Yoga is the ultimate workout for body, mind, and spirit!
In one class you get cardio, strength training, stretching, meditation, and time to pray.
In my opinion, yoga is the ultimate workout for body, mind, and spirit. In one class I got cardio, strength training, stretching, meditation, and time to pray. As a Christian and busy mom of three, I would walk out of class feeling complete; closer to God, and connected to His Spirit.
Two years later I began leading my own yoga classes and eventually went through a 200-hour Ashtanga Teacher Training program. During my teacher training, I realized that there was so much more to yoga than the physical aspect. I started to learn why I had felt so amazing practicing yoga, how the poses affect our nervous systems, our circulatory system, our organs, our mental clarity, etc. I also studied the 8-limbed principles of yoga, discovering that the yogic principles are also Biblical principles. Even though I had been told by some that Christians shouldn’t do yoga because it is grounded in Hinduism, what I saw was proof that we are all created by the same amazing God and His principles and commandments are universal – His laws are written on the hearts of His creation and most importantly I saw a way to connect, not divide. It was there that Spirit Body Yoga was birthed into the innermost parts of my being.
The Vision and Mission for Spirit Body Yoga
The inspiration behind Spirit Body Yoga is a desire to see more people find peace and joy in their everyday lives; a consistent yoga practice can help us get there. I visualize people of different faiths coming into the studio seeking health, more vitality, and a deeper spiritual existence. I see a studio that is full of love and understanding creating space for growth to happen in the hearts of each person; A place that promotes a Strong Spirit, a Strong Body, and a life full of VICTORY. A place where the mission to strengthen the entire person, Spirit and Body, becomes a reality in so many lives.
Is Spirit Body Yoga Christian Yoga?
The answer is both yes and no. I don’t want anyone to feel excluded from this amazing practice or from attending classes at the Spirit Body Yoga Studio. I want everyone to feel welcome and free to have their own experience during each practice. My Christian faith teaches me that if we seek the truth then God will reveal it to us.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7
Just because two people may be of different faiths doesn’t mean they can’t practice yoga together. Relationship with God is personal and God gives each of us free will to choose our own path. I want to create a welcoming environment where spirits and bodies are strengthened, where minds are relaxed, and hearts are open to receive; where there is room for God to move within the heart of each person in a deeply personal way.
A Safe Place for Christians
I have received some opposition from my faith community regarding yoga and some who refuse to even try it. I hope that opening this studio with help my faith community feel safe enough to try yoga so they can reap the many health benefits of the practice. Yoga has been proven to help improve strength, balance, and flexibility. It supports joint health, eases and prevents back pain, teaches better breathing, fosters mental calmness, reduces stress, increases self-confidence, boosts heart health, improves sleep, improves focus, and cultivates resilience-just to name a few – the list goes on and on! My Christian friends have just as much difficulty pursuing health, resting and relaxing, and quieting their minds as everyone else.
In a world that is struggling with poor health, fear, and anxiety, where mental health and addiction are constantly on the rise, having an environment that promotes peace, health, and communion with God is the most wonderful thing I can offer the community around me. I am so excited to do so!
What Makes Spirit Body Yoga Special?
There are over 48,000 yoga studios in the United States and yoga is a whopping $15 Billion industry here in this country alone! So what does the Spirit Body Yoga Studio have to offer that sets us apart? I know there are many amazing studios with wonderful visions, missions, and purposes and many studios that focus just on the Asana (physical) practice of yoga. Here at the SBY Studio, we will incorporate the 8-limbed path of yoga by inserting thought-provoking questions regarding Yama (morality), Niyama (righteous living), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breath work), Pratyahara (control of the senses), Dharana (concentration), Dyana (meditation), and Samadhi (union with God).
Spirit Body Yoga Studio is an intimate studio where all faiths are welcome, where Christians can feel safe, and where these yogic principles will be presented to encourage each person to look deeper into who they are, who they want to be, and the kind of life they want to live.
I encourage those who live close to the studio to come and experience a class and see for themselves. I believe you will leave feeling stronger, more at peace, and encouraged to walk in a deeper awareness of yourself and others.
This is just the beginning of the dream that is alive inside me – there’s much more to come!
Visit our website where you will see class descriptions, class schedules, pricing, and register for classes.
SPIRITBODYYOGA.COM
Namaste,
GloriAnne
Leave a Reply