Recently, I was watching a yoga video that focused on strengthening the core muscles. Not participating, necessarily, but studying each stretch and marveling at the lack of flexibility I’ve developed through the years.
Seriously though, what even is our core?
It is our center. The most important part. The muscles in our stomach and chest that keep us upright. It is our foundation.
We often hear how important it is to strengthen our core muscles.
Here are a few benefits of doing so:
1 – Improve Balance & Stability – Balance is the first thing we lose as we age. It’s what helps us adjust as we move and keeps us from falling.
2 – Reduces and heals injuries – Core strength keeps our upper body and lower body working together.
3 – Improve posture – Correct posture engages the muscles up and down the spine. Our breathing improves and we don’t store tension in our neck and shoulders when we use correct posture.
4 – Eases everyday tasks – Everything we do from bending to lifting, sitting to walking is done using our core muscles.
Basically, when our core is out of whack, so are we. We can’t move, drive or do our jobs.
After watching the video, rather than stretching myself into all sorts of wonky poses on the floor, I decided to take a walk instead. There was less of a chance of me getting stuck in a permanent position that would render me useless.
Quite frankly, I simply wasn’t ready. My understanding of yoga didn’t match my muscle strength. My desire didn’t match my preparation. My core was weak. My balance; wobbly. My posture; bent and exhausted.
I couldn’t help but think about the parallels with our spiritual lives. It’s our core beliefs that we fall back on when we lose our footing. When our plans change. When life gets canceled or we’re unable to be together. Our core beliefs are what remain when we have nothing left.
Never have our core beliefs been so important. We can’t get them from the news, from our neighbors, or from our family. We can’t find them on social media or from Amazon or have them delivered by Door Dash.
Our core beliefs are intensely personal, developed with love over time, and hidden in our hearts.
Here are mine:
1 – God loves me; no matter what. This supersedes doctor’s visits, test results, job status, financial strain, a syndrome I’ve never heard of, weight gain, flat tires, clumsiness, missed opportunities, poor wardrobe choices, a messy house, messy hair, dirty dishes, too much candy at Halloween, an occasional eye roll or bad attitude, and the inability to do yoga stretches.
2 – He has a plan and purpose for my life, and I would be wise to stick to it. If not, I’m wasting my time, talent and treasure, and we don’t get these things back once they are gone.
3 – Relationships are the only thing I get to take to Heaven with us. So this is where I choose to invest my time.
4 – If it’s not on this list, it probably doesn’t matter.
By now, I’ve lived long enough and wrong enough to know that my core beliefs are what have helped me maintain my spiritual flexibilty.
And what is spiritual flexibilty?
The quality of bending without breaking.
No matter what.
And all you have to do is drop to your knees.
(Yoga mat not included.)
“This God-his way is perfect. The word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 18:30)
