Body Soul Bliss

Yoga instruction and metaphysical consulting.

Personal training for the whole person.

The "sun and moon" theme, which is the emblem of the Community of Francis and Clare, comes from St. Francis, "The Canticle of The Sun," which says:

Praised be You, my Lord,

with all Your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day

and through whom You give us light...

Praised be You, my Lord,

through Sister Moon and the stars,

in Heaven You formed them

clear and precious and beautiful...

A variation on this song was recorded by Donovan and is perhaps best known from the 1972 movie about the life of St. Francis, "Brother Sun, Sister Moon."

The early church fathers Ambrose and Augustine saw the sun as a symbol of Christ and the moon as a symbol of the Church.

The sun/moon theme has other meanings as well, representing masculine/feminine, revealed/hidden, or the Chinese yang/yin.

The Sanskrit word "hatha" in "hatha yoga" is translated "sun-moon" implying balance of male and female, body and soul.

The ancient yogis understood health as something which is not only physical, but also spiritual: wholeness. The spiritual aspect of health is something which is only now beginning to be acknowledged by mainstream medicine in the west.

The word "yoga" means "yoke" or "union" -union of body and spirit, of heaven and earth. In the modern world, yoga is often treated as mere physical exercise, or even acrobatics, completely ignoring the spiritual dimension. On the other hand, religious traditions have tended to focus on the soul while neglecting the body, regarding it as unimportant or even perhaps evil. Let us remember that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Many Christians, including Franciscan monks and nuns in Assisi, do yoga as part of their spiritual practice. Jesus said "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mat. 11:29).

For a more in-depth discussion of this and other fascinating yoga-related topics, read my blog: http://blog.lothlorienyoga.com

Do you feel alienated from your body?

Is your soul weary?

Does your life seem empty?

Maybe you're doing ok

or even great by worldly standards,

but still find yourself asking,

"Is this all there is?"

You desire intensity but nothing satisfies.

Many people today suffer from existential ennui. There is a disconnect from life. Perhaps you believe in God, yet the Divine seems distant and you have no joy. Or maybe you don't believe in anything. That's ok.

Wherever you are on your journey, I'm here to walk beside you and help you discover how yoga can change your life. Learn to love your body, reconnect and find your Bliss!

Already found It? Great!

Go deeper at Body Soul Bliss and celebrate through breath and movement.

At Body Soul Bliss we don't follow any particular modern style. I teach classical old-fashioned yoga for the whole person, body and soul, adapted to suit your individual needs as yoga was originally intended. My goal is not only to help you attain physical fitness, but also inner peace. You will leave here feeling spiritually refreshed, ready to meet life's challenges and to be a channel of blessing to yourself and others.

Private and semi-private classes in yoga and pilates are available at various times during the week by appointment at Lothlorien House. The classes are small - a maximum of 3 people - so you will receive plenty of individual attention and be able to proceed at your own pace according to your own level of experience and comfort.

If you can join a gym for $40 a month and have daily yoga classes, why should you come to Lothlorien? Well, if finances are a concern and all you are looking for is a good workout, a gym is fine. If you like the excitement, the energy, the sweat, the smell, the sounds, checking out and/or flirting with lots of attractive people, then certainly you should go to the gym.

If, however, you want to experience yoga on a deeper level, the spiritual as well as the physical aspects, along with pilates, dance,

and/or personalized fitness training in a tranquil environment with one-on-one attention, then Lothlorien is the place for you, and you will find that the benefits are well worth the investment.

Body Soul Bliss LLC

5704 Arnold Road, Panama City, FL 32404