We find ourselves, more than ever, yearning for a place to be together.
[The Yoga Church provides] a regular opportunity for me to show up for reflection, teaching, meditation, and connection. It’s an easy way to plug in when my life feels overwhelming between parenting and working. —LC
Let me tell you! The practices with Marci and Summer and the Yoga Church Community are so good. They’re having a positive effect on me. My partner said he noticed a difference in my thinking and my reaction to people and things that used to get under my skin. I’m more positive and I let things go mentally that are out of my control. I’ve noticed I have more spring in my step. The teachings and practices make a big difference. —MH
And the depth to which we can grow and support one another feels endless.
This community has been a lifeline during challenging times. There aren't many places to study these teachings with both intelligence and heart in a way that they can be applied to real life. I love Summer's teachings and support. And there is so much wisdom in the community at large. It helps me view my situation through a different lens, and to find different ways to show up. —NJ
Yoga is both a state of being and the practices that help us reach that state of being. It’s a vast spiritual science that includes so much more than postures. The root of Yoga is yuj, which means union. Yoga is the union of God and Self. When we use words like “God and Self” we know that language always falls short. We’re talking about things that exist beyond language. We encourage everyone in our community to use the words that most speak to their heart.
And speaking of words, we know the word “church” can be triggering for some. We get it. Here’s what we mean when we say it: Church is a word that signifies a community of people gathered together to explore and honor ideas of meaning. While the word church is most often associated with Christianity, it’s used by several non-christian groups including Buddhists and even atheists.
The Yoga Church Community is made up of diverse people with different religious experiences and understanding—from every faith tradition and none—unified by our desire to live lives of intention, meaning, and mystery.
Together we study the deeper dimensions of yoga practice and wrestle with big questions so that we can practice loving ourselves, our communities, and our world well.
Together we explore our passions and curiosity. We share our anger and our laughter. We help each other move through struggle and celebrate joy. We mark the changing seasons with ritual and blessing.
Together we study and practice the many tools of yoga so that we can feel grounded, respond to emotional upheaval with intention, and figure out our next, right action.
Yoga Church always seems to offer a new perspective to deal with whatever challenge I’m experiencing in the moment, whether that’s through a quote, spiritual text, a new physical practice, or something another attendee said - and most often a combination of all of those. It’s teaching me ways to pause and reflect rather than react to challenges, and it’s helping me make choices to steer myself toward the things that are most satisfying, positive, and aligned with how I want to live” —MM
We're breaking down the walls of individualism.
We’re saying NO to the myth of perfectionism.
We're defining our own spiritual paths.
Will you join us?
I get a lot out of this community. I’m very grateful that I have these connections that I wouldn’t otherwise have… During all this, my gosh, I don’t know where I would've been if I hadn’t been able to reach out to you guys. So thank you. —D.A.
Before Yoga Church, I never thought yoga had anything to do with social justice. And it has everything to do with social justice! It really does. —MA
Our weekly and monthly offerings are themed around the teachings we explore at the Yoga Church Sunday Gatherings, which provides a rhythm and consistency that supports our effort to bring these teachings into our everyday lives.
And don't worry if you can’t join us live, you'll have 24/7 access to the practice library, which is packed with classes of different lengths and different themes to support you in whatever way you might need on any given day.
We honor and value the wisdom that lives in the body and recognize the healing and transformative power of intentional movement. Our asana practice gives us the opportunity to listen deeply to the voice of the body.
Through slow, accessible movement, breath work, and meditation, we embody the deeper teachings we’re always exploring. We come to practice with no expectation that we'll all look alike or have the same experience.
The Yoga Church asana classes have definitely helped me better manage my anxiety and even my anger issues. Each week, I look forward to practicing yoga with Marci, Summer, and the rest of the Yoga Church family. The asana classes are a welcome break, especially during the workday. I am also applying what I am learning in the asana classes to my workouts at the gym. The asana classes continually impact my life in countless, positive ways! Thank you! —MA
The Yoga Church is grounded in the ancient texts of yoga and together we're working our way through the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and several of the key Upanishads.
In Sacred Study we explore new ways to weave the ancient teachings of yoga into our everyday living. It’s a reminder to come back to center and ground ourselves in something other than the noise and distractions we all deal with.
I love that Summer manages to make it intelligent, spiritual, heartful, and practical. It's a grounding and loved part of my week. —NJ
Over the years we've built an abundant library of courses. They include written teachings, reflection questions, personal practice ideas, themed asana practices, guided scripture study, and (from time to time) art classes. These courses will support your efforts to dive into the deeper teachings of yoga.
And through our ongoing study, we're always adding new ones! As a member of the Hub, you'll have 24/7 access to this vast resource.
The Hub is our space to keep the conversations flowing. We can share ongoing reflections and follow-up on ideas and resources after practices and gatherings.
We can post, share, comment, and like without distraction, without clickbait or ads, without algorithms controlling our experience. We've built the Hub through Mighty Networks (a private and secure platform) so we can trust that our information and posts are safe and not owned or shared by anyone.
We met at CITYOGA School of Yoga & Health in Indianapolis back in 2010 (during our 200hr teacher training) and we’ve been friends ever since. We believe in the power of community and recently asked ourselves: “Why should we work alone when we can work together?”
And so here we are... Building an online community where people can come together and be real (with themselves and each other). "What’s real now?" is one of Summer’s favorite questions and "warts and all" is one of Marci’s favorite sayings. We don’t want a polished version of who you think we want you to be. We want the real you. And we want to be the real us.
One of the most beautiful things we can imagine is a community where we trust each other enough to show up as our authentic selves and find the courage to move toward our highest potential.
We hope you'll join us! If you have any questions about the Yoga Church Community Hub, don't hesitate to contact us. (Click here to contact Summer or click here to contact Marci).
Summer Cushman (founder of the Yoga Church) holds an M.Div. from the Earlham School of Religion, is a certified (500hr) Viniyoga Teacher through the American Viniyoga Institute, and a certified Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
Summer works to create spaces where people can uncover and connect with the Divine Light that always, already exists within them. She leads workshops and retreats around the country, teaches online philosophy courses designed to help people create transformative personal practices, and publishes the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons, a free weekly offering delivered to your inbox. She also—and maybe this is her favorite—works with people one-on-one to dive deep into the hard work of moving beyond the patterns that cause them pain.
Summer lives on 15 wooded acres in Custer, WA (100 miles north of Seattle) with her beloved husband and two standard poodles. She's passionate about ancient scripture and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She's obsessed with learning and takes way too many online courses (but she loves them all!).
Marci Becker is a Certified Health & Wellness Coach, experienced yoga teacher (E-RYT 200 & RYT 500), & a continuing education provider through Yoga Alliance (YACEP). In a former life (when she thought she wanted to be a high-powered CEO) she also earned an MBA...
Yoga has been transformational for Marci and she loves to share the practice with everyone who will let her. It has provided support to her in the smallest areas of her daily life as well as in the hardest and darkest hours. She's worked with a variety of folks... youngins just learning to walk and youngins who are beyond 90: all can benefit from the practices of yoga.
Marci has lived in Bloomington, Indiana since 2004 and enjoys traveling, softball, volunteering, hiking, biking, and spending time with loved ones. And she loves building things: houses, garages, relationships, and communities... it's all good!
There are three official Membership Plans. You’ll find them below. With integrity, choose the one that fits your financial resource availability. No matter which option you choose, you’ll have the same access within the Hub.
No one is turned away because of money (you're more important than money). If the cost of the reduced rate is still prohibitive for you, send us a message and we’ll happily figure it out. We want you with us! For those who are well resourced, the supporter rate helps us make this community available to everyone.
Click here to contact Summer or click here to contact Marci.