Scripture ~ When Jesus went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. Matthew 14:14
Spiritual Focus ~ “Our sorrows and wounds are healed only when we touch them with compassion.” Buddha
Breath Prayer ~ Inhale – Jesus, Exhale – heals
Story ~ During Lent we turn to meditation as a way to enter the stories that communicate the love of God through the life of Jesus. One of Jesus’ earthly missions was to bring healing. He saw people with compassion and healed them. The backstory of today’s scripture finds Jesus returning from a time away, grieving the senseless death of his cousin, John the Baptist. He was most certainly still grieving when he saw the crowd of people gathered on the shore. His reaction was not to think of himself in his grief but to see the people through the eyes of compassion. He saw they were sick and cured them. This happened so often in the stories of his ministry that we tend to take for granted Jesus’ power to heal.
There is no shortage of healing stories related to yoga. Many people have come to yoga because of a particular diagnosis. Others practice it because they just want to feel better. In faith-integrated yoga we come to be connected to the mystery of God, to experience the healing presence of Jesus, and to offer and receive community support. While the physical practice of asana has many benefits, probably the most valuable benefit lies in its very purpose: the ability to sit in meditation.
During Lent we will “try on” intentional meditation. At the end of class after savasana (relaxation pose), we invite you to a seated posture for the final five minutes. Three simple mediation cues will help new meditators as well as experienced meditators.
- In a seated easy pose, find a home base. This can be your breath, a drishti (focused) gaze or a sensation in your body.
- Practice equanimity. This means to accept thoughts without attaching to them. They are just there. Come back to your home base without judgement and an abundance of grace.
- Simply receive, no need to do anything.
In the story today, Jesus already saw the need for healing through the eyes of compassion. Receive healing, trusting that Jesus knows what you need.
