It has been so many years - at least 21- since I last visited Notre Dame, the awe-invoking cathedral in Paris, Notre Dame. Although I am not Catholic, I always feel a sense of the sacred when strolling through ancient, large domed cathedrals with with vaulted ceilings and huge, beautiful stain glass windows through which sunlight streams. I know that I can connect with the sacred part of life anywhere, not just in a church, but the architectural beauty of and ambiance within large cathedrals stir my soul.
Now what do cathdrals have to do with yoga, a 5000-year or more old practice that originated in India and has Hindu roots ???! Well,I recently read that some yoga classes are being held in a gothic San Francisco cathedral accompanied by the live, meditative sounds of piano, bamboo flute, ad harp to help yoga students connect with the Divine. The headline for the article I came across said, "A music-filled yoga class in a cathedral is a sweet invitation to the temple within." One of the yoga class students remarked, "there's a spiritual connection that we all share while we're practicing here."
It's been even longer since I visited San Francisco, but I would love to return and check out that yoga class in a cathedral even though I am not a class person. However, I found that you can create the ambiance of a yoga class in a cathedral right in your own home yoga studio. Yesterday and today, as usual, I lit my special (battery operated) candles and rolled out my yoga mat. Then, instead of turning on a light classical or smooth jazz station, I inserted my "Ave Maria" abum that features renowned opera stars from the present and past, Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras, Leontyne Price, and Joan Sutherland who sing sacred selections of Mozart, Handel, and others.
I closed my eyes and with the music playing softly in the background, I stretched and held my usual poses to the stirring music, all the while, being able to easily imagine I was practicing in the middle of a cathedral to live music. And, yes, it did help me me feel a wonderful spiritual connection to the Divine!
Regardless of your particular denomination whether you are Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, or belong to no religion, adding a creative sacred touch reminscent of a beautful church or temple to your yoga practice will enhance your enjoyment and uplift your spirit!
Yours for including a touch of the sacred in your yoga practice,
Laura Venecia Rodriguez, The Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach (for real, regular people)
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