Summer

About Summer

artist, minister, yoga therapist

Early Autumn Part 4: Who Am I Becoming?

We become who we practice becoming. This idea has become a refrain that I repeat over and over and over again. Yoga teacher and author Donna Farhi says that we can only judge the effectiveness of our practice based on who we're becoming through it. If we want to live a life of intention, meaning, and mystery, we must pause and regularly ask ourselves: Who am I becoming? This question is at the heart of our sermon this week. It's the final sermon in the early autumn series and it's an important one. It explores hope and justice ... (Continue Reading)

By |2021-10-16T14:43:29-07:00October 20th, 2019|Autumn, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|2 Comments

Early Autumn Part 3: Turning Toward the Light

Last week (click here if you missed part 2) we talked about identity and explored what it means to live in connection with the Eternal in the midst of everyday life. I ended the sermon with a short practice: Slow down. Turn inward. Be still. And listen. In this week's sermon we dive more deeply into what this practice actually looks like. And we explore how we can work to stay rooted in the Light Within rather than remaining constantly caught up in our attachments... This sermon points to the reason we often feel stuck and anxious, so please, do your ... (Continue Reading)

By |2021-09-23T17:59:39-07:00October 13th, 2019|Autumn, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|0 Comments

Early Autumn Part 2: Something Beyond Death

Something Beyond Death REFLECTION QUESTIONS AFTERLIFE | What did your family of origin teach you about what happens to us after we die? Do you have any current beliefs about what happens to us after we die? IMMORTALITY | Ravi Ravindra talks about the difference between everlasting and eternal. What do you think of the distinction he's making? IDENTITY | At some point, everyone asks "who am I?" One take on this question is "where do I find my identity?" What do I root my identify in? SPIRITUAL ... (Continue Reading)

By |2021-10-02T08:58:19-07:00October 6th, 2019|Autumn, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|3 Comments

Early Autumn Part 1: Accepting Change and Death

Accepting Change and Death REFLECTION QUESTIONS What are you afraid of? What do you care about? What connections do you see between your fears and the things you care about? From these points of connection, what action do you feel called to take? In the Northern Hemisphere where I live we’ve just celebrated the fall equinox, a time when the earth gives forth abundance. And the sun and moon model balance, giving us all equal day and night—equal light ... (Continue Reading)

By |2021-09-23T16:45:30-07:00September 29th, 2019|Autumn, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|2 Comments

Spiritual Practices for the Fall Equinox

Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons Spiritual Practices for the Fall Equinox A few years ago I asked my students to share something about how this time of year makes them feel. Several people expressed how much they love the fall. They were excited about sweaters and warm soup. But one woman raised her hand and exclaimed: "All I can think about is compost." Yes! As British author and teacher Jilly Shipway writes: At the autumn equinox there is a shift of emphasis from sun to moon, light to dark, action to contemplation, growth to dormancy, fruitfulness to ... (Continue Reading)

By |2021-09-17T18:14:36-07:00September 22nd, 2019|Autumn, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|6 Comments

May all beings be happy and free

Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons. June 30th, 2019 The Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu Mantra Watch: or Listen: or Read: Prayer offers us a way to respond when awful things happen. Telling someone you’ll pray for them can be a way of offering comfort and support. In the public sphere we often hear our leaders say that their thoughts and prayers are with people in their communities dealing with traumatic events. But not too long ago there was a backlash against this sentiment. And while I love the practice of prayer, I understand why. ... (Continue Reading)

By |2019-06-28T08:20:48-07:00June 30th, 2019|Creativity, Embodiment, Mantra, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Prayer, Relationships, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality, Yoga, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|2 Comments

The Purnamadah Mantra

Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons. June 23rd, 2019 The Purnamadah Mantra Watch: or Listen: or Read: At the center of the Isha Upanishad, which is an ancient Hindu scripture, are 6 verses that describe two aspects of reality—Unity and Multiplicity. In a commentary on this Upanishad Sri Aurobindo wrote: Unity is the eternal and fundamental fact. … Multiplicity is the…varied self-expression of the One. … Without [multiplicity] the Unity would be … a void of non-existence. But the consciousness of multiplicity separated from the true knowledge…of their own essential oneness … is a ... (Continue Reading)

By |2019-06-22T22:21:36-07:00June 23rd, 2019|Books, Embodiment, Mantra, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Prayer, Relationships, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality, Yoga, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|0 Comments

The Gayatri Mantra

Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons. June 16th, 2019 The Gayatri Mantra Watch: or Listen: or Read: I’ve spent the better part of my adult life searching for a spiritual home that could feel completely and authentically mine. But I’m coming to accept the fact that I’m not going to find one. I’m coming to realize that I’m destined to be a wanderer. And I want to encourage those of you who find yourself feeling spiritually homeless to take heart. Spiritual depth can be found in a multitude of ways. But there’s a catch. ... (Continue Reading)

By |2019-06-15T21:34:31-07:00June 16th, 2019|Embodiment, Mantra, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Prayer, Relationships, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality, Yoga, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|0 Comments

the Asatoma Sadgamaya Mantra

Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons. June 9th, 2019 I don't know if you saw my instagram post earlier this week... I shared about a hard moment transformed by mantra. I was reacting to something difficult and about to spiral into a negative story. But I remembered the hrdayam mantra from last Sunday's sermon and instead of spiraling, I started chanting! Mantra is simple. It's the practice of repeating something (chosen with intention) over and over and over again. Like I said last week, it's the practice of giving our mind the thought we want to think. It allows us to focus ... (Continue Reading)

By |2019-06-08T19:10:58-07:00June 9th, 2019|Mantra, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Scripture, Spirituality, Yoga, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|1 Comment

The Hrdayam Mayi Mantra

Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons. June 2nd, 2019 This week we're beginning a new sermon series all about mantra and prayer (two of my very favorite things!). And we're starting with a beautiful heart centered mantra. Most of us spend so much time lost in our over thinking minds. But good things can happen when we decide to spend some time with the truth of our hearts... The teaching this week will help you use your thoughts to shift your attention down into your heart and connect more deeply with the highest truths within you. You can transform ... (Continue Reading)

By |2019-06-01T13:31:09-07:00June 2nd, 2019|Art, Mantra, Meditation, Nature, Practice, Prayer, Relationships, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality, Yoga, Yoga Church Sunday Sermons|3 Comments
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