what does it mean to be spiritual and not religious when did you last have a
not religious when did you last have a
not religious when did you last have a spiritual moment what about a religious
spiritual moment what about a religious
spiritual moment what about a religious one what’s the difference and does it
one what’s the difference and does it
one what’s the difference and does it matter I asked myself and all of you
matter I asked myself and all of you
matter I asked myself and all of you these questions because the work that I
these questions because the work that I
these questions because the work that I do occupies that in-between space I’ve
do occupies that in-between space I’ve
do occupies that in-between space I’ve been a yoga teacher for about a decade
been a yoga teacher for about a decade
been a yoga teacher for about a decade I witnessed people diving into their
I witnessed people diving into their
I witnessed people diving into their spiritual practice every day by watching
spiritual practice every day by watching
spiritual practice every day by watching them land in their bodies in addition as
them land in their bodies in addition as
them land in their bodies in addition as a religious studies scholar I am keenly
a religious studies scholar I am keenly
a religious studies scholar I am keenly interested in the ever-changing nature
interested in the ever-changing nature
interested in the ever-changing nature of faith in our modern world there was
of faith in our modern world there was
of faith in our modern world there was one day in particular when I realized
one day in particular when I realized
one day in particular when I realized just how much spiritual life in the
just how much spiritual life in the
just how much spiritual life in the public sphere has changed it was the day
public sphere has changed it was the day
public sphere has changed it was the day after the Boston Marathon bombing a
after the Boston Marathon bombing a
after the Boston Marathon bombing a Tuesday and I had a yoga class to teach
Tuesday and I had a yoga class to teach
Tuesday and I had a yoga class to teach in the evening giving the weight of what
in the evening giving the weight of what
in the evening giving the weight of what had just happened
had just happened
had just happened and the mayhem ensuing in our city I
and the mayhem ensuing in our city I
and the mayhem ensuing in our city I spent the day concerned with how I could
spent the day concerned with how I could
spent the day concerned with how I could offer anything to my students that
offer anything to my students that
offer anything to my students that wouldn’t seem trite and I remember
wouldn’t seem trite and I remember
wouldn’t seem trite and I remember driving to the studio in silence trying
driving to the studio in silence trying
driving to the studio in silence trying to collect myself and half expecting to
to collect myself and half expecting to
to collect myself and half expecting to encounter an empty room but when I got
encounter an empty room but when I got
encounter an empty room but when I got there I was shocked to find a packed
there I was shocked to find a packed
there I was shocked to find a packed class people were waiting sombrely on
class people were waiting sombrely on
class people were waiting sombrely on yoga mat for guidance and as we all sat
yoga mat for guidance and as we all sat
yoga mat for guidance and as we all sat down and I asked everyone to close their
down and I asked everyone to close their
down and I asked everyone to close their eyes all I could hear were sniffles
eyes all I could hear were sniffles
eyes all I could hear were sniffles I’m going through the room so I began by
I’m going through the room so I began by
I’m going through the room so I began by saying let’s be together in our pain and
saying let’s be together in our pain and
saying let’s be together in our pain and in our breath and in our resilience and
in our breath and in our resilience and
in our breath and in our resilience and then I led them through yoga postures
then I led them through yoga postures
then I led them through yoga postures asking for muscular effort coordination
asking for muscular effort coordination
asking for muscular effort coordination and sweat and by the end of class I
and sweat and by the end of class I
and sweat and by the end of class I perceived a profound shift their eyes
perceived a profound shift their eyes
perceived a profound shift their eyes were a little brighter their shoulders
were a little brighter their shoulders
were a little brighter their shoulders had drops and broken hearts had lifted
had drops and broken hearts had lifted
had drops and broken hearts had lifted if not mended we sat there for a little
if not mended we sat there for a little
if not mended we sat there for a little while more at home in our bodies and as
while more at home in our bodies and as
while more at home in our bodies and as a group and after class everyone
a group and after class everyone
a group and after class everyone lingered this isn’t typical there was no
lingered this isn’t typical there was no
lingered this isn’t typical there was no rushing
rushing
rushing there’s no checking phones it was clear
there’s no checking phones it was clear
