Christmas and Yoga

It is advent- a season to contemplate and evaluate; a time to clean our mind, body and spirit to prepare the room for the savior. I have been taught to eschew obsessions this time of the year and symbolically, I would forego meat, fish and alcohol. It works most of the time.

 I heard a good story a while ago and would reproduce as I heard then in a homily. Pastor Paul worked in a remote impoverished parish in India. They were, however, rich in sharing their love and resources with those who were not able to afford. The parishioners and the pastor took the message of Christmas around the village by singing carols and sharing the message of love and peace. One day they were to visit a rehabilitation center for lepers. The person who was to dress up as the Santa was not able to come on that day. The trustee of the parish, a rich man, decided to sub him. They dressed him up in red shiny trousers, matching jacket with fur trim, bright black shoes and belt, red hat with fluffy trim; substituted a mask for the white shiny beard and long hair; and filled his bag with chocolates. The group went to the center which treated and rehabilitated many stricken with the disease. They sang, gave chocolates and shared the love and the message of Christmas. Pastor Paul watched Santa shaking hands with a man in his early sixties and saw tears rolling out of his eyes.

Everybody was happy. They got into their bus and drove back to the church. Normally, Santa would change costumes in the bus; the trustee, however, did not. Not even the mask. The pastor was surprised. Even after reaching the church, even after everybody left the premises, he wore the mask. At last, at the insistence of the pastor, the trustee removed the mask. His eyes and the face had turned red; he bore a heavy saddened look on his face. No words came out of his lips and sobbed as soon as he took the mask.

“What happened”, the pastor asked. Broken words came out of his shivering lips. “In those few minutes that I spend with that old man in the center he told me who he was. He was a retired school teacher. His family left him in the center when he was inflicted with leprosy. He thinks of his children and grandchildren during this Christmas and every Christmas” He stopped for a minute. “I could not stop crying when he said, I would pray for you” He sobbed leaning onto the pastor’s shoulders.

The leper prayed for one of the richest persons in the parish. What an event to teach the power of prayer- pray for others wherever you are and to whomever you are praying for. We pray when we pray for others; we live when we give life to others; that is what the advent and Christmas is all about. Keep Jesus in Christmas.

The birth of Jesus heralds a new beginning: a life of love, compassion, service, peace, joy and hope; and a commitment to mend, guide, lead, protect and connect us with the divine. The goal of yoga is that union with the divine through practices in our life. One of the greatest yogis I have seen is Jesus; He is the personification of karma, jnana, bhakthi and Raja yoga. The warriors in your practice represent the grace you seek, the balance we cultivate, the resilience we foster, the humility we nurture and the accomplishment at the end. The manger, the shepherds and cattle is the height of the humility of that great king. The purity and the commitment of the holy family should be the goal of the every family in this season. May our good Lord bless you all abundantly.

I have taken love, compassion, service, peace and joy as the themes of my classes for this month. We will focus of heart chakra and the heart “openers” I will bring several essential oils, including myrrh, to my class. They have the attributes of spiritual fulfillment and the transcendence. Hope you may be able to join.

Peace, Love and Joy

Jay