Prayer

Since ancient times human beings have instinctively expressed worship, prayer and praise through the use of gesture and movement. There are many examples of this in the Psalms. Yet in Western culture this instinct has been dulled and, in general, little attention is given to embodied forms of prayer.

Many of us feel uncomfortable with our bodies and this can cause us to shy away from connecting with our body in prayer. At the same time, we long to find ways to draw close to God with the whole of who we are.

Our bodies are the grounding for our being in this life - the means through which we become manifest in time and space. To offer our body to God therefore, is to offer ourselves.

Reflection

We all need time to slow down and take stock, and in those times, if we give attention to how we feel at a bodily level, we might notice tiredness, numbness, pain or tension as our body holds and processes our experience of life below the everyday level of consciousness. Paying attention to these cues can tell us when we need to slow down, take stock and invest in caring for ourselves.

Choosing to listen to our body allows the wisdom of the body to become accessible, and to be symbolised through imagery, posture, gesture and movement. In this way, cultivating embodied awareness may generate helpful insight and allow new meaning and possibility to emerge.

Healing

The experience of wellness and woundedness register in our bodies in many different ways. Even thoughts and feelings resonate at a bodily level, and this is why connecting with our body at a sensory and felt level can be such an effective way to support our wellbeing and journey into wholeness.

Whatever we want to give attention to, or work through, attuning to our bodies can help us to explore our experience, giving rise to new insight and awareness.

Embodied practice can deepen our ability to be present to what is, even when we are experiencing difficult or painful feelings, thus easing the way for release and integration.