Pastor's Mat

“Is the Lord among us or not?” Exodus 17:7 One of the first yoga skills that I try to cultivate in new students is the practice of paying attention to the breath. Breath awareness is central to all yoga practice: breath draws the spirit inward, calms the monkey mind by giving it focus, and nourishes…

The Scripture ~ “Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.” Matthew 6:26 The Message The Spiritual Focus ~ “The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe,…

The Scripture ~ Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21 The Spiritual Focus ~The Path of How begins the day we’re sick to death of making the same mistakes over and over again. And that path isn’t magic or moonbeams, it’s the path of imperfection, of practice, of making…

The Scripture ~ [From the sermon on the mount] Jesus said, “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time,…

T The Scripture ~ “After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.” Luke 3:…

The Scripture ~ “Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!” Matthew 2: 9-10 The Message The…