Boat Pose

Step By Step

• Sit on the mat with legs out straight.
• Press hands on the mat a little behind the hips, shoulders back and wrap around the spine, fingers pointing towards the feet and arms strengthen.
• Lift up through the top of the sternum and lean back slightly.
• Bend knees to a 45 degree angle lifting feet off of the floor; feet are active.
• Come onto sits bone.
• Stretch arms out along side the legs parallel each other and the floor, palms in and stretch through the fingers. You can also reach over your head to the heavens in praise.
• Extend legs out straight, pointing toes and if possible rise above eye level. Take the pose to your level. If you wish to straighten the legs go for it.
• You can also toe lock your big toes with your peace sign fingers and extend the legs to wide V or straight.

Benefits

• Strengthens the abdomen, hip flexors and spine.
• Stimulates the kidneys, thyroid, prostate glands and intestines.
• Helps relieve stress.
• Improves digestion.

This is an excerpt from our guide to self-care, Christian Yoga: Restoration for Body and Soul.

Happy Heart = Happy Life

“You are a living magnet. What you
attract into your life is in harmony
with your dominant thoughts.”
- Brian Tracy

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that
commands your thoughts, liberates your
energy, and inspires your hopes.”
- Andrew Carnegie

Proverbs 15:13
A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

An open letter from DeAnna

Dear Friends,

I feel called to post something for times such as these. This summer has been very interesting (not always in a good way) for me, my family and my friends. So many are suffering, ill and stressed.

I’m writing because for the first time in my life I got depressed watching the news last night. Things are truly getting very rough for people; I know vital, intelligent people who are ill and can’t afford medication, who are abandoning their homes and moving in with family, who have been unemployed for months even though they are diligent about seeking employment in this “jobless recovery”, who have suffered deep disappointment.

For me, I believe that staying steadfastly centered with Christ and relying on His promises for miracles and not forgetting them is what will ease the pain and stress of the struggles so many of us are experiencing.

Practicing Christian yoga regularly at anytime, but especially in times like these, is utterly important in keeping ourselves centered in Christ and not buying into the “world” and its (all too real) doom and gloom. Being of and maintaining a sound mind that relies on His promises of miracles for us takes focus, fellowship, prayer and regular practice.

As we return October 1st to our studio class schedule, if you are in a situation where you cannot afford classes, please just let us know and we will scholarship you until you can.

If you are in a situation where you can afford our low prices it will help us be good stewards in the operations of Yahweh Yoga and we are so grateful for you. Either way, let’s come together to regularly practice in October in a way that is stronger in fellowship than ever before, fasting, praying, building health and mind/body/soul strength together so we remained bathed in our full confidence in Christ knowing He never lets go of us.

As believers the one thing we know is that we can count on and expect His miracles in His timing and that if we stay there in our minds and hearts, we will move through times such as these with full confidence in God, less stress on our minds and in better health and expecting miracles to help heal and prosper us. Praying, fellowship, eating well and light, sweating, meditating….all these things work together to help us endure these times together in love and much less stress.

I for one, cannot wait to see you and practice with you in October, I have missed you over the summer. Until October 1st then…let us remember together:

“And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will he hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.” John 5:14-15

“We need to remember that God always keeps His promises. He will never forsake you nor leave you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” (NIV, bold)

“Give thanks to the Lord and pray to him.Tell the nations what he has done. Sing to him; sing praises to him.
Tell about all his miracles. Be glad that you are his; let those who seek the Lord be happy.
Depend on the Lord and his strength; always go to Him for help.
Remember the miracles He has done;remember His wonders and His decisions.
You are descendants of His servant Abraham, the children of Jacob, His chosen people.
He is the Lord our God.His laws are for all the world. He will keep his agreement forever;
He will keep his promises always.” Psalm 105, Verses 1-8 (New Century Version)

Full confidence in God is the only way to live

Full confidence in God is the only way to live, especially during these times. 100% confidence, not 99%. Only then do we authentically center with Christ, tucked in His heart, unafraid and at peace, above the fray of today’s harsh news.

Full 100% confidence in God is the only way to stay mentally and heartfeltly centered within in the place of peace where miracles do happen regardless of what the world is saying and/or doing. A prayer for you knowing with full confidence that He keeps His promises:

Psalm 109: 21-22(The Message)
Oh, God, my Lord, step in;
work a miracle for me - you can do it!
Get me out of here - your love is so great!
I’m at the end of my rope.

Psalm 109: 26-29(The Message)
Help me, oh help me, God, my God,
save me through your wonderful love;
Then they’ll know that your hand is in this,
that you, God, have been at work.

Psalm 116: 7-8 (The Message)
I said to myself, “Relax and rest.
God has showered you with blessings.
Soul, you’ve been rescued from death,
you’ve been rescued from your tears.

Secure your own mask first before assisting others

Although we never anticipate a change in cabin pressure, should one occur, four oxygen masks will fall from the compartment above. Place the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally. If you are traveling with small children please secure yourself first and then assist the child. Finally sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight!

The flight attendant paused at my seat. We were traveling with our three children and she wanted to be sure that I understood that I must put on my own mask prior to helping the children.

