Many questions come to mind in response to why would we want to or need to take the yoke or yoga of Christ upon us. Do we really believe that we were created in the image of God? What does that mean? Do we believe that the Kingdom of God is actually within us and how do we find that Kingdom? It seems that if the Kingdom of God is within us then it should be pretty easy to find it, right? Is it easy to find? Are we currently dwelling in the secret place of the most high and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty? Where is the secret place of the most high? Do we know how to dwell in that secret place and are we able to connect with Father God and hear His still, small voice calling to us? Do we know how to be still and know God?
Do we want to connect with God in our innermost being? We are told if we dwell in the secret place of the most high we shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty, (Psalm 91:1) and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty sounds pretty good to me. We are told to be still and know God (Psalm 46:10). Wouldn’t we all like to know God? Do we want to connect with God and abide under his shadow, or are we content with the way things are? We all have free will. God doesn’t force us to dwell in His secret place, or to abide under His shadow, or to be still and know Him. So even though God hid the secret place within us, we don’t find it. We have free will. We choose.
When we take the yoke or yoga of Christ upon us, we literally join our body, mind and spirit with the body, mind and spirit of Christ and have the same body, mind and spirit as Christ. When we take the yoke or yoga of Christ upon us, we surrender our body, mind and spirit to the Father in the Kingdom within us through grace and devotion, and we let go. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) The Father who dwells in Christ does the work in us and through us because we have the same body, mind and spirit as Christ. (John 14:10) The acceptance and realization of body, mind and spirit of Christ in us by us is the beginning.
The world steals our mind and devotion from God through our ignorance and delusion. We trust what our five senses tell us. We listen to the media. We respond to pressure from well meaning friends and family. We listen to teachers who exalt their human egos and personality rather than pointing followers to the Father. The world steals the devotion that is meant for God, (John 10:7-10) but the sheep know their shepherd. (John 10:14)
We have to forget what the world and our five senses tell us and trust Christ in us enough to experiment with faith, experiment with devotion, experiment with quietness, and experiment with going to the Kingdom of God within us. "Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?" (2 Corinthians 10:7) In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. (Isaiah 30:15) Christ has shown us the way. “Take my yoke (yoga) upon you and learn of me...and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke (yoga) is easy and my burden is light". (Matthew 11:29) Go unto the Father within. Yoke with Christ in body, mind and spirit – the yoga of Jesus Christ.
I enjoyed reading this article called "The Yoga of Christ" which I found online. The author, Philip G. McLemore, opens with the question, "Is it possible that the teachings of Jesus are so comprehensive they encompass the core spiritual principals of both East and West? Here is the link:
The Yoga of Christ by Philip G. LeMore
Here is a link to Gutenberg.org where free versions of "Autobiography of a Yogi" (mentioned in the article "The Yoga of Christ" by Philip G. McLemore above) can be downloaded for Kindle, and other reading devices in e-book form or it can be read online. I enjoyed reading Autobiography of a Yogi.
Gutenberg Project eBook-Autobiography of a Yogi
Click this link if you'd like to purchase The Yoga of Jesus by Paramahansa Yogananda.
Here is a link to a video of me doing meditation in motion, a joint opening beginners yoga class that I did originally for my sister and Mama who live in another part of the USA. My sister liked it so much she wanted it on video, but we didn't get to video it. I did the video on my webcam when I got home for her, so the quality is not the best. Here is a link to PDF I mention in the video - Mukunda Stiles Joint Freeing Series
If you enjoyed this post, please go on and read my post Quieting the Mind in Meditation, Looking into Infinity and Yin Yoga: Surrender and Receptivity of Body, Mind and Spirit. If you enjoy this blog, please share a link to it with others! Thank you, Terrie Harmer
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