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BodyPrayer: The Posture of Intimacy with God
It’s possible for prayer to become so routine that it’s almost meaningless. Head-oriented prayer can focus on getting the words just right, while leaving out the rest of who you are. BodyPrayer helps you become fully engaged in prayer as you connect with God using more than mere words.
By practicing various postures of prayer–many of them identical to those modeled in Scripture–you will open your life more fully to God. Body prayer involves all of who you are as you enter into communion with God, either individually or with other believers.
Join Christians throughout history who used their entire being as a prayer–in expressions of joy, gratitude, and entreaty, as well as worship and devotion to God. This biblically based guide will help you practice a richer, more meaningful expression of prayer–one that involves your body as well as your soul.
This is prayer that goes deeper than words.
Engage your physical senses in a spiritual discipline…
If your spirituality lacks passion, you can find new life in the ancient practice of body prayer. When you adopt postures that express the burdens of your heart, you bring all of who you are into God’s presence.
BodyPrayer invites twenty-eight ways to involve your entire being as you connect with God. Whether you pray in submission with forehead touching the ground, or in exaltation with arms outstretched and eyes raised to heaven, you will find new spiritual vitality in prayer that expresses all of who you are.
Avoid the recitation of empty words and move your prayer life into the realm of whole-life engagement. When you use your body to express what words often fail to say, you are drawn closer to God. Body, soul, and spirit.
By practicing various postures of prayer–many of them identical to those modeled in Scripture–you will open your life more fully to God. Body prayer involves all of who you are as you enter into communion with God, either individually or with other believers.
Join Christians throughout history who used their entire being as a prayer–in expressions of joy, gratitude, and entreaty, as well as worship and devotion to God. This biblically based guide will help you practice a richer, more meaningful expression of prayer–one that involves your body as well as your soul.
This is prayer that goes deeper than words.
Engage your physical senses in a spiritual discipline…
If your spirituality lacks passion, you can find new life in the ancient practice of body prayer. When you adopt postures that express the burdens of your heart, you bring all of who you are into God’s presence.
BodyPrayer invites twenty-eight ways to involve your entire being as you connect with God. Whether you pray in submission with forehead touching the ground, or in exaltation with arms outstretched and eyes raised to heaven, you will find new spiritual vitality in prayer that expresses all of who you are.
Avoid the recitation of empty words and move your prayer life into the realm of whole-life engagement. When you use your body to express what words often fail to say, you are drawn closer to God. Body, soul, and spirit.
- GenresPrayerSpirituality
160 pages, Hardcover
First published November 15, 2005
10 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Doug Pagitt
24 books7 followersDoug Pagitt is the head pastor of Solomon's Porch in South Minneapolis and a Senior Fellow with Emergent Village: a generative friendship of missional church leaders around the world and a leading architect of the emergent church discussion.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 20, 2010
This review first appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café (http://jacobscafe.blogspot.com/2010/1...).
This post is part of my series on prayer books. This was one book in the series I purchased and did not receive a complimentary review copy.
BodyPrayer was one of the first books I purchased by Doug Pagitt, and I love it. He is currently posting excerpts from the book on his blog, so that's a great way to get a free introduction to the book. He is also offering a special discount on several of his books, including BodyPrayer.
This small hardcover book is also written by Kathryn Prill and illustrated by Colleen Shealer Olson (when one of the authors is well-known, others get overlooked, so I don't want to overlook them! :) ). The size makes it very user-friendly, as it is quite mobile. One of the practical difficulties is that with it being a hardcover, it doesn't always stay open on its own. So if you're trying to do a prayer posture while reading, it can be a challenge! :)
As indicated by the title, a major focus of this prayer book is not as much on contemplative prayers or meditations (although short ones are included in it), but rather including our bodies in our prayers. As the authors state, so often we forget about our bodies when engaging in prayer and with our spiritualities. As I often discuss on this blog, an Incarnational approach, recognizing the humanity of our spirituality, is very important. This is one of the few prayer books that is centrally Incarnational, which I appreciate.
The authors note that including the body in prayer actually has a long history in Christianity, although we often forget about it in Western Christianity. They offer several suggested prayer postures for various themes and events. One of the things I particularly appreciate is that they explicitly state in the introduction that these are not meant to be formulaic or perfect solutions to prayer. Rather, they are suggestions, essentially prompts for us to engage in prayer in deeper, more holistic ways. I think just approaching prayer slightly differently like this can be particularly powerful.
