I sat on my beach chair, comparing myself with the other bikini bearers.  Sizing myself against others is always a dangerous place to sit.  “I wish I were bigger there and smaller here with less wrinkles when I do this and more muscles when I do that.  I don’t need much, just a little lift here and there.” You know the dialogue?

Do you ever find yourself going down a similar rabbit hole of feeling not good enough, not pretty enough or not worthy enough? Pity parties can spiral out of control and I need tools to turn my thinking around before thoughts become destructive.  If I’m mindful, I can lift my eyes and thinking to the higher places God wants for me.  In a moment I remember his word and promises and I get an instant facelift.  I look to the hills.  Where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of Heaven and Earth! (Psalm 121) He causes His face to shine upon me! (Numbers 6:25).  My beauty is based on my heart not my looks (1 Peter 3:4).

Turning negative thoughts around isn’t easy and it’s this daily practice of stretching my mind and body on a yoga mat that helps when I need it to snap me into positive muscle memory.  I am able to turn my thinking around with a gentle self -love mental Half-Way Lift.  It’s not the full nip and tuck, but just enough to bring me back to the reality which is: God made us perfect the way we are. (Hebrews 10:10)

What is Half Way Lift? It’s the conjunction junction of yoga poses: to be used for bringing other poses together, while creating a beautiful lifeline to the spine.  Use it to cultivate energy and opening yourself to a balanced heart and mind in daily life!  When done with proper alignment, Half Way Lift elongates the spine and tones the muscles wrapping around the sides of the abs.  When the body is engaged in a flowing moving mediation, cueing one breath to one pose, where some of them are twisting poses (Extended Side Angle or Reverse Warrior), to connect the poses with a Half Way Lift gives the spine a refreshing and lifting reset.

To get into the pose:
-From Standing Forward Fold
-Place feet together, toes to touch and make space between the ankles.
-Using strength along the back-body, draw belly up and into the ribcage and place palms firmly on thighs or shins.
-With a long, straight spine, lift torso up, with less than 90 degree angle at the hips.
-Notice the work necessary to press your tailbone back while pulling your chest forward (bend your knees if you are feeling stiff or have lower back issues).
-Take 3 deep breaths and bring your attention to God’s ability to stretch your faith in bringing heart and mind into balance.
-Feel the opening in the back of the legs.

I like the feeling of mentally smoothing out my spine by engaging triceps, reaching crown of head up and forward and tailbone backward.  Some might argue that a small arch in the lower back makes for better alignment.  See what feels best in your body.  God made each of our bodies unique and to compare or do what everyone else is doing isn’t being true to who you are.  Love your body and celebrate individuality!

See you in class this week as we focus on this and other poses while celebrating the God of Miracles! Join us for a gentle flow of breath, moving meditation and a focus on God's word.  Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ is where you will find us Wednesday at noon.



Other Lifting Classes:
Private one on one sessions in my home studio $40/hour.
Group Classes $25/3 or $10 to drop in.
Please pay via one of the links below:
https://venmo.com/Denise-Stemple
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/DeniseStemple

Mondays Zoom Yoga, Space for Change 9:30a-10:30a,
Take this class from the comfort of your home.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9273980218?pwd=amk3Zm9yUVZ2MGZTWnJrTTFUTmV1Zz09
Meeting ID: 927 398 0218 Passcode: 48202

Wednesdays at The Grange, Space for Change 6p-7p, NW corner of 72nd & Simms
Sign up is required due to COVID indoor restrictions. Please email me at denise@spaceforchange.com. Thank you!
we skip the 2nd Wednesday of every month due to community meetings. See you the following week, 10/21, 10/28,  & 11/4.Join us on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, 7p-8p live on Facebook.  Sponsored by RedRocksSports.

Holy Yoga with Betsy, 4:30p, the 3rd Sunday of the month,
10/18, 11/15, & 12/20. Family In Christ Community Church,
11355 Sheridan Blvd, Westminster.
familyinchrist.holyyoga@gmail.com

Holy Yoga with Robin, Lakewood, and WillowSprings area.
otter4fam@gmail.com
​

Hola Froggers,What is it about eating chips and salsa down in Mexico that taste so good?  I think each day this past week was met with a healthy pile of those deliciously thick, salty crunch of corn dipped in a heaping tomato jalapeno medley. The ocean waves sounding in my ears, warm sun on my skin, friendly locals offering smiles and much-needed break from the heaviness of news reports, was the food my soul needed.
 
