Body Prayer
/“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Body Prayer is a contemplative way of bringing your body more consciously into your prayer life. Christianity is an incarnated spirituality where matter, matters. Our bodies are vessels, not simply designed to hold Spirit, but are living, breathing miracles infused with God. We are Christ-soaked in mind, spirit, soul, and body.
Our five senses are the best portals to experiencing God. The experience of our body matters and body prayer helps us consent to, receive, imitate, and live for God.
You can create your own body prayer simply by moving your body in a way that responds to the presence and action of God in your life. However, you can also use certain passages of scripture and create body movements to align your heart, mind AND body into your prayer. For example, how would you move if you were to pray “The Lord’s Prayer”?
In the fourteenth century, a now-famous teacher and mystic in the Church, Julian of Norwich, developed a body prayer, to connect to her loving God in dark and turbulent times.
Begin by grounding yourself, expanding toes and rocking gently to feel center of gravity. Take at least three belly breaths, bringing mind-body-spirit to this moment with the intention of centering down into God’s presence in this present moment.
AWAIT | Hands at the waist, in cupped position Posture of waiting as a vessel to allow the presence of God to come.
ALLOW | Reach up, hands open and outstretched posture of receiving God’s presence, to come in whatever form God may come or not come.
ACCEPT | Hands placed on heart centerPosture of acceptance, taking what comes, accepting what comes or does not come, releasing feelings of control, and accepting what is here and now.
ATTEND | Hands outstretched forward, palms up posture of attention, willingness to move into the call, willingness to act or refrain from acting, based on what is given.
End by taking several deep breaths or relaxing sighs, noticing what has moved in you, what has changed or not changed, what was challenging, or what posture was most inviting. Breathe deeply again with gratitude of God’s presence within and without, and end with Julian of Norwich’s prayer:
"All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."
