Awaken to the presence of God in and around you in this 12 minute prayerful meditation practice filmed in Greece. In this meditation practice we prayerfully become aware of the senses of our bodies to help calm our minds and center our hearts. God invites all of ourselves into His presence, so rather than trivialize or ignore parts of ourselves, let’s become aware of them, bring them into the light, and offer them to the heart of God.
Welcome to this 30 minute Super Slow Flow Gentle Christian Yoga Practice!
This practice focuses on opening up the shoulders and chest, making it a great practice for those who sit at desks all day. We meditate on a passage from Mark 1 to guide our hearts and minds.
The next morning, Jesus got up long before daylight, left the house while it was dark, and made his way to a secluded place to give himself to prayer. Later, Simon and his friends searched for him, and when they finally tracked him down, they told him, “Everyone is looking for you—they want you!”
Jesus replied, “We have to go on to the surrounding villages so that I can give my message to the people there, for that is my mission.” So he went throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the Jewish synagogues and casting out demons. Mark 1:35-39
If you're new to yoga and enjoyed this practice, I created a 14-video video series just for you! The Foundations of Yoga: A Jesus-Centered Approach guides you through the most foundational yoga poses equipping and empowering you to grow in your practice. Learn more and purchase the series at https://foundationsofyoga.com.
This video will equip you to go deeper into your meditation practice, especially as you encounter obstacles to sitting in stillness, silence, and solitude for an extended period of time. In his book Christian Meditation, James Finley writes, "to stop meditating simply because we feel we are not good at it amounts to abandoning the very aspects of our self that need patience and loving encouragement. "
In this practice we make space for and compassionately turn our attention towards the places in our hearts that feel unlovable. Use this video a time or two to help familiarize yourself with this kind, compassionate, and courageous presence, and then practice on your own, in full stillness, silence, and solitude.
Move into a time of silent meditation or journaling. You can practice this seated and still, or walking.
What happiness comes to you when you feel your spiritual poverty! For theirs is the realm of heaven’s kingdom.
What delight comes to you when you wait upon the Lord! For you will find what you long for.
What blessing comes to you when gentleness lives in you! For you will inherit the earth.
How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be surrounded with fruitfulness.
How satisfied you are when you demonstrate tender mercy! For tender mercy will be demonstrated to you.
What bliss you experience when your heart is pure! For then your eyes will open to see more and more of God.
How joyful you are when you make peace! For then you will be recognized as a true child of God.
How enriched you are when you bear the wounds of being persecuted for doing what is right! For that is when you experience the realm of heaven’s kingdom.
How ecstatic you can be when people insult and persecute you and speak all kinds of cruel lies about you because of your love for me! So leap for joy – since your heavenly reward is great.
- Matthew 5: 3-12, The Passion Translation
Matthew 6:6-7, The Passion Translation
Whenever you pray, go into your innermost chamber and be alone with Father God, praying to Him in secret...When you pray, there is no need to repeat empty phrases, praying like those who don't know God, for they expect God to hear them because of their many words.
Take this time to pray and journal through some of these questions.
Lord, I have chosen you alone as my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. I leave my destiny and its timing in your hands.
- Psalm 16:5, TPT
This video is the perfect antidote when stress, overwhelm, and chaos creep in!
Meditation has become a vital part of my daily spiritual practice. The stillness and silence has helped me connect with God in a new and deeper way and its benefits have overflowed into the busy and noisy parts of my life. I retain more of the things I read and study in the Bible, I'm able to reconnect with Love more quickly when the storms roll in, and I'm able to hear God more clearly.
“Yet strain does not seem to do good. At the moment I feel something “let go” inside, lo, God is here! It is a heart-melting “here-ness,” a lovely whispering of father to child, and the reason I did not have it before, was because I had failed to let go.” - Brother Lawrence
We’re not going to talk, we are just going to receive.
“Sometimes you want to talk to your son, and sometimes you want to hold him tight in silence. God is that way with us; He wants to hold still with us in silence.” Frank Laubach
Before and during your period your energy is at its lowest point at the beginning of your period, so this is a restorative practice. Your hormone levels decline quickly to their lowest concentrations, creating the greatest communication between the right and left brain.
Give yourself extra grace today and a hopeful perspective on your work. What would it look like to love myself exceedingly well today? Here are some examples of what that could look like:
This helps us connect with the unconditional love of God and helps us communicate to the people in our lives who love us.
Take this time to reflect and release.