Before I left the country, I could sense my soul fatigue.  I was feeling less inclined to pick the phone to call a friend, less desire to spend time in the Word and in prayer, unmotivated, and more interested in sleep over serving.  I got a good laugh out of Mike Myers in Wayne’s World when he thought he had mono, but actually discovered he was just bored. 

COVID has put me into a place of complacency and I refuse to remain stuck.  What can I do in this moment that will bring my soul back to life?  What negative TV shows am I to eliminate?  What bible verses can I memorize that spark joy in my heart? What foods can I eat that help me feel better? How can I get back to regular exercise? I am observing people around me allowing the fear of death to outweigh their love of life.  Like Paul in Acts 14:21, I want to be encouraging those around me to remain true to the faith, but how can I do that if I, myself, am soul-drained?

Soul care includes feeding into it with diligence!  With the soul being the seat of my desires, I find the best way to get back in touch with those desires is to press restart.  Start over as many times as I need to, is my motto.  Since taking a trip to the sandy beaches of Mexico isn’t always an option, what better way to help my soul than with a Christian yoga flow.

At FROGPOSE beginner flow yoga I allow myself the space and attention to my soul that it needs.  I approach the mat with anticipation knowing the words of God from the Bible, enlisting the Breath of the Almighty into my lungs and stretching ligaments, tendons and muscle will open me to hearing truth from God.    Using one breath to movement gets me from a place of feeling stuck and stationary, to one that’s fluid and teachable, where I can fully integrate movement with meditation.  It prepares my mind, body and soul for all God has set before me.  Christian stretching on a yoga mat helps remind me of who God is, what he’s done and what He’s promised to do.  The 60-minute practice stirs my soul like no other.

If your soul is suffering, step into God’s power and stir your desires!  Make some chips and salsa, curl up with the book you’ve been wanting to read, get out and help someone in need or take a yoga class.  Don’t be bored.  Rise above, arriba!

Tuesday night 7:30pm https://www.facebook.com/events/2030821293727723 
Wednesday at noon.  https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ 

Last weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to social distance brunch with my lifelong local friends, one of them dating all the way back to 7th grade.  Southern Hills was still the mighty Spartans!  It was fun to reminisce while catching up on all that’s new in our adult worlds.
As I offered a promo sticker to everyone , it came into conversation as to what F.R.O.G. Pose  logo signifies.  I explained that the notion I wanted to convey with color, image and font is a triune approach to the redemptive qualities of Jesus.  The girls wanted to know how I came to choosing this frog and why.  Like most things “ministry”, I feel Holy Spirit moved in and through logo design and continues to mold all that happens at frogpose.org.  
“The frog? I call her Rahab”, I said.
Rahab is one of those bad girls of the Bible that everyone can appreciate.  Only the God of creation would use an unlikely candidate, such as a harlot, to further His kingdom.  She had heard and believed in the power of God and even in her pathetic profession, she was used for God’s good.  Her creative use of hiding Joshua’s men, quick thinking, ability to use her voice in speaking up for protection of herself and family, spelled eternal victory for herself, the Israelites and myself, even to today!  “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. (Joshua 2:14)
Jill wondered if the word rehabilitation had anything to do with Rahab.  I loved this idea.  One of my life verses has been Lamantations 3:19-24 because the words remind me that even though my afflictions, wandering, bitterness and the gall are the bad choices that drive a wedge between God and me, they are STILL used for his perfect plan.  I praise Him knowing he turns my mistakes into His good.  A complete “rahab-ilitation”.
What you see in the logo is funky yoga pants to signify her colorful past.  Hands at payer center indicate her reverence and commitment to communicating with God.  She flows through life heart first as indicated by her shirt, with her eyes focused upward on the prize of eternity, and not her circumstances.  She finds her sense of boundaries on her mat of a lily pad.
The next time you feel down as result of worldy choices, find your inner Rahab the frog: F fully R rely O on G God!  Jesus came to save us now, in the same way Joshua saved Rahab from the falling walls around her. Jesus lives so that we may live life abundantly, in the present and without regret.  He is using you in all you do.

Join us Wednesday at noon for facebook live for a special ocean flow 60 min
https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/

  Get Outside and Move!Change is in the air!  Can you feel it?  I can.  Cool evenings and mornings together with early sunsets indicates fall is coming!  (Sure, it snowed but, that was jumping the gun a bit, and won't count that).

