Yoga Challenges

The Secret of the Hind Deer

Posted on by pennyjoliver

This day was a beautiful day on the summit of Mount Cardigan, NH

So thankful to experience God’s beauty all around me!

Think God wants you to walk sure-footed in this world?

Think he desires that you walk above where the air is pure and the view pristine?

You bet He does!

That’s why in His Word to us, His Bible, He refers to His children as having Hind’s feet.

A hind is a female red deer. Leaping from rock to rock in mountain terrain without ever lose their footing, the hind deer steps precisely in the same spot where its front feet have been. Amazingly, every motion of the Hind is followed through with razor-sharp consistency. This makes it the most sure footed animal of all mountain animals.

This also suggests that we too as God’s children already possess hind legs.

 We are already equipped for the rough terrain ahead in our lives.

We can overcome.

We are empowered.

We can have a better life.

We just have to put on our hind legs.

We simply need to let God be our front legs.

Then each step we take in our lives will be with precision and sure-footed-ness.

He makes my feet like the Hind’s feet, And sets me upon high places.

Psalm 18:33, Habbakkuk 3:19

Can’t you see that magnificent mountain top?

You know the secret.

It’s a “Halleluyah Moment” and You already have everything you need.

So, what are you waiting for!

Halleluyah!

ROCK! Your Yoga

Posted on by pennyjoliver

 

 

Mats work pretty good. But doing yoga on the rock is definitely a “higher experience!”

 

 

Looking at this picture compels me to sing in my head,

“On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand!”

I was curious who wrote this song so I looked it up.

To my surprise,

these beautiful lyrics were penned over 150 years ago by Pastor Edward Mole.

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

It’s based on Matthew 7:24

Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on a Rock.

I’m into higher experiences…how bout you?

Thanks for reading…

Love, blessings and higher experiences to you!

Halleluyah!

Respond-Don’t React

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Life is chock full of challenges and sometimes we just don’t respond in the right way.

That’s because we are reactive rather than responsive and in part we are not fully to blame.

You see, we were never really taught that we even had a choice. I know I did not. Because of that many a times I reacted to situations when I should have taken a moment and responded in a different way. Thankfully, I discovered yoga. Before that I never even stopped to think there was a reactive or a responsive way of living.

Time on our mats encourages a connecting with ourselves. We discover how to accept who we are and through the yoga positions learn to be present. Living in the present moment helps us to let go more easily of past and future thoughts. Meditation automatically drops us into a state of calm and breathing deeply stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system, which puts us into a rest and relaxation state. But I believe the secret is in the yoga positions.

You see a good teacher will help you take what you learn off the mat and into your life. Teaching yoga positions that are challenging are the key. Helping a student learn difficult poses creates a dose of healthy stress. The student then has a moment to think about the pose and how to react to it. Will he or she approach it by reacting and getting mad and give up. Or will he or she respond in a better way? But isn’t that what life calls us to do?

Yoga really does help one in life by presenting choices and ways to react to those choices. Holding poses for long periods of time proposes a challenge. When the body is tired and challenged beyond our comfort zones we learn to focus and remain calm to accomplish holding the pose up with stamina and grace. We learn to be more that the sum of our reactions not reduced by our responses.

And when life sends us challenges beyond what are capable of responding or reacting to well,

we only need to look up!

For God tell us…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. He will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7.

Thanks for joining me!

keep calm and yoga on

xxoo penny

Where Yoga Meets Faith

Posted on by pennyjoliver

How can the practice of yoga complement and enhance our walk with God?

Surprisingly,

I have found there is a harmonious relationship between yoga and faith and this ancient practice can surely deepen our connection to our Heavenly Father while nurturing our soul, inspiring us to live out our faith with greater intention and grace.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, we are reminded that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to honor God with our bodies.

Yoga can surely be a tangible way to live out this calling, reminding us to care for our bodies with respect, and love.

One of the most profound aspects of yoga is the emphasis on breath, or pranayama.

In yoga, the breath is not just a physiological function, it is a bridge between the body and the spirit. What if we approached our breath as a prayer? Each inhale could be an invitation for God’s presence, and each exhale, a release of our worries, cares and doubts and fears while surrendering them all over to Him.

   This can surely turn a yoga session into a moving meditation, where every breath is a conversation with God.

Yoga also teaches us to be mindful, being actively present in each moment.

This resonates deeply with the biblical instruction to meditate on God’s Word.

Psalm 1:2 says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Yoga offers a unique opportunity to combine the physical act of mindfulness with the spiritual practice of meditation. As we hold each pose, we can meditate on scripture, allowing God’s Word to sink deep into our hearts.

 

 

The Bible also teaches us that there is power in letting go and trusting. In yoga, it is also important to let go of what no longer serves us, mirroring the spiritual act of surrendering our lives to God’s will. Matthew 11:28-30 invites us to come to Jesus with our burdens and find rest in Him. As we find stillness in some yoga poses, we can also reflect on this invitation, finding strength not in our own efforts but in His grace.

