Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
In cobblers pose, soles of my feet together, hips flowering to the floor – I welcome spirit and breath as they enter the playground of my physical form. Coordinating my limbs with the work of my lungs is a contemplative experience. It always has been. Adding the word or a meaningful song and its prayer in real-time – the most authentic expression of hope and grace with the members of a singular congregation. My body. My arms, legs, hands and toes are the members of a holy congregation. And the word? The word makes it … me whole.
My muscles quake from the encounter. Awakened by the effort of lengthening, stretching and pulling, I simultaneously resist and lean into the effort it takes to do the work. My body remembers what it feels like to live enlivened. It welcomes the presence of the Holy Spirit. I felt it in the snap, crackle, pop of my right hip. Something in my soul rose up to meet God in that moment. It’s a sweet healing and longing I can’t satisfy otherwise.
I’m a better me when I’m engaging in some form of physical activity. Period. I’ve decided to dance into my 50th year. If I get this right I’ll practice the peace of Jesus as I work out my physical theology. With an embodied wisdom I’ll re-frame the second half of my life with an intentional integration of the word with movement.
I’m leaning toward the inherent wisdom of the body. The body that remembers. The body that holds memories and is an integral part of what we call the mind…I’m walking toward 50 on a spiritual exploration of what it means to live the embodiment of the word. To do that I’ll peel back the multi-layered wisdom of the body for an encounter with spirit.
You’re invited.
Caring for, gently stewarding with grace the body you’ve been given – is a gift. There is something of the salvific in keeping covenant with your body. It’s how we re-assemble all the things that life pulls apart.
What does it look like to live into spirit through your body?
What does physical embodiment look like in praxis?
Let’s start nice and slow. With five movements. Take a moment to unwind with this scripture and the corresponding moments.
It’s easy to begin with common gestures, a few flips of the wrist, a pressing together of hands. So that’s where we’ll start. You can do it.
Join me as we get to the heart of Pslam 19:14
Let the words of my mouth (hands clasped in prayer touching lips)
And the meditation (hands cupped together and raised to forehead)
Of my heart (then lowered and crossed over the heart)
Be acceptable in thy sight ( raise arms, palms up )
Oh lord my rock and my redeemer. ( gently flip wrists, palms down )
Let your handmaiden find grace in your sight…#GiveMeGrace
♥
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