I assured her that we were very familiar with the rules and turned to look into the injured and incredulous eyes of my son and daughter. “That’s not right,” my son said accusingly. “Parents are supposed to look after kids first.” My daughter was deeply perplexed and somewhat anxious, “Why should grownups get the oxygen before kids? Will there be enough for us?”

I reassured them that it was very important for me to make sure that I got the mask on quickly or I might pass out before I could help them and they would not be able to help me. They were relieved once they understood. As we settled into our flight it occurred to me that these instructions would serve us all well in life…

Although you never anticipate that you will crack under pressure, should this occur, there will not be an oxygen mask falling from above. Breathing normally will be impossible. If you are traveling with small children, or anyone else, you will be unable to assist them let alone yourself…

So often we look into the eyes of those depending on us, our families, the PTO, the church, the boss… and we can feel the pressure starting to squeeze the life out of us. We know we are starting to run out of air but somehow we muddle on, asthmatic and wheezing in our increasingly feeble efforts to meet everyone’s needs. Some of us secretly enjoy being martyrs. Some of us are just tyrannized by the urgent and the immediate. But we’re all desperate for someone to give us permission to look after ourselves, for instructions to secure our own mask first.

If there was ever someone relentlessly hounded by the needs of others it was Jesus. The crowds were always chasing Jesus, wanting him to teach them, to touch them, to heal them, to feed them. However, we read that Jesus made a regular habit of rising early and seeking time alone, meeting with his Father in prayer. He modeled the discipline of solitude for his disciples and in Mark 6:31-32 we see a beautiful picture of this:

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

What do you need to do to make sure you have enough air to keep going? Are you looking after your body well? Are you eating well, sleeping enough? Exercising? But, most importantly, what about your soul? We all benefit from some solitude for the sake of soul care.

In the frenzy, we need to find a quiet center where we can be still and know that God is God and ask Him to search our hearts and know our anxious thoughts. Our moments of solitude with God may be brief at times but they will sustain us - He will sustain us. The moment you step out of your quiet place, everyone will be clamoring for you, but you will be far better equipped to rise to the challenges before you, with compassion and grace.

So stop a moment. Grab that oxygen mask firmly and secure yourself, body and soul, before you attempt to assist others. Finally sit back, relax, and enjoy your flight!

NEW! 15-Day Hands-on Christian Yoga RYT Program

Yahweh Yoga is pleased to announce our new 250-hour Christian Yoga RYT teacher training program (Yoga Alliance accredited).

This 250-hour gold-standard program offers yoga teacher training from a Christ-centered perspective with rigor and quality better than that found in most secular programs.

We developed this program in response to requests from our students

Our students prefer the prestigious Registered Yoga Teacher [RYT] designation - even if they do not plan to teach in secular studios - because the RYT is the defining credential worldwide that identifies a yoga teacher as a well-trained professional. So we designed a gold standard program that combines 70 hours of online learning with an intensive 180-contact hour, 15-day in-person classroom experience taught by E-RYTs.

How it works

There are two parts to the Yahweh Yoga RYT program, the online 70-hour portion and the 15-day, 180-contact hour learning experience.

Online portion

Our online class runs 70 days (an hour a day of study), to allow working students the ability to complete the material while still attending to the needs of their families and their jobs. After completion of the online portion, you then come to Arizona for the 180-contact hour, Yoga Alliance accredited classroom experience.

We believe that having online instruction prior to meeting face-to-face offers you the most in-depth education possible. You have time to get to know your classmates, learn terms, and understand concepts that will be needed in your live classroom learning.

180-contact hour portion

In order to meet Yoga Alliance educational standards, you will receive 180-contact hours of instruction over a 15-day period. This means 12-hour days (7 am to 7 pm)–but don’t worry. We have carefully structured your hands-on classroom experience to be both challenging and do-able. For example, we follow active yoga instruction with non-physical academics such as healthy living, anatomy, and Christian philosophy.

Every class day features a fully catered healthy lunch and dinner from Whole Foods. We have fun lunch-and-learn sessions that cover everything from raw food preparation to lectures on the yoga industry. You will be nourished physically, mentally, and spiritually throughout the course.

Highest Educational Quality

Yahweh Yoga is the most highly accredited Christian Yoga teacher training school in the world. Our online classes were designed by a team of Educational Technology PhD candidates from Arizona State University and our live portion is led by E-RYT Christian Yoga experts.

Program Features

When you become a Yahweh Yoga teacher training student, you enjoy fellowship with other health-minded Christians. You receive regular interaction with your teachers and other students and enjoy in-depth learning about Christian Yoga Philosophy, postures, anatomy, physiology, marketing, eating and healthy living, teacher training, and more!

We provide all your learning materials including textbooks, instructional DVDs, and other materials. You will need to have a computer with a reliable internet connection, a yoga mat, and a desire to deepen your faith and yoga knowledge.

Program Cost

Our 250-hour Christian Yoga RYT program costs $3,200. Tuition includes lunch and dinner for each day of the course and all texts and learning materials. Financing terms are available.

We admit students on a first-come, first-served basis. To find a class, please see our 2009-2010 schedule. If you have additional questions on the Yahweh Yoga program, please see our FAQ.

Road to Redemption

Stand firm in your walk with the Lord. He is your Rock and Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 78:35
They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
Stand firm in your walk with the Lord. He is your Rock and Redeemer.