 

 

Surprisingly, there are many ways to integrate faith into our yoga practice.

One way is through Scripture-inspired flows. Starting our practice with a focus on Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” allows us to move through poses that build physical strength, letting the Scripture be our mantra, reminding us that our true strength comes from Christ.

Another beautiful way is taking a moment to sit in stillness, close our eyes, and offer a prayer of gratitude. Reflecting on the peace we’ve cultivated we can also offer it back to God, asking Him to guide us through. Whether we’re on the mat or in prayer, remembering that each breath, each movement, and each moment of stillness can be an opportunity to draw nearer to God!

Halleluyah!

Peace & Love, Penny!

Never Too Old To Shine Or Be New!

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Living Shiny and New as We Age

Aging is a journey we all embark on, and as we travel this path, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that youth equals vitality, and aging equals decline. But what if we flipped that narrative? What if we saw aging not as a fading away but as an opportunity to live even more brightly, to embrace life with a spirit that is renewed daily?

The Bible reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4:16 that, “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” This verse offers profound wisdom and encouragement. It tells us that while our physical bodies may age, our spirits can remain vibrant, continually refreshed by God’s grace.

 Embracing the Shine in Our Souls

Living “shiny and new” as we age means focusing on the renewal that happens within. It’s about nurturing our souls with the promises of God, allowing His word to refresh us daily. Just as we care for our bodies through exercise and healthy living, we must also care for our spirits through prayer, meditation on Scripture, and living out our faith in tangible ways.

As we age, we can shine even brighter by cultivating gratitude for the life we’ve lived and the lessons we’ve learned. Each wrinkle and gray hair becomes a testament to the experiences that have shaped us, to the grace that has carried us through every trial and triumph. By embracing these marks of aging, we acknowledge the beauty in our journey and the renewal that happens within us every day.

Yoga: A Tool for Physical and Spiritual Renewal

One powerful way to embody this renewal is through the practice of yoga. Yoga is not just about flexibility or strength; it’s about connecting with your body and spirit in a way that honors God’s creation. By practicing yoga, we can maintain our physical health, which in turn supports our spiritual well-being. Each pose becomes an act of worship, a moment to breathe in God’s love and exhale His grace.

As we age, our bodies may change, but yoga teaches us to adapt with grace. It reminds us to be patient with ourselves, to listen to our bodies, and to move in ways that support longevity and vitality. By integrating prayer and meditation into our practice, we can deepen our connection with God, allowing His peace to fill us and renew us from the inside out.

Never too old to be new and never too old to sparkle!

Living shiny and new as we age is about more than just maintaining our physical appearance or health. It’s about reflecting God’s glory in every season of life. When we allow His light to shine through us, we become a beacon of hope and encouragement to others. Our lives become a testament to the truth that, with God, we can be renewed, no matter our age.

So let us embrace aging with joy and purpose. Let us live each day with the confidence that God is continually renewing us, making us shine even brighter as we walk in His love and grace. And as we do, we’ll find that aging isn’t about losing our shine—it’s about discovering a deeper, more radiant light that only grows with time.

When Yoga Meets Biblical Health and Wellness

Posted on by pennyjoliver

 

Everybody knows by now that the practices of yoga are beneficial to our health and science continues to reveal it’s many healthy benefits. It’s wonderful that every year there is a significant rise in people hitting their mats. However, the world seems more stressed out than ever. I get it that all the world has been in a pandemic for a couple years now but isn’t time on our mats suppose to chill us out and lower our stress? Chronic stress was a growing health related problem before the pandemic and continues to get worse with each passing year. It sends more people to the doctor’s office every year and more people rely on prescriptions rather than yoga to deal with their stress related conditions. It’s also very scary that the six leading causes of death are all linked to stress.

My friends, do not fear! As healthy as yoga can prove to be for us there is a better solution. As a yoga teacher with a Biblical perspective on health and wellness I’ve come to realize that true and lasting health and wellness practices are deeply rooted in aligning ourselves with what Our Creator has to say about health and wellness. Trusting our Creator by putting into practice His ways written for us from His Holy Bible, rewards us with many healthy benefits. He cares for each of us individually and desires that we live healthy purposeful lives. And He has given us the ultimate prescription for a healthy life style! It begins by by reading and listening to His wisdom and then putting into practice His ways. It is the one true and only lasting path leading to a stress less, strong and balanced, peaceful and joyous lifestyle, complete with abundant energy, continual strength and deep unfailing love! now, who doesn’t want that?? Is it not the reason why any of hit our mats each day?

My prayer for you is that you would start your journey to true and lasting health and wellness this very moment! Begin by acknowledging that God sent His Son Jesus into this world to die for your every sin and invite Him to be your Savior and miraculously, all the above is freely given to you!

