Contemplative Practices
Contemplation refers to practices which aim at “looking at”, “gazing at”, or “being aware of” the Divine. As we enjoy contemplative practices, we engage in practices that give us space to become aware of the presence of God revealed all around us, to intentionally spend time being with God, and to enjoy the presence of the Divine. It’s a space of attentive ‘be-ing’.
Movement and Meditation
Yoga as asana (seat/posture), pranayama (breathwork) and dhyana (meditation) is a spiritual discipline that has the ability to connect body, mind and spirit in a beautiful way that can result in a deeper understanding and acceptance of self, can draw you deeper to God and has the ability to facilitate an embodied spiritual discipline you may find yourself coming back to again and again.
I love the question, ‘What do you do that is outside of your body?’ It sounds like a trick question and, I suppose, it kind of is. Everything we do happens within our physical selves. Nourishing our body and bringing our body into our practice of intentional connection with God may feel like an invitation to you if your spiritual temperament is sensate– one whose worship of God feels most authentic when connection with God is about seeing, hearing, feeling, touching and even tasting God’s presence.
My personal journey with yoga as a spiritual discipline, partnered with scripture study and seeking to know God more, has allowed me to connect deeper to my faith, make peace with myself and truly has left me taking the experiences I learned on the yoga mat into my daily life.
As a yoga instructor with over 500 hours of training, I aim to curate and guide you through an intentional practice of movement, breathwork and meditation with our focus on meeting God right where we are, which just happens to be on our yoga mats.
Yoga Movement + Meditation classes are available as private classes for individuals, small groups, or events like retreats and other gatherings. If you’d like to inquire about yoga along with meditation and even journaling reflection, please click the link below.
Prayer + Spiritual Disciplines
Through my experience as a yoga teacher and spiritual director, I have come to realize how much I love guiding people through contemplative prayer practices, meditation and reflection. Traditional practices like Lectio Divina, Breath Prayer, The Examen and Imaginative Contemplation (to name a few!) allow individuals to experience God in new ways outside of the traditional ‘quiet time’ often prescribed. Offering space for people to meet God in new ways becomes an invitation to explore your unique spiritual temperament and be opened up to the world of spiritual disciplines that can bring rejuvenation to your spiritual life.
When I first learned about the wide variety of spiritual disciplines and the spiritual temperaments, it felt like a beautiful affirmation that the ways I felt so naturally connected to God were because God made me who I am. It offered me both the traditionally offered space to study God and the invitation to connect with God through nature, art, my senses and through the simple yet profound act of being aware of God’s presence. It felt like the most refreshing and rejuvenating water on a hot day that created in me a craving for more of God’s presence.
Let’s explore your spiritual temperament and enjoy spiritual disciplines together. We can spend time together reviewing the spiritual temperaments, engaging in disciplines you’re curious about, and talking about your experience of the Divine as we go. It’s a safe space to explore how you relate to God. If you’d like to inquire about Prayer + Meditation, please click the link below.