I enjoyed some travel over the last couple of months and noticed a shift in my body, going from action to in-action,  from loosely fitting jeans to contemplating buying bigger ones.   As wonderful and amazing it is to visit family and new places, the sitting in planes trains and automobiles, eating fried foods, and drinking more alcohol helped me arrive at a place of inactivity.  It's in these last few weeks, I recognize laziness in movement and complacency towards clean eating setting in. 

Moving the body is the best way to help prime the engine for healthfulness.  Fake it til you make it, is my motto.  Even if it's a short walk around the block, know it's important to start somewhere. What did I do to get out of my rut?  We enjoyed the perfect jump start back into forward motion with a full day hike around Mount Rainier, WA.   God's beautiful creation was enough to take my mind off the fact that I was gasping for air and working my muscles.

Note to self:  when it comes to taking care of my temple of the Holy Spirit, I need a daily practice of stretching  to ease me back to spiritual health.  To allow myself time to focus on God's word, using controlled breathing and embracing physically challenging poses on my yoga mat, draws me back on the straighter path.  My challenge in the next couple weeks is to get back into daily yoga.  Pre- dawn is best, if I can get there.  Join me if you feel inclined to take up this daily practice and let's encourage each other, ok?

Romans 12:1 - And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. -NLT

On @frogposeyoga Facebook Live, you will find free online classes that you can take anytime and anywhere you have good wi-fi.  Please take full advantage of this as a resource to stepping into a daily practice of Christian Yoga.

With cold weather on the horizon, can I encourage you to find a spot out of doors to get the full effect of the last of summer?  Do what feels good in your schedule and timing and bring your practice outside. 

Join us Wednesday on Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ forour weekly Frogpose Yoga Beginner Yoga.  We only have 3 more social distancing Tuesday morning park classes left. Join us in person at Thundercloud Park in Arvada from 9am-10am.  Stay tuned for Red Rocks Sports 2nd Tuesday's 7pm monthly classes going into fall.

Ephesians 1:13-14 – “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

In any given F.R.O.G.pose Beginner Flow class, we meditate on God’s word by reciting Bible verses, praying and practicing mindfulness.  The key to fully integrating our mental awareness of God into the entire body is through taking physical postures on our yoga mats; some postures bring the body into a fully resting prostrate, face down position.  It’s here we take full advantage of massaging the forehead into the mat, your hands or block.  What is the benefit to bringing awareness to and fostering openness in the area just above and between the eyes?

Some make reference to this area as the “God Spot”, heralded as our connection to the Holy Spirit.  There’s plenty that God has to say about this area in the body.

The tiny area in the scull, behind the brow, contains the Pineal Gland, which some believe is the place on the body where we make our intellectual connection to God. The Greek word for forehead is metopon.  Science shows the primary function of the Pineal Gland is to produce melatonin which works in concert with light sensitive nerve cells in the retina to detect light to help synchronize our day-night cycle. The Pineal Gland can calcify from fluoride intake and in keeping it protected and flowing clears away confusion, uncertainty, cynicism, and pessimism. 

I infer that forward- facing poses, such as Child’s Pose, Runner’s Lunge, and Sleeping Pigeon allow us to mindfully connect with the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, as we gently press the front of our head onto something and roll it from side to side.  These restorative poses are our return path to God as we work to expand awareness and gain Godly wisdom through this area of the forehead.

Join us in class this week as we practice bringing health to our God Spots. 2nd T's Tuesday evening at 7:30 with Red Rocks Sports and Wednesday at noon on Facebook  Live 
https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/

If it's snowing or cold Tuesday morn at 9 check https://www.facebook.com/rrcsports/ for cancellation.

Other Yoga Happenings:
Wednesdays, at The Grange, 72nd & Simms
9/2, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, (We skip the 2nd Wed of every month due to community meetings,  9/9, 10/14, 11/11)

Sign up is required due to Covid-19 indoor restrictions; please email me at denise@spaceforchange.com, Thnx!