This book has helped me remember to pay attention to my body during times of prayer and make sure that I posture myself in a way that is most meaningful during that particular prayer. I also used it a couple of years ago during a spiritual formation presentation at my church to help people engage more holistically. There was some initial awkwardness, but people generally had a positive reaction to it. So this book can definitely be used both individually and in a group.
This post is part of my series on prayer books. This was one book in the series I purchased and did not receive a complimentary review copy.
BodyPrayer was one of the first books I purchased by Doug Pagitt, and I love it. He is currently posting excerpts from the book on his blog, so that's a great way to get a free introduction to the book. He is also offering a special discount on several of his books, including BodyPrayer.
This small hardcover book is also written by Kathryn Prill and illustrated by Colleen Shealer Olson (when one of the authors is well-known, others get overlooked, so I don't want to overlook them! :) ). The size makes it very user-friendly, as it is quite mobile. One of the practical difficulties is that with it being a hardcover, it doesn't always stay open on its own. So if you're trying to do a prayer posture while reading, it can be a challenge! :)
As indicated by the title, a major focus of this prayer book is not as much on contemplative prayers or meditations (although short ones are included in it), but rather including our bodies in our prayers. As the authors state, so often we forget about our bodies when engaging in prayer and with our spiritualities. As I often discuss on this blog, an Incarnational approach, recognizing the humanity of our spirituality, is very important. This is one of the few prayer books that is centrally Incarnational, which I appreciate.
The authors note that including the body in prayer actually has a long history in Christianity, although we often forget about it in Western Christianity. They offer several suggested prayer postures for various themes and events. One of the things I particularly appreciate is that they explicitly state in the introduction that these are not meant to be formulaic or perfect solutions to prayer. Rather, they are suggestions, essentially prompts for us to engage in prayer in deeper, more holistic ways. I think just approaching prayer slightly differently like this can be particularly powerful.
This book has helped me remember to pay attention to my body during times of prayer and make sure that I posture myself in a way that is most meaningful during that particular prayer. I also used it a couple of years ago during a spiritual formation presentation at my church to help people engage more holistically. There was some initial awkwardness, but people generally had a positive reaction to it. So this book can definitely be used both individually and in a group.
July 23, 2009
Christian prayer and worship have long histories of incorporating movement into them, though that history is frequently hidden these days. This book is a simple, straightforward, and deeply rich way to open up the Christian prayer life to involve more of our bodies, more of our sensations, and more of our selves.
Pagitt and Prill offer 30 reflections on various prayer topics -- from kindness, beauty and hope to global transformation. Each section has a brief description of the quality mentioned, a beautifully-written prayer, and a meaningful movement to make while praying. The movements are simple, yet specific. The prayers are quite poetic. The structure of the book allows for several different ways to access the prayers (by subject, scripture, or randomly). I found the act of reading the book to be quite sacred and touching, and the act of making the gestures even more so. Also, if you get your own copy (instead of the library copy I have) there is room to journal your own reflections on each prayer.
My short review is, I plan to get this book at the first opportunity, and not ever be without it again.
Pagitt has been a key pastor in starting the Emergent movement. Prill I am not yet familiar with.
Pagitt and Prill offer 30 reflections on various prayer topics -- from kindness, beauty and hope to global transformation. Each section has a brief description of the quality mentioned, a beautifully-written prayer, and a meaningful movement to make while praying. The movements are simple, yet specific. The prayers are quite poetic. The structure of the book allows for several different ways to access the prayers (by subject, scripture, or randomly). I found the act of reading the book to be quite sacred and touching, and the act of making the gestures even more so. Also, if you get your own copy (instead of the library copy I have) there is room to journal your own reflections on each prayer.
My short review is, I plan to get this book at the first opportunity, and not ever be without it again.
Pagitt has been a key pastor in starting the Emergent movement. Prill I am not yet familiar with.
August 18, 2007
Shameless.
October 15, 2007
gave me lots of creative ways to enhance my prayer times and how to teach about prayer
April 15, 2017
If you are looking for something to use for personal prayer this may fit your need.
I would have preferred more of a historical approach with some traditional postures and what they have meant. This seemed more based on the authors creation then anything else. There is nothing wrong with them and they could work for some people.
I would have preferred more of a historical approach with some traditional postures and what they have meant. This seemed more based on the authors creation then anything else. There is nothing wrong with them and they could work for some people.
September 8, 2017
Ever need to pray without words, but feel and experience the Gods presence. This is a great. Great for trying something new and different!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews