It wasn't until Ben, a small group leader, called and asked us to join his group did that we agreed to add that to our weekly priorities. It includes, but is not restricted to, traditional practices such as: making a pilgrimage walking the Stations of the Cross and walking a labyrinth."When the sign-up sheet went around for people to commit to a small group, Nathan and I passed it up thinking that our schedule was full enough with other church related comittments. Prayer Walking can be done in any location at any time, sometimes alone, or with a group. In another article in this series I write about the usefulness of “Prayer Walking”, which can be a wonderful gift for those who like to get up and move around while intentionally communicating with God. Prayer while walking or running involves our whole body in prayer. Another way of involving children in prayer using parts of the body is the Five Finger Prayer, the details of which can be found at. Īnother way of using the body in prayer, and one that would appeal to children of all ages, is the use of body actions when reciting the Lord’s Prayer. These actions are shown on a You Tube video at. Accept the infinity of God’s presence, whether or not you are aware.ĪTTEND (hands outstretched, ready to be responsive): In this stance of openness, attend to the action(s) that God invites you to take. Julian wrote, “The fruit and the purpose of prayer is to be oned with God in all things.” In a Body Prayer that comes from the motto of the Order of Julian of Norwich, you take a few minutes to let your heart and mind’s attention sink deeper into your body, to remember your inherent oneness, through these simple words, postures, and intentions.ĪWAIT (hands at waist, cupped up to receive): Await God’s presence, not as you expect, hope, or imagine, but just as it is in this moment.ĪLLOW (reach up, hands open): Allow a sense of God’s presence (or not) to come and be what it is, without meeting your expectations.ĪCCEPT (hands at heart, cupped towards body): Accept as a gift whatever comes or does not come. Regardless of whether we are experiencing physical suffering, when we welcome and witness our body’s sensations with openness, we are also open to the presence of God in a way that pushes our busy minds out of the way. It was during her illness that she received visions, which she later recorded in Revelations of Divine Love. Julian of Norwich experienced severe bodily pain when she was thirty years old. This is one way of using our body in prayer. Join Hands: Joining our spirits with others in carrying out what God wishes for us. Open Hands: Letting go and listening to God and Praying Hands: Opening up and connecting to God In one meditation practice that I have used, after arranging people to sit in a circle close to each other, participants sequentially assume the following hand positions to guide them through their prayers.Ĭlenched Fists: Bringing to mind the anger, frustrations, and disappointments in life But being still is not always the best way. Teachers of meditation practices stress the importance of body position in prayer, particularly to aid in being still before God. In thinking about our individual personal prayer we often ignore the importance of our body. All of these actions are examples of using our bodies in prayer. We stand to sing and to say some prayers we kneel to confess and to pray personal prayers we sit to listen to Scripture and sermons some genuflect before the altar some make a sign of the cross at certain points in the worship service and some raise their hands in praise. The condition, position, and actions of our body play an important part in our spiritual life.Īlthough we may not think about it, we use several different body positions in our worship services to help us connect with God. Using our entire being in prayer helps us to pray with greater attentiveness. When our bodies are engaged in prayer, we are praying with our whole person. We are one in body mind and spirit, and prayer is not confined to our minds and hearts.
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