St. Ignatius of Loyola once wrote: "For just as strolling, walking, and running are physical exercises, so spiritual exercises are methods of preparing and disposing the soul to free itself from all inordinate attachments, and after accomplishing this, of seeking and discovering the Divine Will regarding the disposition of one's life, thus insuring the salvation of his soul."
In this handy paperback, Nancy Roth (An Invitation to Christian Yoga) offers a smorgasbord of exercises that can help you "integrate your physical health and your spiritual practices." The result is a salutary bringing together of body and spirit into bodyspirit. She reminds Christians that St. Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth said: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own. . . . Therefore glorify God in your body."
There are sections in this paperback examining Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, Strength Training, Aerobic Exercise and Dance. To give an example of Roth's perspective, here is a paragraph on the Alexander Technique:
"It is good stewardship of our bodies to evaluate our physical habits in order to discern whether we could be harming our bodies because of the way we sit or get out of chairs, or carry books, for that matter. Just as destructive emotional or psychological habits can upset the balance of our lives and sour our relationships, so too the body's bad habits take their toll over a lifetime. The goal of Alexander's method is the practical one of helping us become aware of the ways we move so that we can live more efficiently. For that, we often need someone else to point out the harmful patterns of which we are not aware, just as a good friend might confront us about attitudes or behaviors that are destructive."
A fine piece on walking includes material on meditation walking; walk, look and listen; pilgrimage; and labyrinths. Roth also gives examples of praying (contemplative, reflective and verbal) through the body. Finally, she adds a chapter on rest and relaxation as also part of maintaining a healthy spiritual life. Spiritual Exercises is a user-friendly work on keeping your body fit as an instrument for serving God.