Holy Yoga with Betsy Smith
3rd Sunday of the month at 4:30p, outside, or spread out in the Activity Room depending on the weather. 9/20, 10/18, 11/15, and 12/20. familyinchrist.holyyoga@gmail.com 
Donation to the church is appreciated. 
Mondays: Holy Yoga with Robin Ottersteter, Lakewood. 8/31-6:30p, no class Labor Day
9/14, 9/21, & 9/28 at 6p due to an earlier sunset. RSVP at least 12 hours before attending so she can plan accordingly and save you a spot. otter4fam@gmail.com
$25/3 or $10/1
Fridays: Holy Yoga with Robin, 8a-9a, Willowsprings area. RSVP at least 12 hours before attending so she can plan accordingly and save you a spot. otter4fam@gmail.com
$25/3 or $10/1

We were sitting on the blanket, listening to live music, chatting about the universe and everything.  We were feeling grateful for the opportunity to gather outdoor, taking in the beauty around us, and somehow landed on the notion that life in COVID seems lacking in good intention.  We were both desiring a need for greater kingdom focus in our daily living.  How would you define intention, I asked: “attaining growth.”  Admittedly, I’ve lost the habit of seeking ways to share Jesus with others, whether it be serving in ministry, offering invitations to church or tithing. 

Webster defines intention as a thing intended, an aim or plan, or the healing process of a wound. This resonated with me in terms of how I approach my yoga mat.  In Frogpose Yoga we speak about mindfulness and applying a positive intention at the beginning of each 60-minute class.  Normally we set our focus on an inspiring attribute of God or some revealed Biblical truth, as to marry our head and heart knowledge with the physical body.  It’s this intentional approach to the practice that I believe heals and grows the heart first and the body second.  Christian yoga integrates mind, heart and spirit to bring about holistic healing from the hurts of life.  Each physical pose challenges us to find out what’s holding us back from going deeper. 

If the fear of muscles quivering or a negative mental block saying “I can’t do this” pose comes up, we put our mind’s eye on our original intention and invoke the intention breath of the Almighty to keep us steadfast. The refocus of the mind to the intention is our encouragement to stay in the fight of keeping the pose.  As the Christian warriors that we are, we practice building strength in the Lord on the mat so we can take the head knowledge out into the world around us.

Let us not give up on doing good each day and set our intentions on the things above. 

Join us this week for Tuesday 8:30 am Park Yoga and Wednesday at noon on Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ 

It came up twice this week in conversation: “I just don’t know how to pray about this."  This?  We all know what the “this is.” This time to end.  This pandemic to be eradicated.  This current situation to turn rainbows and unicorns again.  For some, being steadfast in prayer is old habit as you’ve been praying for something to change, it’s taking a long time and you’ve earned the patience.  For others of us, who are used to working businesses and making households run when we say so, this is bringing up fear, anxiety, short tempers and fed up! 

Kat and I came to the conclusion, that we simply need to go back to the basics and pray that we can keep our eyes on the prize of Jesus.

Short and sweet, people.
Pray for healing.
Pray for your family.
Pray for patience.

Pray in all things and keep your eye on our heavenly home.

Join us this week for a gentle flow that brings us back to the heart of prayer.  Tuesday morning at 8:30am Thundercloud Park, Arvada.  Wednesday at noon @frogposeyoga facebook live.  https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ ​

​My portable evaporative cooler is working overtime to combat this 90 degree Colorado heat. I tried this refreshing hip tip: put a few drops of my favorite Doterra essential oils in the reservoir and transformed my swampy living room into a field of flowers!

My heart felt a heavy weight this past week as cases and masks increased. I had hoped life would feel more free and "normal" by now.  Then the dental office said they require a 21 day quarantine after air travel, my car’s air conditioner went out, and as I spent the evening on my deck observing the neighbors across the street fighting loudly enough to demand two police cars, I had reached my boiling point.  I grabbed a cold slice of melon from the fridge and took some deep breaths.

I cried out to God to be relieved of these recent flames of life! In His faithfulness, He gave me the word “refreshment”.  The word swirled around in my mind and gave my heart some needed relief.  Yes, I need to be extinguished! Can you also use some refreshment?

When I need refreshment I make an appointment with my yoga mat.  I roll it out, set my tunes on praise and worship music and yoke with God using intentional breathing, yoga poses and prayer.  Stretching is part of the process as is increasing internal heat with challenging physical postures.  It doesn't take long before I begin to feel my flesh and bones getting refreshed. 

At a Frogpose Yoga class, the first 50 of the 60 minutes is devoted to turning up the heat in the body, to burn off dross and bring out the gold in our life for Christ. We spend the last 10 minutes in the much needed cool down or surrender series of poses:  seated forward fold, happy baby, supine twist, corpse pose and easy pose. As in life, when things get heated up, we need to take the necessary actions to cool down.

