Prayer

Recently someone told me that yoga is like church to them. I said, yes, I understand that. It’s prayer.

Usually when someone says, “Let us pray,” we all bow our heads and fold our hands together. But that is actually only one of many possible ways to use your body in prayer. When I was in seminary we learned the Orans prayer position – arms away from the body and lifted, hands open, face turned upward, as if to receive the world around us.

We students laughed because we were uncomfortable with it. It is the opposite of our usual prayer position. It’s like the difference between fish pose and child pose. And both have a place. Both are important.

But still, there are so many other ways to use your body in prayer, including a prayer walk. Just take a walk and try to stay open to whatever God might show you along the way – what you see, hear, smell, feel. And then, your response is your prayer.