Yogadevotion began in 1999 as an organic response to a deeply profound experience of God’s Presence following a vinyasa yoga class. The experience of God’s Presence through the practice of yoga was shared in the faith community and has been a mutual blessing for our students, instructors and the communities we are invited into. Some call it a time of prayer, some a time of worship, some a time to simply be present to God in a new way, and experience an increased sense of God’s Presence in the midst of busy lives. We are truly grateful to be able to share what we have experienced, God’s presence through the practice of yoga, with others. We invite you to practice with us as we continue this journey, excited to see what God has in store for us.
Pastor Cindy Senarighi is a second career pastor. Her first call was to be an RN. As a pre-med student at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, Cindy realized that she was more called to the field of nursing than the medical field as a Dr. She graduated from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in 1977 and began her career at Regions Medical Center in St. Paul, Mn. Most of her 25 year nursing career was spent working on the acute adult psychiatric unit. She was ANCC certified in psychiatry. She still holds her license.
Through out her career as a nurse Cindy also taught fitness and it was through her fitness background that she attended her first yoga training with a company called Yogafit. She is currently a 200 hour E-RYT.
A transition from a position as a staff nurse to being a parish nurse in a large Lutheran Church occurred at the same time as a regular yoga practice developed. It was in that yoga practice that Cindy felt this overwhelming presence of God, a healing love and light that was new and undeniable. Again, world’s collided and while still a parish nurse Cindy was encouraged to attend seminary, studying for a masters in health ministry. At the same time she began a company called Yogadevotion, a faith based yoga company.
An MA in health ministry turned into a Masters of Divinity with an desire and emphasis on healing. All the while Yogadevotion continued to grow, completely through the power of the Spirit and the efforts of friend and business manager Lisa Ender. From 2 churches to now over 30 churches, Yogadevotion has been invited to teach folks a new way to pray, worship and simply be present to God’s love and healing. Cindy was ordained in the ELCA in 2008 and was the Congregational Care pastor at St. Andrew’s Lutheran church and Chaplain to the senior facility St. Andrew’s Village until the fall of 2015.
Pastor Cindy resigned her call at the prompting of the Holy Spirit to work more fully with Yogadevotion. Watching folks experience the healing presence of God on their yoga mats, hearing familiar words of the church, invitation to confession/ forgiveness, praise/proclamation, praying, all while they move through a practice that is healthy for the body, mind and spirit has been a gift to all who are involved with Yogadevotion.
While focusing her efforts on Yogadevotion, Cindy is also a wife, mother and especially enjoys her call to be a grandmother! Hobbies include paddle board yoga, camping and traveling. Leading retreats is also an adventure she enjoys, in particular retreats with a purpose.
Her dream is to help create a church that is more focused on healing, one third of Jesus ministry that could be more fully developed. Of course that church would offer Yogadevotion as one way to experience the healing love of God.