Join us this week for 2 classes and learn how God refreshes us:
IN person social distance park yoga, Tuesday 8:30am Thundercloud Park, Arvada
Wednesday at Noon, Facebook live

Feeling heated?  Hit the mat or eat some refreshing summer watermelon!

Nothing feels more freeing than coming together this time of year, as one nation under God.  We were under the bondage of England and thankfully, now we’re not.  Our republic enjoys the same knowing and respecting of freedom as our response to what Jesus Christ demonstrated on the cross. It is for freedom that Christ set us free!  With great power comes great responsibility.  My freedom from the oppression and sin, isn’t something I take for granted and gives me reason to appreciate the fanfare and fireworks  of a 4th of July party!

Isaiah 30:29 -And you will sing
    as on the night you celebrate a holy festival;
your hearts will rejoice
    as when people playing pipes go up
to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the Rock of Israel.

We have two summer celebration classes this week.  Wednesday at noon on Facebook live and a weekly safe social distancing park yoga at Thundercloud Park in Arvada (next to the Red Rocks Church Campus).  Come to the park and enjoy an hour of stretching on your yoga mat and praising God for all He does for us and continues to do.  July 7 through August 14, we will be rotating teachers, bringing to the practice a new twist on commemorating God’s goodness and faithfulness.  Come with your own yoga mat, water bottle, sunscreen and a celebratory heart.  We will supply the healthful moving meditation, Christian music, Bible verses and prayer.

Our four instructors inlcude Niki Sparks, Denise Stemple of Space for Change
, Lorie Corrado of Whole Health and Yoga
and Kate Paulin, founder Frogpose Yoga.

Let freedom ring!

​Do you have a favorite board game?  With all this sheltering-in-time on our hands, I’ve learned some new ones like Zaytzee and pulled out some childhood favorites too.  The game I most enjoy is Clue, the mystery game, with the box claiming it requires its players to have the skill of deduction.   By the end of the game, players draw conclusions based on evidence revealed during play.  Similar to life experiences, we draw on inference of particular instances by reference to a general law or principle to make choices and educated guesses.  One of the biggest challenges in my walk as a Christian has been comprehending the mystery of heeding God’s Holy Spirit.

The Bible reminds that the Holy Spirit is my personal teacher, guide, comforter and the one who intervenes on behalf of me, if only I can listen in.... I deduce that I’m more than just a character in a board game of chance.  Before I was born, He knew all I’d become and accomplish.  Like the layers of an onion, God established me in that secret place: my human spirit, layered in my soul and covered by my body, with all its benefits and disadvantages.  He knew I would need a helper as this life would require more of me than what I could handle and so He gave me the Holy Spirit as an override. His Holy Spirit seals me with a promise of a bounty of fruit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Ephesians 1:13 says and you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.  God offers this for all of us! There’s nothing we can do that keeps us from the love of Christ. If you confess with your lips and believe in your heart that Jesus was raised from the dead, you too can enjoy the fruit of the Holy Spirit in all that life throws you.

A Frogpose donation-based yoga class begins by inviting the Holy Spirit into the practice through quieting in Child’s Pose posture.  The Holy Spirit is so gentle and loving that by offering our body in this prostrate posture, we can mindfully let go of adult worries and struggles and change into little children (Matthew 18:2-4).  From this childlike invitation, we move into a heated moving meditation where God can mold us to be more like him. The Holy Spirit frees us from needing to rely on ourselves to integrate body, soul and human spirit.  

Do you need comfort, interceding, teaching or guiding of the Holy Spirit? Tap into His knowledge this week on Wednesday at noon here: https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/
and you will experience relief from tension and daily stress through a series of sometimes challenging physical poses, intentional breath work, reciting Bible verses and prayer.  Come to this place of mindful integration of God's word and moving meditation in your body. We are prayerfully expectant that God is healing every heart and body that shows up to their mats, in this loving and non-judgmental community. 

Here’s the Holy Spirit’s mystery clue for you:  God did it on Calvary, with a cross, because He loves you!  Believe it and live it!

Father's Day is here too!  It's a great day to do yoga with your Dad, a friend or your friend's Dad.  Make the most of the longest day of the year with a moving meditation.

Join us this week on Wednesday at noon for Facebook Live
for a 60 minute Beginner Flow class, using controlled breath, physical postures and a look at what the Bible says about our Father in Heaven.  Hope to see you there!  https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/


​
Other classes to enjoy:
Space for Change Yoga

Tuesday online Zoom Class through June
& Wednesday at The Grange.
$25/3 classes or $10/1, 
https://venmo.com/Denise-Stemple

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yoga in the Park Tuesdays in July, stay tuned for more details.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please email Betsy Smith at
familyinchrist.holyyoga@gmail.com
for Holy Yoga Zoom links to Sundays outside, Tues/Thurs evenings, Wed/Fri mornings with Betsy, Naomi, Meg, Colleen & Sat mornings with Amy!

Get Outside and Enjoy!This week is exciting as I just learned we can gather in parks with under 50 participants.  Which means, we can begin our real, together in community, Summer in the Park Yoga series on July 7 at 7pm!  Wahoooo.  As protocols seem to change rapidly and without notice in this season, how can we embrace them with openness?  For me, I've tried to keep with my morning routine of starting my day in prayer.  How are you handling it?

I invite you to practice your moving meditation anytime you feel unease during this season.  Enjoy the comfort and safety of your yoga mat from home or under a shade tree.  I have grown in my faith and practice by enjoying quiet time in my back fenced area.  When COVID started, there was snow on the ground.  Now, it's sprung into a gorgeous green and flowered park!  I love how God turns all things for His good.

Our 2nd Tuesdays Red Rocks Sports class is here for you to enjoy now or at 7pm Tuesday.  Please enjoy this 50-minute recording of class brought to you by Niki, Denise, Lorie, and myself.  Just click the live link above anytime.  Can I encourage you to find a spot out of doors to get the full effect?  Do what feels good in your schedule and timing.  

Wednesday's class has been changed to Friday at noon.  I hope you can join!  We will be talking about Seasons of Life and how God helps us through challenging and beautiful changes!  Join us for a gentle flow of breath, moving meditation and a focus on God's word.  Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ is where you will find us always and at noon on Friday.

Stay tuned for July park yoga details!

What is the most recognizable symbol in the world?  You guessed it; the Christian cross, the instrument of Jesus’ crucifixion.  Early Christians refused to use it as a symbol because it depicted God’s son’s death as the gruesome and horrific means of execution that it is.  By the 4th Century the cross symbol was adopted as iconic and remains as such to today.  I wear a cross daily.  It reminds me of my identity in Christ and gives me strength to endure what might come my way.

I recently described Frogpose Yoga as a moving meditation on God’s word, likened to a game of charades.  Through a themed study of bible verses, controlled breathing and prayer we allow the word of God to infiltrate to our deepest parts or inner spirit.  We use a series of sometimes challenging physical poses which allow our bodies to take actual form of that themed divine truth.  In a game of charades, we act out the words in hopes that those who see us, pick up on the meaning.  On our yoga mat, we allow our physical bodies to take form the shape of an attribute of God to help deepen our understanding of Him.  This whole-body integration or muscle memory that we gain in each pose is what we can take out of class and into the world as a reflection of our faith.  

Side Cross Pose is a physically demanding pose that build strength in the entire side body, including wrists, arms, shoulders, oblique core, legs and feet.  From a high plank position, roll onto the knife edge of your bottom foot, and reach one hand to heaven.   Align shoulder over wrist, stack or stagger the other foot and imagine being pressed between two panes of glass.  (You can always drop down to the bottom knee for stability.)  Hold for 3 honest breaths.  Try it on both sides. 

The benefits of pressing into this humbling pose include improving concentration, balance and strength.  Unlike charades, the cross is serious and a game changer!  Because of one sacrifice, he has made perfect those who he is being made holy.  (Hebrews 10:14). To take the symbol of the cross is a gentle reminder of the extreme sacrifice and ultimate sign of strength to our faith, in how our Savior endured the cross at Calvary.   It’s in the struggle that we build courage and can reach for higher heights.

Join us this week as we practice a gentle beginner flow that incorporates Side Cross Pose.  Invite a friend or two by sending them this email or sharing on social media.  See you Wednesday at noon on Facebook live. https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/

It's Mother's Day and I Miss My Mom!  Our roles tied to motherhood are important and so are the relationships around it!  But, most importantly, is our relationship to Father God.  You are a child of God, the King; an heir to His throne!  His favor is upon you.  Be blessed knowing you are deeply cared for by the Creator of the Universe and nothing can change his abiding love for you.   

Do you help by mothering those around you?
Have you lost your mother?
Did you always want to be a mother?
Are you a teacher of children?
Are you a mother?
Do you have a dog or pet?

Let's never get so comfortable in pain that we forget our happiness.  Celebrate the joy, sadness and opportunities to embrace the mothering path God has set before you.  

Someone out there needs a mother, and you just might be it!

See you on facebook live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ Wednesday at noon.

Let’s penetrate to the heart of the matter! 
A friend was explaining to me his love of bow hunting but not the kill.  It’s amazing to think that something as small as an arrow can speedily take down a large wild animal.  Recently, he’s found it a more satisfying experience to be in touch with the cool release of the bow and hit, twice, the heart of his target, cleverly with blunt arrow ends, without destroying a life. I, on the other hand, can barely penetrate the heart of a fake foam bear target, with sharp ended bows!  So, the world goes round. Some of us are better at getting to the heart of things than others.  That’s ok and that’s why we Fully Rely on God (F.R.O.G.) to help grow us in our weakness so we can align our hearts to beat in concert with the Creator of nature.

Sometimes I wish I had the ability to dull down sharp damaging comments before I send them off from my lips.  Like Harry said to Sally, “it’s already out there” and I can’t take it back.   Jesus’ disciple James said, in chapter 3 verse 6 of the Bible, "The heart of a fool is as a cart-wheel (trochos – wheel of nature).” In James the figure is of a wheel in rotation, so that a flame starting at any point is quickly communicated to the whole.  Just so an apparently insignificant sin of the tongue produces an incalculably destructive effect. I come full circle to the notion that my tongue is merely an extension of my heart and this is where I need to focus.

This week’s class and topic is on working to Upward Bow Pose, more commonly known as Wheel Pose.

Don’t freak out! This intermediate pose is challenging physically and mentally.  Maybe it’s not in your practice today but hopefully it will be for Wednesday.  The idea is to allow the body to take shape in the form of a bow or wheel (back-bend), by standing on hands and feet, and propelling the heart forward.  This is the physical reminder of all God wants: to have our heart exposed to all the things he has for us. Wheel is one of yoga’s fullest expressions of a heart opening pose.

Why is this pose important? We spend the majority of our time standing upright or slouching forward, sitting at a desk, on a sofa or in a car. We get accustomed to sitting in a hunched position with a rounded spine, dropped shoulders and our head hung forward. This can be the cause of numerous issues including back pain, poor posture, bad digestion and restricted breathing. Not to mention the emotional effects of a literal caving in at the heart,  translating to depression, low self-esteem and hoardiing the love of Jesus.

Once the spine and body are warmed up with a series of beginner flow poses, including hip and chest expansions, move into the warm up called Bridge Pose.  When ready, safely move into full Upward Bow/Wheel on the inhale: hips, knees and feet in alignment, the back-bend forms at the top of the spine rather than lower, armpits and arms are long, and glutes remain relaxed. Take five lion’s breaths as you gaze between the fingers pointing to the feet.  Send your attention to the heart and intentionally direct it out into the world like an arrow: God’s making you to be an archer of love! Exhale and return to the mat by tucking chin and slowly rolling down the spine, beginning at the nape of the neck.

Psalm 19:14 - Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Wednesday’s noon class will be on Facebook live again. https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ Prayerfully we desire the Holy Spirit to pierce our hearts with lasting effects in order to bring us closer to Jesus and others around us.  Be the archer of change, in the name of Love!

Hoppy Easter: we jump for joy! ​
You could say I was feeling a bit out of place last Wednesday night when I jumped into esteemed Author and Mentor Denise Stemple’s Zoom yoga class with nothing but a glass of wine and the incorrect assumption it was girl chat time.  Seeing everyone but myself on their rubber mats alerted me to the notion that I was there to do some stretching: not drinking.  Video muted, check!  Ditch the adult libation, check!  Find an open spot on the carpet, check! Video back on, check!  Now, I could join in.

I’m fairly certain this is the only time I’ve EVER taken class without a yoga mat underneath me. 

What I came to discover is that I felt boundary-less.  There was no definition of where I was supposed to be.  I didn’t have a sense of safety and security of my familiar green mat with the frog logo.  Sure, the carpet was soft and plush but, placing my body on the rug was a little itchy and I wondered about dog hair, dust and the things you shouldn’t be thinking about when taking a mindful meditation such as Christian yoga.  To put it plainly, I didn’t know my limits.

