Body Prayer for Centering

This is a contemporary form of body prayer known as the Prayer of Julian of Norwich, a 14th century Christian mystic. The heart of the prayer uses four key words from Julian’s writings. The words are Await, Allow, Accept, and Attend. Each word has an associated body movement with it, which you may do either standing or sitting. However, you may also use those words – without the body movements – to pause and pray in a moment of anxiety or stress, in order to help you reconnect with God. This prayer is part of our weekly worship for the next few weeks.

Here are words for the prayer from Richard Rohr:

AWAIT (hands at waist, cupped up to receive):
Await God’s presence, not as you expect, hope, or imagine, but just as it is in this moment.

ALLOW (reach up, hands open):
Allow a sense of God’s presence (or not) to come and be what it is, without meeting your expectations.

ACCEPT (hands at heart, cupped towards body):
Accept as a gift whatever comes or does not come.
Accept that you are not in charge.
Accept the infinity of God’s presence, present whether or not you are aware.

ATTEND (hands outstretched, ready to be responsive):
Attend to what you are called to, actions that God invites you to from this stance of openness.