A congregation of the United Church of Canada
NOTICINGS…
May 25, 2022
I was introduced to this body prayer last week and I found it very moving and prayerful. The description below comes from the group that created it, from the tradition of a mystic named Julian of Norwich.
Please modify any of the positions to suit your own physical needs. There is also a video version linked below. It is really helpful, but I find it moves a bit too quickly for my liking. I preferred to pray this body prayer more slowly. I hope you’ll experiment!
Enjoy!
Please modify any of the positions to suit your own physical needs. There is also a video version linked below. It is really helpful, but I find it moves a bit too quickly for my liking. I preferred to pray this body prayer more slowly. I hope you’ll experiment!
Enjoy!
(Here is the description that accompanies the video on YouTube)
The 14th century Christian mystic, Julian of Norwich, once wrote, “The fruit and the purpose of prayer is to be ‘oned’ with and like God in all things.” This body prayer is a wonderful way to bring all of ourselves into the act of prayer, body, mind and spirit.
We have found this prayer. and body prayer in general, to be a great way to reclaim our bodies as valuable and loved. We believe this body prayer can help us resist the idea that the body is something we need to renounce or transcend in order to experience communion with God. Instead, this prayer invites us to be in our bodies, embrace our physicality as a way to ground ourselves, and find oneness with the divine and with all living things.
As you pray this prayer it can help you connect your heart, mind and body and to more fully experience God’s love for every part of you.
The prayer has four simple postures. And intentions:
AWAIT (hands waist high, cupped up to receive): Await God’s presence, however it may come to you.
ALLOW (reach up, hands open): Allow a sense of God’s presence) to come …or not…and be what it is.
ACCEPT (hands at heart, cupped towards body): Accept as a gift whatever comes or does not come. Accept that you don’t know everything, that you are not in charge.
ATTEND (hands outstretched, ready to be responsive): Attend to what you are called to, willing to be present and be God’s love in the world, however God calls you to.
(Click here for a video version of this body prayer)
Shalom,
Rev. Larry
Rev. Larry