Appropriate for all levels of participants, this hatha-style yoga class is designed to help us live in harmony with what Christine Valters Paintner calls sacred time, that is, “time spent being present to the moments of eternity available to us whenever we choose to pause and breathe.”
One of the primary goals of this program is to bring physical movement into contemplative Christian practices so that the healing we seek includes the subtle body. Yoga helps us develop breath awareness that helps us explore what it means to speak of Divine Spirit as the spiritual force that works in harmony with the breath of life. Following this program, the hope is that participants will be able to describe in their own words what it means to them to “breathe in harmony with sacred time.” This series of yoga sessions is for anyone interested in integrating movement into their prayer life and spiritual practice. The yoga teacher (Malinda) is trained in making modifications throughout a class to make asanas (postures or poses) accessible to beginners and appropriate for experienced through advanced practitioners. The retreat house can fit 9 people comfortably.
Schedule
Session 1: August 28, September 11, 18, 25, and October 2 During the Season of Creation (September 1–October 4), each class will begin with a simple ecologically themed meditation to help us set our personal intention for our collective practice. Then we will follow an “asana arc” that helps us savor the day’s activities, prepare for a restorative evening, and celebrate the interdependence of Earth’s ecosystems. Session 2: October 9, 16, 23, 30, November 6 and 13 As we enter the depths of Autumn, each class will begin with inspiration from a Christian saint and a time of “harvesting,” which will help us gather the meaningful things that are fueling our practice as we step onto our mats each week. Our practice will end with a Moon Salutation as night falls. Session 3: November 27, December 4, 11, and 18 Join us as we use yoga to begin the new Christian year with Advent! Using Jan Richardson’s book Night Visions: Searching the Shadows of Advent and Christmas, our practice will include lighting Advent candles, setting intentions for a contemplative Christmas season, and an asana arc focused on stoking our internal fires to prepare for Winter’s arrival.
Due to limited space, each session must be registered for individually. Payment can be made online at the time of registration or by cash or check upon arrival. Registration fees are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date. If you register and are not able to attend, please consider the fee a donation to Pathways Retreat.
Facilitator
Malinda Elizabeth Berry approaches her spiritual practices as wellness practices making yoga a natural expression of her approach to Christian discipleship. Her teaching brings together her appreciation of liturgical time, social-emotional learning, peace theology, feminist and womanist spirituality, and contemplative prayer. Credentials: MAPS (Master of Arts: Peace Studies), PhD (Doctor of Philosophy: Constructive Theology & Social Ethics), RYT200 (200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher), and SEL*F (Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator)