Over and over throughout my teacher training, I heard this phrase…
“It’s not about the yoga.”
In the midst of memorizing definitions and familiarizing myself with poses, I seriously doubted these words every time they came my way. How could it be about anything OTHER than the yoga?
Before I started my teacher training adventure, I thought that Yamas and Niyamas were some exotic fruit that I could over-spend on at Whole Foods. I wasn’t skinny or super-flexible, things I had convinced myself were prerequisites of taking this risk, and my insecurities and inexperience flowed from me like a gushing river. In spite of all this, I also felt convinced in my heart that God had stirred something in me to “go for it” concerning Holy Yoga teacher training.
Over the next four months, my time was consumed with my notecards – memorizing definitions and yoga terms, determined to obtain any and all knowledge that was at my disposal. I spent earnest moments with Jesus working through all my uncertainties about becoming an instructor, as well as anxieties now bubbling to the surface. During my teacher training process, I could only dream of what it would be like to be knowledgeable and confident enough to lead an actual yoga class.
“It’s not about the yoga.”
As my teacher training time came to a close, the details of traveling to Immersion and checking all of the boxes to show completion of my hours became the priority. I had 1,000 more questions than I had answers to, and the fear that I had gotten God’s call to become a yoga instructor wrong became very real.
Maybe He had said something about a TOGA!? Perhaps I was supposed to be a costume designer?
I boarded a plane, left my family and regular life behind, and flexed the feet of my faith in freezing cold Minnesota.
“It’s not about the yoga.”
Each night I climbed the ladder to my bunk bed exhausted and overwhelmed and wondered…
“Can I even DO this?”
After what seemed like 450 Chatarungas and many silent homesick tears later, our time at Immersion came to an end. In a beautiful candlelight ceremony, I was anointed in this new calling, to preach and teach and lead and follow. Details about where, and how, and when to lead Holy Yoga became prayers that myself and my Holy Yoga sisters brought before the Lord. As He cleared the way for me to start leading classes, friends began to show up with their mats and their hearts.
“It’s not about the yoga.”
Planning suitable classes, advertising them on social media, and putting together meaningful playlists became the new to-do lists of my weeks. My remaining insecurities and fears forced me to my knees, begging for the Lord’s help. I echoed Moses’ cry from Exodus 33:15 –
“If Your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now.”
As time marched on, the classes were scheduled, the yogis came, the Holy Spirit showed up, we flowed and worshiped together.
And then, on a cold December night, just over one year after my Holy Yoga teacher certificate arrived in the mail, it happened.
Unscripted and unsequenced, as a class, we drew our hands to Heaven and bowed forward in a fold, surrendered and humble before the Lord. Flowing and stretching and worshiping – together, we were fulfilling the vision of Holy Yoga Global of bringing glory to God through the modality of Yoga. The familiar Christmas carol of “Oh Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord” rang out from the playlist, and at that exact moment, I was keenly aware of one thing …
“It’s not about the yoga.”
I realized then and there, with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength, that it had never been.
Post by Heather Henricks, C-HYI
Heather is a wife and mom living in Colorado. She works as a hairstylist and is also a skilled carpool driver. Heather spends her free time reading, writing, and being with her family. She is a lover of Jesus and an eager student of the Bible. Heather became a Holy Yoga instructor in 2018. An Enneagram 7, Heather lives with passion and feels so much gratitude for the people she gets to love and lead and laugh with everyday.
We want to personally invite you to the 200/100hr training. If you cannot get this out of your mind, it is because it is for YOU! It’s not a matter of if but when. Holy Yoga is world-class yoga but it’s not just about the yoga – it’s about intimacy with Christ, being transformed into His likeness in order that we bring God all of the glory.
What if you allowed God to use you and your story, in front of the yoga mats? “Perhaps you were born for a time such as this.” Esther 4:14.
Our next Holy Yoga Instructor training begins soon! Register here.