Scripture ~Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippines 4:6-7 The Message
Spiritual Focus ~ “If you can settle your body, you are more likely to be calm, alert, and fully present, no matter what is going on around you. A settled body enables you to harmonize and connect with other bodies around you, while encouraging those bodies to settle as well. My Grandmother’s Hands: (Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies) by Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW
Breath Prayer ~ Inhale ~ I am, Exhale ~ calm
Devotion ~ The term “non-anxious presence” was first coined by rabbi and family therapist Edwin Friedman. Friedman found that when he modeled a non-anxious presence, it helped those experiencing anxiety to self-regulate their emotions, draw on other stabilizing emotions, and tap into a sense of calm. An academic understanding or a belief in the benefits of a non-anxious presence are only helpful when a non-anxious presence is practiced. There are many techniques to practicing a non-anxious presence, and one practice that has recently been studied is the practice of yoga. Traditional yoga incorporates three primary components: asana (poses), pranayama (breathwork) and savasana (relaxation pose). These three elements of a yoga practice have been proven to stabilize cortisol levels (the hormone that increases when we are anxious), regulate emotions, and calm anxiety. When yoga is practiced consistently, we become less anxious ourselves and develop a habit of being a non-anxious presence that benefits our neighbor.
There are many stories where we see Jesus as a non-anxious presence. One that particularly stands out is the healing of Jairus’ daughter. In this story Jesus is in a crowd of people who are begging for his attention. He is approached by a distraught, nameless woman and a distressed man named Jairus at the same time. They are both anxious for a miracle of healing. Jesus presents a non-anxious, composed attitude toward them that creates safe space for them to settle themselves and become less anxious.
Jesus, of course, was an extraordinary person, and it would be easy to dismiss the idea that we could live like Jesus in this way. However, the truth is early Christians did put into practice the way of Jesus as noted in the scripture from Philippians. Prayer helps to reshape our anxieties and allows God’s presence and wholeness to settle us down. The practices of yoga can come alongside our faith to create a non-anxious presence that becomes a way to live like Jesus, reflecting the love of God for all people.
