igniting the fire within
During yoga teacher training, one of our trainers shared with us that yoga is less of a practice of what you practice and more one of how you practice; that the test of some of the greatest yogis was not a measure of how many yoga poses they could do, rather how long poses could be held for with integrity. The spirit of these teachings is one that I pass down time and time again to yoga students.
In first beginning to learn yoga, some key challenges are finding the right balance, alignment, and being able to stay present and intentional with the breath while holding postures. The mantra, “how you do one thing is how you’ll do anything” is particularly felt in yoga. What I bring onto my mat is so often mirroring what I bring into the world.
Balance supports in identifying the gap between stagnation and growth.
Alignment supports in upholding integrity and sustainability.
Staying present to the postures supports mindful awareness.
In holding postures, I find that you can take a whole journey within if you choose to invite this into your practice. The rise and fall of thoughts of the mind, emotions of the heart, and sensations of the body. A certain pose could be uncomfortable for a moment and yet, a few breaths later, you are able to shift into the next pose. The discomfort identities the areas for growth and strengthening. The freshness of breath in moving to the next pose, which often counterposes the previous one, is a reprieve and reminder of the power that is within.
It is during moments like this in my yoga practice that I am reminded of God’s divine guidance, protection, provision…the list goes on. We can face all things and walk in confidence because of Him. He’s there guiding us in Spirit with the loudest of whispers and protecting and providing for us by orchestrating the events at the perfect moment.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (MSG) reads,
“But the Master never lets us down. He’ll stick by you and protect you from evil. Because of the Master, we have great confidence in you. We know you’re doing everything we told you and will continue doing it.”
In this passage, Paul shares his confidence in God to protect them from the enemy. The enemy’s favorite weapons fear invoking lies that cause worry, distraction, and bitterness. Alternatively, God’s character is trustworthy because he is always consistent, faithful, and upright.
This particular passage in the Hebrew translations focuses on the notion of emet – a faithfulness that connotes reliability and steadfastness. An expression in Hebrew meaning, "That's truth" to refer to correct ideas or concepts. It draws upon the image of a parent holding up a child and when used to describe people, it reflects a stable character or trustworthiness (essentially, a reflection of God's character).
Throughout the Bible, we find instances of God delivering on his promises; working exceedingly, miraculously, overwhelmingly, and abundantly. God rarely delivers in the way we expect and yet He is always faithful to His word. And He’s ever inviting us to depend on Him as an act of faithfulness.
To ignite the fire within is to remember that he’s placed a bit of Him in each of us. It’s this fire that lights us up in purpose, purifies and melts away any impurities, and brings us back to reveling in the eternal blessing of His living water again and again.
If you’re ready to ignite the fire within, you can schedule a 1:1 complimentary consultation here.
Kim Yamasaki is a Christian wellness coach who supports her clients in cultivating space + stillness in the mind, body, and home through collaborative processes of co-creation. She provides services that create space + stillness for deeper connection: coaching, home organizing, and yoga. Her methods are affirming, grounding, and nurturing – all interlaced with playful creativity. She is a native Angeleno with Japanese and Chinese roots.
This article was originally published for the “selah space” newsletter, reclaiming abundance’s care package for go-getters that is released on a monthly basis. “Selah space” offers content to support readers looking to for greater balance by living, loving, and learning deeply to be their most calm, confident, and complete selves. In the Bible, selah means “to pause or to reflect.” It appears most heavily in the Book of Psalms and Habakkuk as musical notations at the end of verses to draw attention back to what was previously expressed.