there’s no checking phones it was clear to me in that moment that what was
to me in that moment that what was
to me in that moment that what was needed was connection our place of our
needed was connection our place of our
needed was connection our place of our sense of safety our sense of place and
sense of safety our sense of place and
sense of safety our sense of place and the order of our city had been gravely
the order of our city had been gravely
the order of our city had been gravely interrupted the yoga acted as a means of
interrupted the yoga acted as a means of
interrupted the yoga acted as a means of restoration so what was that that we
restoration so what was that that we
restoration so what was that that we shared
shared
shared could you call that a spiritual
could you call that a spiritual
could you call that a spiritual experience spirit comes from Latin and
experience spirit comes from Latin and
experience spirit comes from Latin and it refers to breath or the quality that
it refers to breath or the quality that
it refers to breath or the quality that animates us spirituality relates to
animates us spirituality relates to
animates us spirituality relates to things held very special or sacred and
things held very special or sacred and
things held very special or sacred and is the inward quest for meaning in life
is the inward quest for meaning in life
is the inward quest for meaning in life beyond just the drive to survive we all
beyond just the drive to survive we all
beyond just the drive to survive we all crave meaning in life and so in this
crave meaning in life and so in this
crave meaning in life and so in this regard spirituality is a universal human
regard spirituality is a universal human
regard spirituality is a universal human experience religion also comes from
experience religion also comes from
experience religion also comes from Latin
Latin
Latin and it refers to a combination of
and it refers to a combination of
and it refers to a combination of reverence and obligation religiousness
reverence and obligation religiousness
reverence and obligation religiousness relates to organized groups moral codes
relates to organized groups moral codes
relates to organized groups moral codes doctrine and historically religion has
doctrine and historically religion has
doctrine and historically religion has been a way to distinguish oneself
been a way to distinguish oneself
been a way to distinguish oneself culturally but given that not everyone
culturally but given that not everyone
culturally but given that not everyone has a relationship to religion it’s not
has a relationship to religion it’s not
has a relationship to religion it’s not a universal experience so we’ll look
a universal experience so we’ll look
a universal experience so we’ll look more at spirituality fundamental to
more at spirituality fundamental to
more at spirituality fundamental to spiritual practice is to consider who we
spiritual practice is to consider who we
spiritual practice is to consider who we are why are we here and where are we
are why are we here and where are we
are why are we here and where are we going
going
going in addition spiritual practice gives us
in addition spiritual practice gives us
in addition spiritual practice gives us a way of centering ourselves when life
a way of centering ourselves when life
a way of centering ourselves when life gets overwhelming I know that I feel
gets overwhelming I know that I feel
gets overwhelming I know that I feel more centered if I’ve connected to my
more centered if I’ve connected to my
more centered if I’ve connected to my place in space before I was a yoga
place in space before I was a yoga
place in space before I was a yoga teacher I was a student I will always be
teacher I was a student I will always be
teacher I was a student I will always be a student and I’m also a millennial a
a student and I’m also a millennial a
a student and I’m also a millennial a member of the tribe blamed for the death
member of the tribe blamed for the death
member of the tribe blamed for the death of many things not least of which
of many things not least of which
of many things not least of which religion like so many in my generation I
religion like so many in my generation I
religion like so many in my generation I was raised without much attention to
was raised without much attention to
was raised without much attention to spirituality and no religious roots
spirituality and no religious roots
spirituality and no religious roots whatsoever and when I fell in love with
whatsoever and when I fell in love with
whatsoever and when I fell in love with yoga it wasn’t the spiritual aspect that
yoga it wasn’t the spiritual aspect that
yoga it wasn’t the spiritual aspect that seduced me it was the workout but if it
seduced me it was the workout but if it
seduced me it was the workout but if it became a bigger part of my life and
became a bigger part of my life and
became a bigger part of my life and became a daily thing for me I started to
became a daily thing for me I started to
became a daily thing for me I started to notice changes in my psyche the anger
notice changes in my psyche the anger
notice changes in my psyche the anger that had so gripped me as a young adult
that had so gripped me as a young adult
