Breathing Clean Air: Soul Care for Spiritual Climate Change

The other day I woke up to an orange sunrise and knew the smoke from nearby fires had settled over Seattle. As I finished my coffee I realized I was restricting my inhale. Safely indoors, I took a full, deep breath and thought about the families returning to their charred properties. What does it take to find the courage and stamina to rebuild?

A fire doesn’t just destroy a home, it damages an identity, a life . . . or at least threatens to. I said a prayer for those facing unimaginable loss, and asked God what to share about rebuilding with my yoga class later that morning. The words “clean air” came to mind. I considered not just the literal air that we so readily breathe, but the spiritual air. Eventually, after a fire levels something and smoke clears, we can find the raw materials to replace what was lost. But, what about our souls? In order to recover fully we must partner with Jesus, the master builder, in creating a spiritual climate of faith, hope and love. 

Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!  (Romans 15:13, MSG)

So, what is God inviting you to rebuild in your life this fall? How about in your calling as an instructor? I know some of you are working to rehabilitate your personal practice after an injury or make adjustments to accommodate symptoms of aging, while others are mourning a class venue, or even a yoga community. Perhaps you have been deconstructing your faith and feel like an imposter every time you lead. One of the most confusing spiritual climates of all is the loss of a dream - a cherished vision that will never come to pass. This is called intrapsychic grief, and requires deep excavation before creating a new blueprint can even begin. 

In my case, chronic illness brought my calling to teach into question. Being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 52, during the height of Covid, filled my lungs with self-doubt and dread. I feared I would have to give up my life’s work, and wondered if anyone would see me as competent if I tired easily, or had a tremor. Instead of filling my air space with belief, I hardly breathed at all. But with Christ, even the most uncertain situations are fertile ground. St. Ignatius teaches us that the desolation, or darkness of the soul that results in feeling distant from God, is an invitation to “persevere in patience” until the light returns.

So, where do we begin?

Rebuilding anything, external or internal, always begins with preparation. Luke 14:28 (ESV) reminds us, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” As followers of Jesus, we are called to assess our spiritual resources first. Facing so much uncertainty, I knew I needed spiritual companions to surround me, to pray for me. I didn’t immediately have the strength to make decisions, let alone step out in faith. I also knew that despite tingling and numbness in my arms and hands, yoga was a critical practice to sustain – not just taking classes, but teaching. Instructing is a gift from God that brings forth my true self in Christ. As a formational discipline it gives my soul breathing room and reminds me that God created me for a purpose. Spiritual practices are resources that act like scaffolding for our souls. Prayerfully consider what will support you in this season.

Next, it’s critical that we take in only clean air – that we dwell in an atmosphere of hope. Desolation can go unchecked and become embedded in our belief system. It acts like a burning ember that eventually causes self-destruction. My desolation started as physical fatigue, but eventually became a self-fulfilling prophecy. I caught myself saying, “I’m so tired” under my breath several times a day. When I returned to remission and accepted my diagnosis I was still inhaling fatigue, forcing my soul to take a weary posture. Transformation doesn’t occur under those conditions. 

Finally, we must maintain an eternal perspective, remembering that the lover of our souls is overseeing everything, and every detail of our formation in his likeness. Sometimes God brings a controlled burn into our life, and sometimes things just go up in smoke because we live in a broken world. Either way, the invitation always stands to rebuild and restore with the One who is making all things new. 

May we find the holy confidence Paul exudes in this declaration of our restoration: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). As Christ’s beloved, let’s take a deep breath of belief together and begin again.

Written by Katie Pearson

M.A., E-RYT 500, YACEP, Certified Life Coach through Christian Coach Association  

Be New Ministries, Coaching and Training for Your Whole Life: www.benewlifestyle.com

Katie supports and educates women through life coaching, yoga and other means of grace that renew the soul and shape us into the image of Christ. In addition to running Be New, she is Spiritual Formation Director at Living Soul Institute and starting seminary classes this fall at Seattle Pacific University.