Why is our mat so important when it comes to enjoying the benefits of a moving meditation? It represents our beginning and our end, our personal space and the sure footed-ness that equips us off the mat and into the world.  The mat defines what is me and what isn’t and that I’m solely responsible for the health of the temple of the Holy Spirit.  (Galatians 6:5 - for each one should carry their own load.)

What I get from Cloud and Townsend of Boundaries is that God designed a world where we all live within ourselves – we inhabit our own souls and have to deal with what’s there.  Boundaries define that.  We are responsible to God, to others and FOR ourselves.  Practicing on the mat grows us in maturity, creates independence of functioning and freedom and opens the mind to truth about who we are.  We listen to the body when it says yes, that’s mine and no, that’s yours, by moving at our own pace.  Students are in full control on their own mat.

At Frogpose there's the freedom to pass on a pose if we aren’t feeling it in our body. Being flexible in the body is not necessary in order to benefit from the effects of the class. We believe that God is healing bodies by integrating his truth with our hearts and our inner being through personal acceptance.  The mat is where we are spiritually stretching our feelings, desires, choices, love, resources and gifts, beliefs, thoughts, values, limits and self and others, and behaviors.   All we ask is that you set yourself up for success with a yoga mat or a taped off boundary on the floor, some water and a flexible mindset.  You will be met with a teacher who will gently guide you through a healthful moving meditation, which incorporates deep breathing, stretching, and hearing from God's word.

3 class offerings this week:
Frogpose Facebook page Facebook live Tuesday night at 7pm, and Wednesday at noon (both 60 minute flow)
Instagram, Friday at 3pm on Red Rocks Sports (30 minute tune up)

I was on a video call when I noticed two big Blue Jays playing in the fresh Colorado mountain air.  As they danced from tree branch to tree branch, I smiled thinking that they were likely starting their spring rituals.  It gave me pause to think about how the bird and I suddenly relate in a reverse kind of way.  The bird begins life pent up in a tiny egg shell but is now observing confident free flying.  I went from the freedoms of coming and going, when and where I wanted, to now staying put. I’m observing day 12 of a self-oriented shelter in place. I am suddenly experiencing life from inside a small space. 

What can I learn from the bird’s solo and confining beginnings? 
​
God’s specially designed bird’s shell is used for growth and shelter: ten thousand pores for breathing, the yolk is the food source, an egg white provides an air pocket.  The bird keeps the faith and the will to press onto the next step in life as God has equipped the bird with a specialized shell cutting beak.  It breaks out of the shell and chooses the freedom to live and breathe and everything else! (Acts 17:25) God always has a plan and I am confident that if he can provide for the needs of a chick, how much more will he provide for me when this COVID thing has run its course.  The birds don’t worry about their future food nor their storehouses of TP.  From this insider looking out, I will observe their confidence and wait until it’s just the right time to spread my wings in freedom. I rest knowing God’s got this.

The Frogpose Beginner Flow yoga class leads the flock through a moving meditation on God’s word while listening to Christian music, bringing our individual temples of the Holy Spirit into a state of health and balance.  Each week offers prayer, guided breath work with a series of sometimes challenging physical poses, and stretching on a yoga mat.  Since our current lives seem a bit closed in and upside down, this week’s class will incorporate the inversion, Crow Pose. 

The Crow Pose is considered an arm balance yoga pose and it requires a lot of focus apart from the physical strength. The weight of the body is balanced on the arms and the body weight is at the wrists and elbows. Just like the crow or the crane have a light body for the legs to take the weight, we need to bring that lightness to balance our body on the arms along with proper alignment. The fear of falling on our nose or losing balance and hurting our wrists is most likely to happen if the mind is not ready for these yoga poses (Crow Pose or Crane Pose). Hence Crow Pose builds into the awareness of the body and hones the mind-body connection while “flying in the air”. Crow Pose also works on emotional state by helping us conquer fear and allowing us to accept and embrace life with courage.

In solitude and the safety of our own spaces, we will practice our series of sometimes challenging physical poses, using the Breath of the Almighty to give us life, on Facebook life.  Wednesday at noon.

Flexibility is the name of the game on our mat and now we are putting it into practice!  ​We will work on our physical strength and mental endurance.

We don't need no stinkin studio!  In your face COVID19.

Join us from your favorite nook in the house/outside for another Facbeook Live at noon on Wednesday.   

At about 11:50, click  here:
 https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/ and we'll take class together.  Our focus will be that God Protects!