that had so gripped me as a young adult was softening and I had become more
was softening and I had become more
was softening and I had become more introspective it took me a while Oh to
introspective it took me a while Oh to
introspective it took me a while Oh to recognize the link between what I was
recognize the link between what I was
recognize the link between what I was doing with my body and the changes in my
doing with my body and the changes in my
doing with my body and the changes in my mind and how I saw the world my movement
mind and how I saw the world my movement
mind and how I saw the world my movement practice had become the frame for my
practice had become the frame for my
practice had become the frame for my internal contemplation
internal contemplation
internal contemplation and her hours every week I stopped
and her hours every week I stopped
and her hours every week I stopped obsessing about the minutiae of my
obsessing about the minutiae of my
obsessing about the minutiae of my external life and I nurtured my internal
external life and I nurtured my internal
external life and I nurtured my internal one instead the more conscious I became
one instead the more conscious I became
one instead the more conscious I became physically the more conscious I became
physically the more conscious I became
physically the more conscious I became mentally now I have the privilege of
mentally now I have the privilege of
mentally now I have the privilege of witnessing this practice and this
witnessing this practice and this
witnessing this practice and this process every day
process every day
process every day let’s pause do you have any daily or
let’s pause do you have any daily or
let’s pause do you have any daily or weekly practices
weekly practices
weekly practices what are they why do you do them and
what are they why do you do them and
what are they why do you do them and what is gained from that practice for
what is gained from that practice for
what is gained from that practice for some of you it might be going for a run
some of you it might be going for a run
some of you it might be going for a run a walk swim some of you I know are
a walk swim some of you I know are
a walk swim some of you I know are Yogi’s perhaps you have a meditation
Yogi’s perhaps you have a meditation
Yogi’s perhaps you have a meditation practice or a journal maybe you’re an
practice or a journal maybe you’re an
practice or a journal maybe you’re an artist maybe you’re a musician have you
artist maybe you’re a musician have you
artist maybe you’re a musician have you ever thought of this as being your
ever thought of this as being your
ever thought of this as being your spiritual ritual could it be human
spiritual ritual could it be human
spiritual ritual could it be human beings are innately seekers Millennials
beings are innately seekers Millennials
beings are innately seekers Millennials are often referred to as drifters we are
are often referred to as drifters we are
are often referred to as drifters we are all just looking for a sense of
all just looking for a sense of
all just looking for a sense of groundedness within the fluctuations of
groundedness within the fluctuations of
groundedness within the fluctuations of daily life the spiritual compass is that
daily life the spiritual compass is that
daily life the spiritual compass is that which guides us it gives us direction
which guides us it gives us direction
which guides us it gives us direction and it takes us from the periphery of
and it takes us from the periphery of
and it takes us from the periphery of our experience to the core it coaxes us
our experience to the core it coaxes us
our experience to the core it coaxes us more toward behavior that lines up with
more toward behavior that lines up with
more toward behavior that lines up with our personal ethics and it creates
our personal ethics and it creates
our personal ethics and it creates awareness in our systems of what’s
awareness in our systems of what’s
awareness in our systems of what’s happening inside unfathomable events
happening inside unfathomable events
happening inside unfathomable events terrorist attacks devastating hurricanes
terrorist attacks devastating hurricanes
terrorist attacks devastating hurricanes they’ve always brought the faithful to
they’ve always brought the faithful to
they’ve always brought the faithful to their houses of worship
their houses of worship
their houses of worship and increasingly they bring the
and increasingly they bring the
and increasingly they bring the unaffiliated to a different kind of
unaffiliated to a different kind of
unaffiliated to a different kind of cathedral mine happens to be the yoga
cathedral mine happens to be the yoga
cathedral mine happens to be the yoga studio yours could be a mountain trail I
call this secular salvation and I argue
call this secular salvation and I argue that it counts just as much as kneeling
that it counts just as much as kneeling
that it counts just as much as kneeling to bow one’s head inside a temple or
to bow one’s head inside a temple or
to bow one’s head inside a temple or mosque a church or synagogue so what’s
mosque a church or synagogue so what’s
mosque a church or synagogue so what’s your spiritual compass close your eyes
