Hear me out, Argentina!: June 2014

Recently a friend asked me how to practice yoga without adopting the Eastern ideologies in full. In other words, how do we get the benefits of yoga without the weirdness?

My answer may be too subjective and convenient-- too choose-your-own adventure for the true yogi and for the traditional conservative Christian alike, so please take this post with a big spoonful of salt. I've got nothing backing up the things I say other than personal experience. I might be wrong, but that being said, when I get off track, God generally convicts me and brings my stupidity to light. Whether I listen or not is another story, but up until this point, yoga hasn't lead me away from my faith. Instead, it helps me stay present in my relationship with God because it trains my mind, body, and spirit to stay rooted.

My answer may also be too long. If you want the main idea, just skim the bold parts…

First, as a Christian, I believe anything can and everything should be worship.

Worship is a fancy word for honor, which is a fancy word for respect, gratitude, and peace. I understand the turnoff to overused words and Christian catchphrases. Worship, honor, praise... I cringe even as I use them in my attempt to explain, but we're all tied to "church lingo" because it's hard to capture the concepts in words and because it's wrong to simplify language when talking about the sacred. When trying to understand how we are to live, (how we should respond to having been created, how we are to react to the innate spirit inside of us), "being good" doesn't cut it. It doesn't go deep enough. So instead we use broad terms and vague language that, though too lofty, still cannot reach high or wide enough.

I think of worship as the way we express that indescribable gratitude through thought, word, and deed. Tangible demonstrations of our internal status. For example, hanging out with friends can be an act of worship because it provides an expression of encouragement, community, love, forgiveness, sharing, etc.

Secular activities (things we do outside of the church building) are still opportunities to worship. And if nothing else, they provide a comparison between God's will and the world's.

Now, beyond that, yoga is especially geared toward worship. I've never studied yoga; I just like it. And I like it because it brings my attention to staying balanced and keeping focused. It’s about finding your center. For Christians, that center is Christ—the one who connects us to our creator.

Additionally, yoga is a three-fold practice of mind, body, and spirit. Thus in its nature, yoga is reminiscent of the Trinity. It helps me better understand the three-in-one person of God.

Let me ramble about the Trinity a minute. Just as a clover is one stem with three leaves, and a triangle is one shape with three points, God is at the same time Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

1. God the Father, the Creator, in Heaven, the concept of goodness itself. GOD IS LOVE.

2. God the Son, the Model and Healer, on Earth, who took on human form with the name Jesus to show us God in a way that we can understand-- both what he wants, and how a true believer acts; who by dying made it possible for us to go before God. GOD IS LOVE SHOWN.

3. God the Spirit, the Guide, Helper, Communicator, who lives in us, sent to help us understand, to communicate, to believe, to be sincere. GOD IS LOVE RECEIVED.

We can go on with the metaphors… If God is a courtroom, he is judge, lawyer, and jury. If God is a mountain beside the valley, Jesus is the bridge, and the Holy Spirit is the rope railing we hold onto as we cross. If God is wisdom, he is knowledge, teacher, and textbook. If God is a paradise island, Jesus is the water we swim through, and the Holy Spirit is the wind that makes the waves that bring us in. If God is art, he is artist, medium, and sentiment. If God is the Word, he is the idea in the brain, the sound on the tongue, and the understanding in the ear.

Likewise, we’ve been created in God’s image to be three-in-one. We are mind, body, and spirit. Intellect, action, soul. There’s a lot of ways to explain it but pretty much, the mind thinks, the body speaks, the spirit understands. Our minds govern, our bodies obey, and our spirits guide. The spirit wills, the mind decides, the body does. The point is we cannot exist one without all three parts. For a healthy life, it’s necessary to grow each part… Shout out to my Sigma Sigma sorority creed: “Strong body, keen mind, pure heart!”

But really, just as the Trinity works in harmony, we must also train ourselves to work as a whole person, willing, able, and active for God.

Yoga is a form of prayer.

Another way yoga helps my relationship is by providing a practical way to pray. Yoga is all about meditation and movement set to the rhythm of your breathing. Christians are supposed to meditate, but with purpose and direction-- namely, on the word of God. Through meditation we quiet ourselves enough to be able to communicate.

My first introduction to yoga was through a Sun Salutation which consists of stretching upwards and bowing back down. This Sun Salutation has since turned into The Lord’s Prayer for me. Jesus taught us to pray by giving us the word formula: first honoring God, submitting to his will, and then asking for forgiveness. Putting the Lord’s Prayer to the motions of the Sun Salutation is the perfect way for me to wake up my whole self and start my day with the right perspective. If I try to wake up early to pray in bed, I will soon fall back asleep and miss work completely. The words help align my mind closer to God's and the actions train my spirit to be submissive.

I taught the Lord's Prayer Yoga Motions to my second graders! If anyone's interested, I'll upload a video of them doing it... let me know!

Yoga connects us to our new selves in Christ.

Some say that yoga is all about self-worship. Jesus and his followers taught that believers must die to the self. We take on a new self. So, for Christians, the idea of “getting in touch with yourself” or “self help” or “self gratitude” can be translated as getting more connected to our new self, which is Christ.

Just as I believe everything can be worship, I also know that everything can be distorted. Anything, good or bad, can take the place of God in our minds. It’s in our nature to elevate. We have to worship because that’s what we’re created for. So if we’re not actively, intentionally worshiping God and keeping fed by him, then we’re bound to replace him. Yes, yoga could be a replacement, but it doesn't have to be.

Though I’m not suggesting that we do whatever we want, dabble in whatever religious practice suits us and change the language, I’m also not afraid. I think if we’re being honest with ourselves and blameless before God, he’ll guide us. So far he’s allowed me to use yoga to calm my mind, to strengthen my body, and to take an inward glance at my spiritual state. When my mind is quiet, I can listen to what God has already spoken. When my body is disciplined, I can obey what he’s already commanded. When my spirit is acknowledged, I can see the parts that need help.

Now that I’ve written an essay, let me jot down some practical tips:

- Stay aware

- Find a yoga studio that’s less traditional, less legit, less rigid about the spiritual study

- Find a yoga studio that’s more open or vague (instructors may say “honor the Sacred” or “give gratitude to God however it’s revealed to you”)

- Practice alone

- Read the Bible beforehand to get Scripture in your head

- Look into Christian Yoga classes... from what I've heard, they read Bible verses during the practice

If you’re still unconvinced, I say go try Pilates instead! :]]

May 25 was an especially important day for me this year. Not only did I get to talk to my grandfather on the phone for his 89th birthday, but it was also a national holiday. And I got to spend in the heart of the capital with old friends!

Quick history lesson: May 25th in Argentina is Revolution Day, commemorating the week of May 18-25, 1810 that led to the colonial split from Spain and the eventual national independence on July 9, six years later.

Though Argentina is relatively young, her ties to the past are strong. As a country, the people dedicate much of their daily life to the cause of collective memory. You can see it on the streets, with all the street names based on important dates (Av. 9 de Julio, 25 de Mayo, 11 de Septiembre) or political figures (Sarmiento, Mitre), just as you can see it in school. The youth are educated and encouraged to stay in-the-know, if not politically active, as soon as possible.

The school where I work, an international Christian private school located in the suburbs of the city, represents a multitude of different opinions. Naturally it's going to commemorate the date differently than the die-hard Peronistas in the Plaza. However, the students were still required to learn about the country's history and encouraged to form their own opinions about what it all means. Our cultural celebration was performed during the week for families and city representatives. It showcased the gaucho (cowboy) culture--the historical folklore that emerged during the beginning years of the country's independence-- through costume, dance, and song.

The country gets a lot of flack for the political turmoil, instability, and corruption. Though history proves the stereotype, political action spread by "militantes" (political activists) is what gives the country its passion. It's a lot more admirable than it seems on paper. As a whole, I don't believe the people clamor just to make noise. From my perspective, it's genuine. The people care about their past and present because they see how it informs their future.

Also, I've noticed that political frustration is directed at the leaders, not the supporters of the leaders. Maybe that's because there's not a bi-party system in place, so it's not simply Democrat vs. Republican. There's much more gray area, and I sense a common seed of respect for the strong (sometimes confusing) opinions of others. I'd even chance to say that the strong left have more of a problem with the politically unaligned, inactive, and ignorant than they do with the strong right. At any given social gathering, politics will be one of the main topics of conversation. There will be arguments, many Italian gestures sprinkled with expletives. Maybe no opinions change. Maybe they even get more polarized. But here's the thing: Argentines respect your opinion as long as you have one. Political respect isn't earned by being on the same side. It's earned by caring enough to think about an issue.

This is just one of the endearing qualities of Argentina that surprises me. Socially, Argentina is much more communal than the US. In the States, we value healthy competition. That way we can cheer the underdog pulling herself up by her own bootstraps to rise above the rest. Not so in Argentina. As a whole, the country values the whole of the country. Individual success isn't the overarching goal.

The freedom to voice opposing opinions in Argentina surprises me because when I hear communal, I think "group-think." Similar mindsets. I suppose the calmness is either due to a strong value of friends and family ("we can argue, but we're still connected for life" type thing) OR a trust in the majority ("if we all have and voice our opinions, then the outcome reflects the common needs"). Whereas in the US, the politically active individual seems to think, "I know what's best for everyone." Even as I write this I'm thinking, "But really, I do! My way works!"

Okay I think I've gone por las ramas and I'm running my mouth about things I don't fully understand. Let me stick to the facts...

Saturday virginia and I went to the races for some free horse action and brass band anthems.

We also got serenaded by this group.

Then on Sunday, Vale invited me to celebrate the holiday with her. After lunch at the house, Marcelo, Vale and I headed to the Plaza de Mayo to hear President Kristina speak and celebrate the country's independence.