Scripture
This extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!
Ephesians 3:10 The Message
Spiritual Focus
“Whoever sets themselves up as the judge of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.” Albert Einstein
Devotion
A mentor and friend of Yogadevotion operated under an interesting motto: “You don’t know what you don’t know.” In a world that pursues and values knowledge one of the hardest statements to make is “I don’t know.” Our reason-oriented Western minds are challenged by the unknown, and our response to such a challenge is often to gather more information, to search for answers. In the medical and scientific world there is a continuous sense of “becoming,” an impetus toward the ongoing gathering of facts that may lead to new discoveries and, ultimately, in some cases, to lives saved; in reality, though, this proliferation of knowledge often leads to more unanswered questions.
The same is true in our faith journey. It is quite true that, as we become more knowledgeable about God, God reveals to us much that is life-giving. And yet there remains a “becoming,” an aura of mystery about God that continues to elude our grasp. We must resist the urge to claim certain, fixed knowledge when it comes to God. It takes wisdom to discern what is knowable and what—at least for the present—remains off limits to us. It takes faith to be satisfied with limited, unfolding disclosure.
In our faith and yoga practice we rely on God to continually be present and at the same time we admit that we will never in this life understand God fully. We embrace both the known and the unknown, the certain and the elusive. We can say “I don’t know, but by faith I believe,” all the while cherishing the mystery. In yoga too, many have practiced and experienced an unexplained, profound sense of peace and renewal. A wise teacher will not try to explain what has happened but will leave the student to wonder about a mysterious experience. We may know much about the biology, psychology, and theology of life, but there is far more that we don’t know—and to pretend we do certainly makes God laugh!
Breath Prayer
Inhale | I Embrace
Exhale | Mystery
Focus Pose: Have you ever been in a yoga class and watched a particularly limber student move into a physically difficult pose? Perhaps you said to yourself in a tone of envy or admiration, “I don’t know how s/he does it.” Many inverted yoga poses, such as Plough, halasana, can be daunting and should be attempted only under the supervision of an experienced yoga teacher. But remember that, at its center, Plough is just another inversion, and give yourself permission to modify the pose or choose another inversion that is safer for your body, such as Legs Up the Wall or, perhaps, Bridge. The advanced yoga student is not the strongest or most limber student in the class but the student who, with breath, seeks steadiness and ease in each pose, modifying as needed and inviting God’s Presence. And that’s no mystery.