Training the body has some value but being Godly has value in every way! 1 timothy 4:8

Beloved I pray in all respects that you will prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers! 1 John 2-3

xxoo

Love Penny

A ROCK AND A YOGI

Posted on by pennyjoliver

I invite you to my faithful ROCK. You will usually find me practicing yoga upon it. It’s my quiet space of refuge where I trade in the loud voices of the world for the quietness of inner peace, restoring balance to my soul and giving me strength for daily living.

Spring, summer, winter and fall it stands as an ordinary rock just outside my window. However, it’s my source of inspiration and my moment to express gratitude to my Heavenly Father. It’s where I find focus and determination to stand in this world strong and aligned. I purposely balance upon it in all kinds of weather to feel how it challenges me to surrender to the changes that pop up and how I need to change my footing to keep balancing upon it. I practice yoga upon it when it’s snowy and icey, lush and overgrown with green. I sneak upon it when it’s been prickly with thorns and dead branches and when it’s so hot I can barely stand. It provides a solid place for me to stand, strengthening my legs so I can balance more firmly in this world. I find beautiful and hidden things coming to life by a simple asana practiced upon it.

One ordinary object and a few yoga asanas and I loose myself in movement that I may find myself in Him. Jesus Christ my Rock and my Redeemer, the true source of my joy and the purpose of my life!

Dear heavenly Father…

Thank you for being the Rock that we can always depend on to hold us up! We thank Thee and praise Thee for giving us a firm place to stand in this sinking world, Halleluyah!

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A THOUGHT-FULL FATHER

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Do you think God thinks about you?

Give this a try and you might be surprised at how much!

Next time your at the beach or the lake, a pond or a creek, a river or any body of water, take a big look around at all the sand or dirt you can see. Then try to imagine the mountains of sand under all the water that you see. Then think about each individual grain of sand and pick up a handful and start counting! Then think of all the shores of all the bodies of water across the globe! Include the thought of the shores that you and no one has yet seen. Think of all the seas and all the oceans and how deep they are and how they cover the earth more than dry land does. Then try and grasp God’s thoughts about you. But Oh, You can’t! That’s because they out number all the grains of sand in the entire world!

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:17-18 

Dear Heavenly Father…

We bow down and thank you for loving us beyond what we can imagine and giving us Your Word so that we can enjoy health and whole body fitness the way that you intended! May you guide us and direct our paths that we may walk in our identity set by YOU and live each of our purposes joyfully, peacefully, thankfully and vibrantly healthy – that we may be all that YOU created us to be! HALLELUYAH!

A HIGHER FASHION

Posted on by pennyjoliver

God is love. 1 John 4:8

Less of me ~ more of Love. John 3:30.
He must become greater and I must become less, higher style of living. Approaching every word and deed we do, fashioned by God’s guidance and dressed in His Love!

However, getting naked and becoming vulnerable before God takes great courage! I know I find it rather easy to layer up and dress how I want the world to see me. And it’s easy to grow accustomed to our style, our way. Coming from a fashion background I know I fall into my style all the time. I know when I wake up and immediately put my feet down on the ground, rather than thanking God for giving me a new day that I’m on the road for doing things my way. And so easily do I fall right into it somedays.

On most days, I try not to forget God who wakes me up everyday. When I wake up rushed, I’m then reacting rather than responding to the moments before me. That usually results in gripping the steering wheel from God in whom I gave it too and moving into the drivers seat of my life. That can happen quite easily when a situation occurs during the day and my mind takes off and I let anxious thoughts fill me up which makes me run to the next fix to ease my tensions. However, that is our human flesh response.  A higher style perhaps would be to pause a moment, take a deep breathe and look to Jesus and for help! This would help us immediately and give us hope for the next time to respond in a calmer, less stressed mode. Better would be diving into in HIS Word before we respond and with that, we will be on our way to a higher style of living, everyday!

Do not be anxious about anything! Instead, pray! Philippians 4:6

pray more worry less

xxoo

Penny

Chill Out In The Happy Corpse Pose

Posted on by pennyjoliver

Who knew something so simple as laying back in a Corpse Pose could make us healthier and more beautiful?

In the Yoga community Corpse Pose is known as a huge stress-reducer, a great method of meditation and the perfect  position to focus our gaze on higher thoughts.

Simply lay back, let your feet spread, place your arms by your sides with palms up and try to keep your shoulders away from your ears. Then give yourself ten or more big inhales and exhales. If your feeling it stay here longer and really give yourself a chance to unwind!

I personally have a hard time staying here. I wanna go go go! If I do relax for a moment though all the things I must do seem to flood my mind. Hopefully your not like me and will be able to reap all the healthy benefits of acting like your dead on the ground here. You can always pretend your sunbathing, too!

Corpse Pose is also a perfect position to…

Set your mind on things above and not things of the earth.

Colossians 3:2

And also a perfect position to focus upon goodness & positivity!

Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy, think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

After reaping the healthy benefits of these applied Bible verses know that…

Those who look to Him are radiant, Their faces are never covered with shame!

Psalm 34:5

keep calm & yoga on

xxoo

Penny