&N
St. Joseph
ativity
Faithfully Fit Yoga: Sharing in Prayer, Meditation and Gratitude
W
hen cultivating our spiritual life, it’s important not to neglect the connection between our body and our soul. Cindy Miller, who is a member of both St. Joseph and Nativity with her husband, Paul leads a ministry to help us nurture a healthy prayer life while promoting physical health, and gratitude for our blessings. Established as a way to help parishioners connect during the pandemic, Cindy and the Faithfully Fit Ministry offer gentle yoga combined with a practice of prayer, meditation and gratitude. “The mission of Faithfully Fit is to honor our body with gentle breath and movement and our mind with being in the present moment and our soul with the gift of meditation and prayer,” Cindy says. Cindy leads participants through simple, seated yoga poses, focusing on breathing and gentle stretching while using these movements as a way to center their minds on God and the contemplation of their many blessings. This simple approach offers physical benefits of increased strength, flexibility, and circulation while cultivating a state of inner peace. “Being more conscious of our blessings, we can go forth in life peacefully,” Cindy says. “We can serve as an instrument of our faith. As in anything in life, if we do this faithfully, we find the joy and peace we seek.”
Cindy has been a physical fitness instructor since 2000 and enjoys both what she is able to share with others through her instruction as well as the benefits from staying active herself. She has found that seated yoga, with the added focus on prayer and meditation, has helped her physically and spiritually, and she loves to share that with the faith community that is so important to her. “I love what seated yoga offers me,” Cindy says. “I can move and breathe and reflect, all within my own body and mind’s ability on each given day. I especially love seeing people improve their physical well-being and I truly know that within they feel the peace!” All are welcome to join Faithfully Fit whenever they are able. When the weather is nice, meetings will be held outdoors. The program is a holistic way to nourish your spiritual life and your body while connecting with fellow parishioners in a relaxing setting. Cindy hopes that Faithfully Fit helps parishioners grow in gratitude, peace, and closer to God. By sharing her gift for mindful fitness with her fellow parishioners, Cindy’s own faith and community have been strengthened. “This particular ministry comes naturally and comfortably for me to share with others,” Cindy says. “We all have a special talent that could be shared. We just need to find our own comfort zone.”
Be sure to check the weekly bulletin or the parish calendar for the Faithfully Fit meeting times and location. page 5
