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No, yoga isn't a religion. Hindu is. However, yoga provides a framework to help you live a little more in line with your religion. American yoga teachers might mention the Yoga Sutras in their classes, and the sutras themselves give you tools how to reach union with the object of your desire. It's similar to what St. Teresa of Avila talks about in Interior Castle. The aim in yoga (and contemplation) is union or oneness. It's up to you with whom you want to be unified. Background music by Chris Collins at Indiemusicbox.com.

A lot of courses, books, and workshops promise shortcuts to enlightenment or spiritual awakening. They bypass the challenging and the boring and stick to the sensual. Most of them appeal to some of our base desires, such as a desire for adoration or riches. Even if they achieve temporary liberation, it curves inward rather than outward. It perpetuates the self rather than serves the Self.

Social media is full of way too much noise. Not only are many of the posts full of distracted and anxiety-producing energy, but the comment section is often full of emotion-laden vitriol that lacks rational thought. All of this social media content and comments keep us in a state of shock and fear. No wonder we’re all suffering from anxiety and stress. Rather than respond with something impulsive, think again. Ask yourself, how will this post be received? Does this build bridges? And most of all, what does this say about my own character? Does this reflect who I really want to be?

Valentine’s Day can usher feelings of resentment for those who aren’t in a relationship. But this year, Valentine’s Day falls on the same day as Ash Wednesday, where Christians go to the spiritual desert and reflect on their relationship with God. We practice simplicity and do away with something we know gets in the way of our relationship with God. During Lent, every day is Valentine’s Day as we put our love and longing for The Beloved first.

How easily our emotions pull us out of control! It's one thing to feel an emotion, but it's another to let it run rampant in our brain. Add some impulsivity in there, and you've got yourself quite a conflict. Handling our emotions and impulsivity can be a difficult task, so that's why we turn to a stillness practice. This is training the mind to pause rather than react to the conflicts in your mind and in your world. Practicing stillness allows you to harness your emotions and impulsivity so you can use that energy to create positive, purposeful change without regret. Starting Sunday, February 18 at 7 a.m., I'll be leading a live, virtual Christian contemplative practice on the Insight Timer app. You can find a new, live contemplative practice each week by heading to my Insight Timer profile: insighttimer.com/brad4d_wellness

In our “go for it” impulsive culture, there’s little patience for things to ripen and arrive at the proper time. We want to seize the day out of enthusiasm, but sometimes the right choice hasn’t fully matured or materialized…yet. God’s promises are slow, and this can test our faith and patience. But perhaps that’s the point.

Social media and website analytics can tell creators which posts and pages get the most engagement. Marketers tell you to create more content similar to that so you can increase your audience. Rather than create content that is authentic and inspired, we’re tempted to create content that is simply about worldly profit. Meanwhile, the content and creators who are truly authentic remain on the periphery. We’re left with content that emphasizes worldly values and hedonistic behaviors.

Lent begins (of all days) on Valentine’s Day. Many people might give up drinking or sweets for Lent, which is fine because it serves as a reminder of God as you resist temptation. This year, I’m giving up political news for Lent. While it’s important to stay abreast of what’s going on in the world, many of us turn to political news only to have their ideas confirmed. Yet that leaves us not only bitter but also less compassionate towards those who might disagree with us. That’s not being very Christ-like. Lent is about walking with Jesus and removing any habits, behaviors, or objects that get in the way of loving God and one another.

Many books, courses, and videos promise quick fixes to finding peace and joy. There are no deep secrets to having joy and peace. Rather than gathering more knowledge or more methods to secure more joy in your life, it’s a matter of taking things away. It’s also a matter of realigning your life around the true source of joy and peace.

Politics and marketing often manipulate spirituality so it persuades us into believing what’s profitable for them. Then we’re blinded by fear and desire to the extent that they become idols. Our spiritual truth becomes watered down or even distorted by those who have something to gain from us. A spiritual revolution means rooting out idolatry, materialism, and fear and return to the virtues and values that are at the core of our spirituality. It’s about scrutinizing our own words and actions to see how they stand up to what we profess to believe.

How often have you found yourself leaping away from your meditation or prayer space when a great idea arrives? I’ve noticed when my distracted mind wants to have its way, a thought will arrive with urgency. I cut my time in centering prayer or meditation, thinking I must act immediately. Most times, it can wait. This cultivates patience and weakens impulsivity. If we just sit, we teach our busy minds to remain still.

Evangelists, theologians, and philosophers love to talk about God. Some will try too hard to convince you towards their point of view. But what does it say about their relationship with God? If you consider God like a spouse, how much time and energy do you spend talking about God rather than investing in the relationship itself? We can over-intellectualize God without spending much time in love.