Summary
A Mississippi woman admits that it's a bit unusual to see Yoga in a Baptist church, but her classes seem to be catching on. Traditionally shunned among Christians because of its Eastern roots, Yoga is now a weekly feature at Jackson, Mississippi's First Baptist Church. The teacher says she and her fellow practitioners say yoga enhances their own Christian spirituality.
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http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050212/FEAT05/502120318/1023
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Laney, 52, a cancer survivor, is featured in the film, The Fire of Yoga, which premiered Thursday in New York City.
Sitting crossed-legged on a yoga mat, Susan Mason drew her palms together at her chest and folded her torso over a Bible on the floor.
As yoga teacher at Jackson's First Baptist Church, Mason integrates Christian spirituality into a physical art with Hindu roots.
And though some Christians shun yoga because of its Eastern origins, Mason embraces the practice that helped heal her body and spirit after debilitating cancer treatments.
Susan Mason, performing a lunge with a spinal twist, teaches yoga classes at the First Baptist Church Christian Life Center in Jackson.
To honor the world's faith traditions, Laney's studio is decorated with a variety of Eastern and Western religious images including small statues and pictures of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the Buddha and Hindu deities.
"Just because something is not decidedly Christian doesn't mean it's anti-Christian," Laney said.
New York City-based filmmaker David Conway said he made the documentary because he wanted to tell the story of the transformative power of yoga.
He decided to feature Mason when he learned that yoga not only deepened her Christian faith, but helped her recover from cancer treatment.
After her cancer treatment and a subsequent broken collar bone, Mason took up yoga because she wanted an exercise that bridged the gap between physical therapy and an aerobic workout.
"I liked the idea of Christian
yoga because I like so many other people had the misconception that yoga is some sort of Eastern religion," she said.
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Monday, February 21, 2005
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