About

Daily Bread Yoga is a community of people who practice yoga together in collaboration with local faith communities in Champaign-Urbana. The weekly yoga classes and monthly retreats take place in the buildings of Partner Congregations as a practice of hospitality, outreach, and advocating for the spiritual, mental, and physical health of the whole community. Because the classes take place in churches (instead of a “traditional” yoga studio with high rent & costs), this keeps the cost of the yoga class very low, making yoga more accessible to everyone.

What is Yoga?

Yoga comes from the word yoke; to bind, to unite, bring together. I describe what we do in a yoga class as – going through the body, to quiet the mind, and rest the spirit. We all experience that binding of mind-body-spirit in other ways, like running, gardening, knitting, swimming, hiking, painting, and so many other ways. The physical practice that we do in a yoga class is actually called asana which means seat for prayer. Asana was created as a way to quiet our busy, chatty minds in order to be able to pray and meditate. That’s all it is — going through the body, to quiet the mind, and rest the spirit.

Hi! I'm Rachel Bass-Guennewig.

I have been teaching yoga classes and retreats through this thing called Daily Bread Yoga since about 2010, although I have been teaching yoga since 2007. My background is as a Lutheran pastor. That is the how/when/why I got into yoga. I was burning out as a parish pastor and found relief and rejuvenation, physically, mentally and spiritually, through my practice of yoga. Yoga made sense to me. I was quickly drawn to learn more about yoga, deepen my practice, and teach yoga myself.

All my classes and retreats take place in churches because I really believe that yoga is a wonderfully rich spiritual practice suited for communities of faith, be it Christian or not. While my background is as pastor, I am not a “Christian Yoga” instructor, nor do I ever refer to God, Jesus, or any other Christian words or notions in my yoga classes. I do this in part so that all people know and feel welcome and included, regardless of faith background or lack there of. Also, because such complex and meaning-full words pull me straight back into my head and out of the experience of my body.

I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training CITYOGA in Indianapolis with Nikki Meyers, an innovative yoga instructor who has created Y12SR – Yoga 12 Step Recovery; a yoga practice supporting people in addiction recovery. I have also trained with James Fox of Prison Yoga Project, and Off The Mat-Into The World’s Leadership Training of Yoga for Social Change. Most recently, I completed Advanced Studies (and continue to train) with Mind Body Solutions, in Minnesota, a world renowned center for Adaptive Yoga, founded by Matthew Sanford, an incredible yoga instructor and practitioner who is paralyzed from the chest down.

I am truly so grateful to be able to do this work and be a part of the wonderful community that has been formed through Daily Bread Yoga classes and retreats. If you are interested in having your community of faith be involved, or want to know more about classes, retreats, or private sessions, please contact me at dailybreadyoga@gmail.com.

Peace on your head.
Rachel Bass-Guennewig

Speaking

If you are interested in having Rachel speak to your faith community about yoga, lead a retreat or special class or simply get involved with Daily Bread Yoga contact her directly at rachel@dailybreadyoga.life.

Partner Congregations

Partner Congregations host Daily Bread Yoga classes and retreats throughout Champaign, Urbana, and Philo. These congregations recognize that Daily Bread Yoga offers a unique, embodied spiritual practice that is more accessible to the wider community, regardless of their faith background, that is deeply needed for greater health and wellness. This collaborative effort has created an alternative model for practicing yoga, allowing Daily Bread Yoga classes and retreats to be substantially less expensive than a yoga studio or health club, thus making yoga financially accessible and welcoming to all people.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Champaign

Grace Lutheran Church, Champaign

Philo Presbyterian Church

St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign

St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Urbana

University Place Christian Church

Wesley United Methodist Church

Contact Rachel for more information about becoming a partner congregation. 

“Once people feel nourished and refreshed, they cannot help but be kind; just so, the world aches for the generosity of a well-rested people.” 

- Wayne Muller

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