recall a time a recent time when you
recall a time a recent time when you felt at peace when you felt reset what
felt at peace when you felt reset what
felt at peace when you felt reset what were you doing where were you what was
were you doing where were you what was
were you doing where were you what was it about that moment and that place that
it about that moment and that place that
it about that moment and that place that created feelings of peace
it’s likely that many of you didn’t
it’s likely that many of you didn’t envision a traditionally devout moment
envision a traditionally devout moment
envision a traditionally devout moment the cultural pivot away from organized
the cultural pivot away from organized
the cultural pivot away from organized religion is giving us space and
religion is giving us space and
religion is giving us space and permission to experience fluid
permission to experience fluid
permission to experience fluid spirituality running biking yoga
spirituality running biking yoga
spirituality running biking yoga meditation they’ve all become alternate
meditation they’ve all become alternate
meditation they’ve all become alternate sources of spiritual refuge places that
sources of spiritual refuge places that
sources of spiritual refuge places that we can go for self-study so what
we can go for self-study so what
we can go for self-study so what happened in my yoga class the day after
happened in my yoga class the day after
happened in my yoga class the day after the Marathon bombing people came
the Marathon bombing people came
the Marathon bombing people came together to reconnect to themselves and
together to reconnect to themselves and
together to reconnect to themselves and to one another and that familiar
to one another and that familiar
to one another and that familiar lightness of being that I detected in my
lightness of being that I detected in my
lightness of being that I detected in my students at the end of class as they
students at the end of class as they
students at the end of class as they filed out into their night it had come
filed out into their night it had come
filed out into their night it had come from spending some time out of one’s
from spending some time out of one’s
from spending some time out of one’s head and into one’s body the physicality
head and into one’s body the physicality
head and into one’s body the physicality turned on the technology of
turned on the technology of
turned on the technology of self-reflection that we all so
self-reflection that we all so
self-reflection that we all so desperately needed at that moment we
desperately needed at that moment we
desperately needed at that moment we live in a time of heightened anxiety and
live in a time of heightened anxiety and
live in a time of heightened anxiety and depression Facebook and Twitter feeds
depression Facebook and Twitter feeds
depression Facebook and Twitter feeds glowing rectangles political aggression
glowing rectangles political aggression
glowing rectangles political aggression all of this serves to take us out of
all of this serves to take us out of
all of this serves to take us out of ourselves but just as religious practice
ourselves but just as religious practice
ourselves but just as religious practice has done for so many for so long
has done for so many for so long
has done for so many for so long movement practice offers us a way back
movement practice offers us a way back
movement practice offers us a way back in it gives us a means of landing in
in it gives us a means of landing in
in it gives us a means of landing in ourselves so that when we go back out
ourselves so that when we go back out
ourselves so that when we go back out into the fray of the world we can go in
into the fray of the world we can go in
into the fray of the world we can go in peace if not via the Pew so
peace if not via the Pew so
peace if not via the Pew so what does it mean to be spiritual and
what does it mean to be spiritual and
what does it mean to be spiritual and not religious when did you last have a
not religious when did you last have a
not religious when did you last have a spiritual moment what about a religious
spiritual moment what about a religious
spiritual moment what about a religious one what’s the difference and does it
one what’s the difference and does it
one what’s the difference and does it matter I’d say it doesn’t what matters
matter I’d say it doesn’t what matters
matter I’d say it doesn’t what matters is that you have it whatever it is and
is that you have it whatever it is and
is that you have it whatever it is and whatever you call it and that you
whatever you call it and that you
whatever you call it and that you practice often because without a compass
practice often because without a compass
practice often because without a compass we have no direction and in today’s ever
we have no direction and in today’s ever
we have no direction and in today’s ever convoluted world this is dangerous and
convoluted world this is dangerous and
convoluted world this is dangerous and we risk getting lost
we risk getting lost
we risk getting lost we all need a source of serenity thank
we all need a source of serenity thank
we all need a source of serenity thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment