Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons.

January 6, 2019

Intention, Goals, & Identity – A Journal!

We’re officially living in 2019. How’s it feeling so far?

It’s already been somewhat of a roller coaster for me… I had to make a difficult choice this week, which came with all the feelings.

But I’ve been reflecting on what I said in last week’s sermon about the importance of language (remember my example of saying “anxiety is strong right now” instead of “I AM anxious”) and I’ve been putting it into practice. I have to tell you, it works!

Naming what’s present instead of identifying with the passing emotion has allowed me a bit of space. It’s not a denial of my feelings. It’s the practice of allowing my feelings to be present without losing myself in them.

This is personal practice at its best. Simple tools that help us stay rooted in our Self (with a capital S!).

The New Year is all about action, but yoga teaches us that action needs to be deeply connected to reflection and awareness. So this week, instead of a new sermon, I’ve got a journal packet for you.

This free 8-page journal includes:

  • a meditation worthy quote from one of my favorite yoginis,
  • teachings from the yoga sutras,
  • a verse from the Bhagavad Gita,
  • a super simple practice to get you out of your head,
  • and four important questions to ask yourself as you work toward your goals this New Year.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY!

And in case you missed last week’s sermon (or just want to have a quick re-watch) here it is for you.

This sermon is the backbone of the journal packet. If you want the full sermon page (with audio, transcript, and reflection questions) click here.

Once you’ve had a chance to work through the journal I’d love to hear some of your insight. Please be sure to share your wisdom with us below!

And please, don’t forget to sign up for the Yoga for Transformation course. The online classroom opens on the 15th and Module 1 will be released on Feb 1.

After that you’ll have to wait an entire year for the course to open up again. Don’t miss your opportunity to join us in 2019!

SUPPORT

Do the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons bring you joy and value? Please consider becoming a regular supporter of this ministry. It’s a totally free and ad-free offering. But that doesn’t mean it’s without cost. It takes many, many hours a month to write and produce, plus thousands of dollars to sustain.

Click here to make a contribution. Your support matters. Thank you.

PRACTICE

Join us on Sundays for the Yoga Church Gathering. These online gatherings are designed to help you deepen into the teachings of the Sunday Sermons. They’re designed to nourish you through all levels of your being and give you the tools you need to spiritually resource yourself.

Click here to sign up for the newsletter and I’ll send you the zoom link.

JOIN

Join the Yoga Church Community Hub, our membership site dedicated to deep spiritual care & sustainable transformation. You’ll financially support the Yoga Church and have access to ongoing live events, a vast library of recorded practices, themed courses, and ongoing conversations.

Click here to learn more and sign up. Your support matters. Thank you.

COMMUNITY COMMENTS

We all benefit from the wisdom of spiritual community. And community means more than one voice, so please add yours to the conversation. What did this week’s sermon and reflection questions spark in you?

Help spread the love around! Share the sermons with your community:

One Comment

  1. Tori January 6, 2019 at 11:20 am - Reply

    Yesterday I watched a video called “A Simple and Profound Introduction to Self-Inquiry by Sri Mooji.” Very simply he started asking the audience a series of questions. Who am I? If this is my body, then it cannot be me. Who’s body is it? My name. My life. My death. My thoughts. There is this idea that these things belong to me, but who is “me?” With every question I kept looking behind the words to try and catch a glimpse of the observer, but the observer has no qualities to be observed….and if it did…who would be observing those qualities? Having an intellectual understanding of “oneness” and this silent inner space is one thing, but there is an experiential understanding where the identity and the “person” just melts into that silence. That video beautifully laid the foundation for my journaling.

    And now, “We cannot strive toward something we already are,” is ringing in my heart so clearly.

    The habits of my mind reinforce my identity. When my mind is planning, worrying, desiring, and attaching to the ideas of who I am in the world and what I have, I’m identifying with something that is impermanent. The observer is an unchanging space, not a set of qualities and achievements. I move into 2019 holding the question: How can I expand the space of the observer in my life?

    Thanks Summer.

Leave A Comment