Embodied Prayer As A Spiritual Practice - Prayer in Motion: 5 Days to Relieving Stress and Praying with Your Whole Self

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12, NIV)

“In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17: 28, NIV)

“...honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20, NLT)

Movement helps you release stored-up stress and embrace the power of hope. Personally, in my own journey, gentle movement helped me move out of a season of complete exhaustion from long-lingering depression. It seemed a bit counterintuitive. I was so tired and unmotivated. I felt like I had no energy to move at all. But when I started moving anyway, when I began just simply walking, gently and slowly, I began to feel alive again. Slowly, as I moved (and took my medicine and went to therapy), the symptoms began to ease, the fog began to lift, and I started enjoying my life again.

Movement alone can definitely benefit your mind and body. The science is undeniable. But as with anything we do, when we invite Christ into the process through prayer and connect with Him in the small moments and movements of our day, we attach our soul to God and open the doorway of communion with Him. This is where true abiding peace is found: in the presence of the Prince of Peace Himself.

Embodied prayers incorporate gentle body movements as you intentionally turn your heart to God in prayer. These prayers consider the whole self—mind, body, and soul—leading you to notice the sensations in your body while also paying attention to the presence of God with you.

This is not some wild New Age concept. Throughout Scripture, we see prayer as more than just words and thoughts. It is an embodied experience that engages every part of our being.

A variety of physical postures and movements of prayer and worship can be found throughout the Bible:

• KNEELING. “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker” (Psalm 95:6 NIV). Daniel knelt and prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10). The wise men fell to their knees and bowed before the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:11). Jesus prayed on His knees the night He was arrested (Luke 22:41).
• HANDS RAISED. “Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands” (1 Timothy 2:8 CSB). “So I will bless you as long as I live; at your name, I will lift up my hands” (Psalm 63:4 CSB). “Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD!” (Psalm 134:2 CSB).
• CLAPPING. “Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!” (Psalm 47:1 ESV). “This is what the Lord GOD says: Clap your hands, stamp your feet, and cry out over all the evil and detestable practices of the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 6:11 CSB).
• DANCING. “Praise his name with dancing” (Psalm 149:3). “David danced before the LORD with all his might” (2 Samuel 6:14).
• LYING PROSTRATE ON THE GROUND. “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped” (Job 1:20 ESV). “Abram fell face down on the ground” when God spoke to him (Genesis 17:3). Moses lay prostrate before God for forty days and nights, interceding for Israel (Deuteronomy 9:25).

What if instead of just pushing through the stressful days, you tried praying through them? What if you could begin to experience every movement of your body as an invitation to pray, every breath and every heartbeat as a reminder of His provision and love, and every sensation as a gentle invitation to be present to all that is right now in this moment?

The rhythm of your life can become a beautiful melody of prayer when you invite God into all the moments and movements of your day.

An Embodied Prayer for Today

(Sit in a comfortable position and slow your breathing. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly as you pray this prayer.)

Lord,

In Your presence, I will simply breathe.

I inhale and I exhale. Every breath is a gift of Your grace.

I breathe in Your love; I breathe out my worries.

I breathe in Your grace; I breathe out my fear.

As I breathe, I give You thanks. You give me breath and life in every moment and movement, and You will give me everything I need.

Amen.