Scripture ~
Old Testament ~ For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
New Testament ~ “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. John 14:27
Spiritual Focus ~ “Peace comes from within, do not seek it from without.” Buddha
Breath Prayer~ Inhale – Peace be, Exhale – in me, Inhale – Peace be, Exhale – in thee
Devotion ~ Peace is an often sought after, sometimes elusive, sense of well-being. Peace is an important spiritual fruit of our faith, so much so that it is mentioned 420 times in the Bible. The prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah speak of God’s covenant of peace, creating a universe out of a deep love for us and a vision of peace. Religious and non-religious folks alike search for peace, even more so during times of conflict and/or chaos when external factors and situations disrupt our sense of security. Peace may be elusive at times, but yoga practices and faith practices guide us to find stillness in our inner sanctuary where we feel safe regardless of what is going on outside of us. It is in the inner sanctuary that we meet God in the moment and find peace in God’s promise of Presence.
An integral, yet often underemphasized, part of a yoga practice is repetition. Repetition of sun salutations, repetition in pranayama (breathwork), repetition in the sequence of asanas (poses) become familiar in repetition and, thus, soothing to our nervous system. The practice of repetition calms us and restores our sense of well-being so that we may dwell in the inner sanctuary and experience a peace that only faith in God, as witnessed in Jesus, Emmanuel …God with us, can give.
The church also has its repetitive practices such as the retelling of the Christmas story, lectio divina, familiar hymns and settling into our breath prayer for meditation. The beauty of these practices, when incorporated in an Advent journey, is that they recognize the stillness and darkness as parts of the journey and lean into God’s promises of hope, peace, joy and love.
