Imperfect Devotion - Ishvara Pranidhana

I John 1:1-2:2

We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

There is nothing more frustrating than hearing someone say. “Why do Christians bother to be good when Jesus already forgives them?” or any version of this you might imagine.  Jesus’ atonement for our sins is not a get out of jail free card that many think It is.  We are tasked in this passage from 1 John to walk in the light, imperfectly, but always trying to do good.  And we will fail, oh we fail big time! But that doesn’t mean we don’t try and try and try and try.

As an iRest meditation teacher I am always struck by opposites and in this scripture there are some opposites: light - dark, truth – lie, and no sin – sin. But what does light mean if you have never experienced dark, or no sin mean if you haven’t experienced sin? The full appreciation of a life well lived is in its imperfection and the knowledge that even if we fail, God still loves us.  This is a gift undeserved yet freely given. The inmate on death row, and the disobedient child both deserve God’s forgiveness. But only if confessed truthfully, if we lie and say we are without sin then how can we be forgiven? We are called to follow Jesus’ example of how to live, knowing we will fail, knowing we can try again, surrendering to God’s will for us.  In Yoga this surrender is called Ishvara Pranidhana.  

Surrendering to a higher power simply is the recognition that we are imperfect. That through releasing power, engaging in the right action, accepting what is, and devoting ourselves to always doing better in the honor of the divine we are on the path to perfection or nirvana.* This path does not include recklessly sinning but constant trying to do better and asking for forgiveness when we fail.

 

*Adele, Deborah – The Yamas and Niyamas

 

 

Taking up the Cross

  

Mark 8:31-38

Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Taking up our own individual crosses is very unique for each person.   A few years ago I did not fully understand this. I felt a strong Christian call and went through a process of first personal discernment, and then public discernment within my home parish.  The end result was clarity about my call, but it was not to clergy. It was a call to continue my work as a Yoga Therapist.

This call, on first blush, doesn't sound very Christian.  However, when I look at the work I do, have done, it actually is Christian. My call, in very specific terms, is not just to Yoga Therapy, it is to Integrative Health in a rural community.  I have sacrificed thousands of dollars in income I could have made establishing myself in a nearby larger city. I have put the health of my beloved city, Rome, Georgia above my own gain. This is my cross.

I work in an often misunderstood field. Many think I simply lead yoga classes, which I do do, but the truth is I do so much more. I have at least 1800 hours more training than an entry level yoga teacher, including an Accredited Master’s Degree in Yoga Therapy. I have lead classes for individuals that have a common issue. Right now, mainly yoga classes for the aging and those with behavioral health issues, secondarily yoga classes for young adults transitioning into full adult life. I have worked with particular disease groups such as Breast Cancer, Parkinson's Disease, Arthritis, and Alzheimer's Disease. I have worked with those at the end of life. I have worked to help Families in my town understand the Integrative Health options available to them. I have done this as a volunteer, as a paid employee, and as a consultant. I have supported and promoted other forms of Integrative Health serving on a committee at a local hospital to promote this, and starting an Integrative practice with those working in other modalities.  I have taught yoga at my church and still teach at a Catholic Charity.  I started a non-profit that provided yoga by donation to the citizens of my town. I'm not sure how I could find the time to add clergy to this list. And that is okay.

My work is Christian. My self-study, Svadhyaya, through my work, and surrender, Ishvara Pranidhana, of my work to a higher power is  completely based in a Christian philosophy for living, as well as the Yoga 10 Commandments,  the Yamas and Niyamas, of which self-study and surrender are a part. I take up my cross with love, and I lift it high.

"And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen."  -BCP Post Communion Prayer

Episcopal Hymn 643 Lyrics to "Lift High The Cross" the hymn of the Order of the Daughters of the King, of which I am a fourth generation member:

Refrain.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
till all the world adore his sacred name.

1. Come, Christians, follow where the Master trod,
our King victorious, Christ the Son of God.
   refrain
2. Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.
   refrain
3. Each newborn servant of the Crucified
bears on the brow the seal of him who died.
   refrain
4. O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
your death has brought us life eternally.
   refrain
5. So shall our song of triumph ever be:
praise to the Crucified for victory!
   refrain

 

Photo in public domain by Petr Kratochvil

 

Compromising Commandments

 

All traditions have their commandments. As the hour is late and in the interest of ashimsa (non-injury) to myself I leave you with these writing to read and compare.  Perhaps it can serve as an example of finding the areas where we agree rather than disagree.

The Bible Book of Exodus Chapter 20 Verses 1-4, 7-9, 12-20

God spoke all these words: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Book 2 Verses 29-33

29. The eight means of Yoga are: the Commandments, the Rules, right Poise, right Control of the life-force, Withdrawal, Attention, Meditation, Contemplation.

30. The Commandments are these: non-injury, truthfulness, abstaining from stealing, from impurity, from covetousness.

31. The Commandments, not limited to any race, place, time or occasion, universal, are the great obligation.

32. The Rules are these: purity, serenity, fervent aspiration, spiritual reading, and perfect obedience to the Master.

33. When transgressions hinder, the weight of the imagination should be thrown on the opposite side.

 

 

Yoga Sutras Book 2 translation from http://docshare02.docshare.tips/files/13742/137428078.pdf

Photo from https://rochemamabolo.wordpress.com/2019/04/11/compromise-able/