A Christian Yoga Teacher

I start this particular post with a quote from the end of A Revelation of Divine Love By Julian of Norwich, an anchorite in the 15th-century Wouldst thou learn thy Lord's meaning in this thing? Learn it well: Love was His meaning. Who shewed it thee? Love. What shewed He thee? Love. Wherefore shewed it He? For Love. Hold thee therein and thou shalt learn and know more in the same. But thou shalt never know nor learn therein other thing without end. Thus was I learned that Love was our Lord's meaning. All my understanding of God is able to be tested and tried and perhaps, over time, changed. But in it all, through my youth when my religion was more my parents than my own, to my years of Messianic Judaism in my early ages of independence, and into this new life where God has expanded outside the western churches and the mindsets that often lead such places, I know this and stand firm to it: Jesus is Love. And in that, I know truly, my Dharma (duty) on this earth is to feel that love, to know him well in my days and my nights. So well that his love fills me up, overflows, and spills out of me onto all those who come in and out of my life. My dharma is to love. As Christ loved and does love. I am more and more convinced as the years continue on that Love does cast out all fear. that Perfect love does make all things right. And in that knowledge, I am also aware that many people have been hurt by those who hold banners of Christianity above their heads. Who have been treated with cruel intentions by humans that have justified their cruelty by taking the Lords name in vain and calling upon it as if it would undo the pain and hurt. In my flows, and when I teach and when I practice and when I apply pressure to feet and hands and when I sit with you in silence and when I bow to you in Namaste, I am doing so with the love of Christ inside me.

And like so much of my life, I find myself in the in-between. Which often has always been my favorite place...

The breath before the jump, the pause before the kiss, the snow before winter, the anticipation before the trip... all my favorite places to reside, where I feel most alive, God has also made it so for many other parts of my life.

This place of in-between.

I am too Christian for much of the yogic world, and too liberal for most of the Christian world. I am too stuck on the idea of love covering mistakes and pain and hurt and misunderstandings. Too quick to see the love of my creator in drum circles and Savasanas, and old ancient chants. And too closely resembling a religion that hurt someone long ago. But I believe, like this calling of love, it is my calling to bridge the gaps and to stand in this place of in between. If there is anything I hope people encounter when they meet me, it is not a perfect theology or a polished philosophy, but the love of Christ made visible in ordinary human hands.

Hands that serve.

Hands that heal.

Hands that hold space.

Hands that bless.

If I am wrong about many things, I trust Love will correct me. But if I fail to love, then I have missed the very heart of the One I claim to follow.

For Love was His meaning. I pray it may be mine as well. With Love Always, Niah