In my growing up years as a Lutheran church girl, there were two pictures I remember seeing in most of the homes of my friends. One was a picture we titled ‘Camp Counselor Jesus!’ Jesus is clearly of Scandinavian heritage with blue eyes and long brown hair, we all thought our boyfriends should look like that. The other was a picture simply titled “Grace.” “Grace” was in almost everybody’s kitchen or dining room, and was a reminder to us all to be grateful. It has been said that a picture is worth a 1000 words, and the picture “Grace” by Eric Enstrom is one of those pictures.
In 1918 Mr. Enstrom was preparing a collection of photos to take to a photograph convention, when Charles Wilden came to Engstrom’s home in Bovey, Minnesota peddling foot scrapers. Enstrom was struck by the elderly gentleman’s kind, gentle face and asked him if he would pose for a picture. The gentleman sat down at a table and very naturally bowed his head. Enstrom captured the moment. His intention with the photo was to show that during a time when many people lived on very little because of the war, they still had much to be thankful for. The photo “Grace” is a photo, much like a painting by Rembrandt’s titled “Prodigal Son,” that the more we study it, the more it reveals to us something about God. What we learn about God in the photo “Grace” encourages us to consider our practices honoring God. Practices of praise, gratitude, thankfulness and grace are practices that honor God and are part of both a faith and yoga community.
This November there will be many opportunities to set an intention to praise God for who God is, express gratitude to someone or some situation that God has placed in our life. There will be opportunities to give thanks in all situations trusting that God is active always reclaiming us in relationship. And we simply practice grace. One definition of grace is the practice of bowing our head in prayer, being still and letting our hearts speak, acknowledging God bounty.
There are many ways to practice praise, gratitude, thankfulness and grace, all practices begin with an intention to honor the space in which you and God dwell.
On our mats, with every raising of our hands, let it be praise to God for who God is. Mindfully look for opportunities to express gratitude. BE thankful for all that we are and all that we have. Bring hands to heart or bow into a moment of stillness at every meal. These practices bring awareness of God’s love and presence, whether we sit by ourselves at a meal, on our mats or in a space as a community on the journey together. In Yogadevotion these practices begin on our mats and live off our mats for the benefit of life together in this world. This November Yogadevotion’s devotions will explore faith and yoga practices of praise, gratitude, thankfulness and grace. I hope that you can join us at one of our many sites, until then don’t forget to breathe!
