About Us

Mission

To meet people where they are, creating space for individuals to find healing, growth, and balance through breath, movement, and meditation by the power of the Holy Spirit, in the freedom given to us by Christ Jesus, for the glory of God the Father.

Vision

To create a healthy community of Christian yogis, fulfilling their God-given purposes with increased energy, freedom, and peace in mind, body, and spirit.

Core Values

Faith
- We believe that God is sovereign, good, and faithful. Thus, we find it essential to center our breath, movement, and meditation on him.
Fellowship
- We believe God created us for community. Thus, yoga is not just an individual practice, but a means of bringing people together. We show kindness to one another as we breathe, move, and meditate together.
Freedom
- We believe that Christ offers freedom from spiritual, physical, emotional, mental, and relational bondage. This is not a prosperity gospel, as we know that full and complete freedom will not be realized until Jesus returns. However, he is gracious as he offers some freedom here and now.
Flow
- The more we practice abiding in Christ, the more we will naturally live like him, going from a "forced" life to a "flowing" life.

More about us

Our Story

"Mercy in Movement was actually born from ashes. Thankfully, our God has a habit of making beauty from ashes. The journey began when I started my career in social work. I earned a Bachelor's in Social Work (BSW) with minors in Psychology and Bible. I began practicing as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and worked in fields of addiction, domestic violence, and behavioral health. This came from a passion to help others experience mercy, healing, and empowerment in their lives. Unfortunately, I quickly became discouraged as I discovered we were inadequately addressing our clients' needs. As we focused on emotional, mental, and social well-being, we missed two very important components in our approach: physical and spiritual well-being.

In my own healing journey (which is a much longer story), I discovered yoga to be extremely powerful as I released trauma from my body and experienced a much more mentally, emotionally, physically, and relationally balanced life. However, the spiritual component was still in question. Being a Christian, I fervently disagreed with Hindu and new age philosophies held by many yoga practitioners and was unsure how to reconcile the practice of yoga with my faith as a Chrisitan. Believing that God redeems all things for his glory, I started studying and practicing Christian yoga. The pieces clicked into place as I syncronized my breath and movement with Biblical truth and connection with YHWH, the one true God and the giver of breath.

I started my training through YogaFaith and became registered as a YogaFaith Trainer (R-YFT-200). This means that I learned to teach a trauma-informed, anatomical, Christian approach to yoga incorporating pranayama (breathwork), Christian meditative practices, and asana (physical postures). I am also a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) with Yoga Alliance. I started Mercy in Movement in hopes of helping others experience the holistic and balanced lifestyle that I had discovered."

- Madison Adekunle (Founder of Mercy in Movement)

Services

Vinyasa Yoga
- You'll definitely be moving, flowing from one pose to the next. Other than incorporating "Son" salutations, no two classes will be the same. It's the most popular style of yoga in America.
Restorative Yoga
- Typically practiced with props and postures are held for an extended period of time. This allows time for your mind and body to connect and release deep tension. This is a great way to end your day, especially for those experiencing anxiety or insomnia.
Power Yoga
- Physically and mentally demanding. Best suited for more athletic students, those that seek a challenge, or want rapid change in their body.
Bikram Yoga
- Also known as 26&2. Derived from Hatha yoga, it is the same sequence of poses every time and will always incorporate two breathing techniques. Usually takes place in a heated room for 90 minutes.
Yin Yoga
- Slow paced, poses are held for periods of 3-20 minutes. Focuses on applying moderate stress to and releasing connective tissues known as fascia.
Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga
- For expectant mothers or mothers who have already given birth. Prenatal yoga keeps the core strong, helps posture, and aid in preganancy aches and pains. It also helps develop good breathing habits needed for delivery. Expect lots of breathwork, a slower-paced workout, and practice with props as necessary.
Available for workshops, retreats, corporate sessions, and private sessions

*Mercy in Movement is not in alignment with nor practices Kundalini yoga (it is anti-Biblical and anti-Christ)

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach me at madison@mercyinmovement.com if you can't find the answer to your question.

Do I have to be a Christian to participate in Mercy in Movement?

Whether your relationship with Jesus is nonexistent, brand new, struggling, or flourishing, Mercy in Movement is for you. You do not need to agree with Christianity to participate. Wherever you are with Christianity, you are invited and encouraged to join and experience the mind, body, and soul benefits. However, you will want to be aware that the Bible may be read aloud, prayer may be included, and God may be discussed.

Are there age limitations?

Mercy in Movement is for all ages. However, not all classes offered are for all ages. Generally, adult classes are for ages 15+, especially given the fact that if the room is heated, it may not be safe for younger children. You are never "too old" for yoga, as there can be modifications for almost every posture using chairs, blocks, props, bolsters, etc. All are welcome.

What are the benefits of yoga?

Yoga has numerous health benefits. Yoga helps to regulate the nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, grounding and helping to alleviate stress and anxiety. Yoga can also expel toxins from the body, release trauma being held within the body, and boost mood by increasing the release of endorphins. Yoga can also help to increase mobility, stamina, strength, and flexibility.

Isn't yoga anti-Christian though?

No, yoga is not anti-Christian. Here at Mercy in Movement, we do not want anyone going against his/her conscience. So, if you feel wrong about practicing yoga, don't violate your own conscience. However, a lot of the rumors about yoga being demonic can be chalked up to "satanic panic". Yoga poses actually predate Hinduism and their origins are unknown. Humans have been moving and stretching as long as humans have existed. Many scholars believe that yoga actually originated in ancient Egypt, as several ancient artifacts from Egypt depict yoga poses, before the inception of Hinduism. Patanjali was credited with gathering and systemizing yoga in the Yoga Sutras, which is where we get this idea that yoga is inherently a Hindu practice. No disrespect to Patanjali, but we don't even who that is. We don't even know if Patanjali was one person or a group of people- we don't know anything except that Patanjali did not invent yoga- only compiled it in the Sutras. The reality is, God made our physical bodies and gave us various ways to stretch and strengthen them. That is good. Some people will use that for his glory. Unfortunately, a lot of people are going to take that good gift and pervert it into something evil. That's what the devil does. He can't create anything of his own, so he just takes what God has already made and perverts it. But that doesn't mean we have to reject God's good gift. It just means we musn't pervert it. In fact, the word "yoga" in Sanskrit just means to "yoke" or to "unite". Yoga is a way to practice setting our hearts and minds on our unity with Christ and then aligning are body and breath with that unity. When we practice yoga as a group of Christians, we practice unity with one another. It can be a very powerful form of living into our union with Christ. Some people will use yoga to "unite" with something evil. That's not a proper use of the tool. But that doesn't mean the tool is bad. In fact, I believe our God came before all things and that these wonderfully beneficial body postures belonged to him first. We have the freedom now to take them back. So, if you are interested in yoga or find it to be beneficial, don't let others shame you or scare you away from this good gift.