Prayerways: Pray as you are

A lot of the time when we pray we think about different things, it is difficult not to be distracted. In our ‘Second Cup’ Lent Prayerways series Mtr. Kim reminded us to be mindful of our simple physical actions throughout the day, and turn them into moments of prayer.

The first step is to ‘tune in’—to come into yourself, and be aware of how your body is. You should feel at ease, and you can start this by becoming aware of your breathing. Then, ‘tune into’ the experience— what do you see? What do you smell, feel, or taste this very moment? It’s about connecting with your senses.

Slow it down—continue to be really aware of, and attentive to the sensations. Now, thoughts may come to our heads as we focus on our immediate environment and ourselves.

Notice deeply— there are many things that we do every day but we don’t engage deeply, such as eating and drinking. We are used to doing them in a hurry, we’re always in a rush. Let us be mindful of the first mouthful of our next meal, let the taste of that bite spread in your mouth, slow yourself down and change the experience.

Give thanks—you may be surprised by the experience, no matter how trivial it may seem, it may be different to what you expect. Give ourselves those little moments, and be immersed in them. Finally, if you felt the experience was good or positive, give thanks to God for all the gifts we receive, every sip of water, every bite of food, every step we take…these are all little, simple, and wonderful things.

 At the second cup meeting, participants were given a cup of sparkling water, here’s what they did with it:

First of all, start to feel at ease, start to become aware of your breathing.

 

Then, start to listen out, for noise, for the traffic perhaps.

Then start to be aware of yourself, your body, your senses.

Now look at the cup (filled with a bit of sparkling water).

Hold it in your hands and notice what it feels like.

Notice about the water. Can you hear the fizz? Can you smell anything?

Raise the cup really slowly. Don’t rush to drink the water.

Notice the sensation. Feel the cup touching your lips.

Now take a sip. Feel the water inside your mouth, what is your tongue feeling? Swallow.

Repeat if you wish. Think about the experience. Slow yourself down to connect with your body, and give thanks to God for the senses and the experience.

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