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Home , Kneeling, Prayer, Seven bow beginning

“When I , I love the beauty of bodies, the rhythm of movements, the shining of eyes, the embraces, the feelings, the scents, the sounds of all this protean creation. When I love you, my God, I want to embrace it all, for I love you with all my senses in the creations of your love. In all the things that encounter me, you are waiting for me.” (Jurgen Moltmann, Te of Life, 1985, pg. 331) Can the body be an instrument of ? Te traditional defnition of prayer that most of us can recite from memory is, “prayer is lifing the mind and heart to God.” Te more recent of the states, “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” Tere is little THE BODY AS AN INSTRUMENT reference to the body in these OF PRAYER defnitions of prayer. Dr. Tom Petriano

36 HD Magazine Volume 37 Spring 2017 37 Perhaps this is because of the long standing BODY AT PRAYER IN VARIOUS Child Pose, and while in the poses to ambivalence that has had toward the TRADITIONS their oneness with the subject of the pose Te human body, and the general disparagement of instructor pointed out that as one does these embodiment since the time of the Reformation. Te recognition of the place of the body in prayer poses, the practitioner is actually recognizing their Tis tension has been famously depicted in Pieter is by no means restricted to early and medieval connection with all living things. While some might Bruegel’s “Te Fight Between Carnival and .” Christian practices. One can fnd it present in many dismiss this as yet one more example of a misguided religious traditions. For example, in , , the instructor was tapping Bruegel’s painting depicts a busy town square where has since its inception been seen as a spiritual into an ancient about the body as a locus on the lef side we see Mardi Gras revelers and on the practice that incorporates mindful breathing and for spiritual experience, in a way that seems very right side, penitential Christians observing the strict posture. It developed as a way of satisfying the consistent with Christian in the Word that fast of Lent. According to historian Peter Burke, human desire to connect with the divine. Indeed, the became fesh. (Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe, 1978) the Sanskrit word yoga means to yoke, join, or connect. joust between a portly reveler and a gaunt penitent Tough the authentic spiritual dimension of yoga is Te signifcance of breath and breathing to the which occupies the foreground of the painting not ofen realized by those who see it as false practice of yoga is signifcant. Breathing is essential represents the opposition between the sacred and nor those who fock to health clubs to practice it to the postures and also to . In Sanskrit the secular and the bodily and the spiritual that for its physical benefts, the yogis who practiced the word is , prana being the word for characterized Reformation and Post-Reformation understood well the connection between the body breath or life force. In Patanjali’s famous Yoga Sutras, . He reminds us that early and medieval and the spirit. As Tomas Ryan points out in his it is the fourth of the eight limbs of yoga. It is hardly Christianity had a more holistic spirituality, one , Reclaiming the Body in Christian Spirituality: a coincidence that in Hebrew the word for breath that much more unabashedly incorporated the is ruah and it is the same word for spirit, the word material and bodily into religious without clear I propose that yoga is the one place in the culture used in Genesis 1 for the “spirit” that hovered over oppositions between spirit and body. Although it where the natural, human thirst for contact with the . Breath is at once something physical and God is being satisfed, even if such participants is not clear who won the confict between Carnival also non-material. As such it can be a reminder of the in the Hindu tradition. Diferent parts of would never use such language. And it is and Lent in Bruegel’s painting, it would seem the importance of not creating a binary opposition the body correspond to diferent spiritual qualities. happening there because it is in the body, frst and that Christian spirituality and ritual have largely between the material and the spiritual when we pray. (J. Philip Newell, Echo of the : Te Sacredness foremost, that God comes. neglected or, at least, marginalized the role of the Can we imagine breathing itself as a prayer? Richard of the Human Body, 2000). Tis use of the body in material and bodily dimensions of prayer. A renewed A recent conversation with a colleague about the Rohr reminds us that the name “Yahweh” was not prayer is deeply rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures appreciation of these dimensions and ways of impact of a yoga class in which she had participated spoken but rather breathed, a beautiful example where we fnd passages, like “Taste and see the incorporating them into prayer could certainly help reminded me of exactly this connection. She related of how in our very act of breathing, we are indeed goodness of the ” (Ps. 34:8); “O clap your hands, retrieve a lost dimension of Christian spirituality how the yoga instructor invited the class to be praying. all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy” and also expand the myriad of ways that one can (ps. 47:1); “Let them his name with dancing, mindful of the various poses they were practicing, It is not only Hinduism that ofers us an example encounter, worship and praise the living God. making melody to him with tambourine and lyre” e.g., Crow Pose, Downward Facing Dog, Eagle Pose, of the integral connection between body and spirit. (Ps. 149:3). In 2 6:6, we fnd David “leaping Posture and bodily movement are central to Jewish and dancing before the Lord.” In these examples, prayer, especially the Eighteen known and others, we see clearly the important role that as , which is the word for “standing.” Te the body plays in the experience of authentic prayer. involve a series of movements that include Undoubtedly based on the same recognition of the stepping forward and backward, and relationship between the body and prayer, we fnd a Breath is at once something physical and also non-material. As sometimes rocking back and forth. Te rocking similar approach in Islamic prayer. such it can be a reminder of the importance of not creating a binary movement is known as schuckling, from the opposition between the material and the spiritual when we pray. verb, shokel, meaning to sway. Tere are several For , the practice of praying fve times daily interpretations of the precise meaning of this is an obligation of their . Salat ()is the practice, but perhaps most interesting is the one that word for prayer. It is derived from the word comes from the tradition of the , where the selah, which is the word for relationship, and it is human body has certain energy centers much like the word for the prayer times that correspond to

38 HD Magazine Volume 37 Spring 2017 THE BODY AS AN INSTRUMENT 39 include circumambulating the Kabah seven times, out of body experience” (ignatianspirituality.com) traditions, can help expand our notion of prayer, a ritual gathering of pebbles and stoning of three In section 124, the retreatant is invited to “smell the making it more integrated with our whole self. Te pillars representing the devil, and the cutting of one’s infnite fragrance and taste the infnite sweetness of body can become a privileged place for experiencing hair. Tus in many ways, Islamic prayer and ritual the .” In this section of the Spiritual Exercises the loving and healing presence of God. Tere is incorporates bodily movement and gives recognition we are reminded that the fve senses are a powerful a line in the movie Chariots of Fire (1981) that to the important role of the body in prayer. way to encounter the living God. In her wonderful illustrates quite efectively how the body can be an book about praying with the senses, Ginny Kubitz instrument of prayer. At one point Eric Liddel, an Something similar can be observed in the Orthodox Moyer suggests very specifc ways in which all of Olympic runner and a devout Christian, is being practice of bowing, where there exist a number of our senses can become involved in the experience chastised by his sister for putting his devotion to diferent kinds of prescribed bows. Poyasny is a waist of prayer. In one section she talks about how roses running before his devotion to God. In a classic line bow and zemnoy poklo is a full and there appeal to multiple senses and present themselves to from the movie, he replies to her, “I believe God are strict rules about which bows are to be used on us as “autographs from the hand of God.” , made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. specifc occasions. Another common Orthodox candle smoke, the “odor of the sheep,” the smell of And when I run I feel His pleasure.” Liddel realizes practice that accompanies prayer is metania which lavender, and the background noises that make up that his running is in fact an act of devotion and involves bowing toward the foor and extending our day all present sacramental occasions through prayer because he is doing what God created him to one’s right hand open and touching the ground. Tis which we can encounter God. (Taste and See: do, and in doing it he is in fact praising God. gesture is performed when venerating an along Experiencing the Goodness of God Trough Our with the act of kissing the icon and lighting a candle Liddel’s response shows a very concrete way in Five Senses) before it. Te very act of creating an icon is itself which the body can give praise to God. Our bodies an act of prayer. And so in the Orthodox tradition, An insight of C.S. Lewis in Te Screwtape Letters are the expressions of our and our senses can we fnd yet another example of how integral bodily can also be instructive. In counseling his nephew be instruments of prayer. Touch, for example, can action is to prayer. Tis relationship was not lost on Wormwood on how to draw his “patient” away from be a powerful aid to prayer, but it need not be just St. Ignatius of Loyola for whom the fve senses were a the “enemy,” Uncle Screwtape ofers the following the feel of beads passing through our fngers, very important part of the Spiritual Exercises. advice: oil anointing our bodies or the water with which diferent hours of the day, each of which incorporates we bless ourselves. Feeling the air, the grass, or a signifcant amount of bodily movement. Te bodily IGNATIAN APPLICATION OF THE SENSES At the very least, they can be persuaded that the sand as we walk, or a caring touch when done activity begins with the ablutions () that are the bodily position makes no diference to their In Week 2, 5 of Te Spiritual intentionally can also be ways of experiencing the required before praying. Tese ablutions involve prayers; for they constantly forget, what you Exercises we fnd what is referred to in Ignatian presence of God. washing one’s hands, face, feet, arms, mouth, and must always remember, that they are animals and spirituality as the “application of the senses.” Ignatius nostrils. Tis prescription comes from the Qur’an that whatever their bodies do afects their souls. “Finding God in all things” is the First Principle and instructs the retreatant as follows: Surah 5:6. Ablutions are followed by prescribed (Screwtape Letters, Macmillan, pg. 20) Foundation of the Spiritual Exercises. Sensuality and movements known to Muslims as rakat, which “It is helpful to pass the fve senses of the imagination sexuality as part of our experience of embodiment involve a very carefully choreographed sequence of “Whatever their bodies do afects their souls.” What through . . . contemplation, in the following way: are therefore also aspects of our humanity through movements. Tese movements begin with standing a marvelous insight Lewis ofers us here into the Te frst point is to see the persons with the sight of which and in which we encounter the living God. As and covering one’s ears, followed by bowing, sitting, connection between the body and the soul! It is no the imagination, meditating and contemplating in Jane Vennard points out in Praying with Body and and prostrating, repeated various times, depending accident that Lewis was himself a medievalist, and, particular the details about them. . . . Te second, Soul, it is striking that words ofen used to describe on the time of day. as such, thoroughly acquainted with the spirituality to hear with the hearing what they are, or might be, sexual intimacy are also words used by many of the of the where there existed a much more talking about. . . . Te third [and fourth], to smell mystics. Words like ecstasy, surrender, vulnerability, In addition to praying fve times daily, Muslims are holistic sense of the importance of embodiment. and to taste. . . . Te [ffh], to touch with the touch, joy, and union occur frequently in the writings of required to fast throughout the month of . Examples of this can be found in the writings and as for instance . . . the places where such persons the mystics, and the Song of Songs, the book of the is another physical, bodily activity that practices of Julian of Norwich, Hildegard of Bingen, put their feet and sit, always seeing to my drawing about which more commentaries were written involves the physical sensation of hunger. Yet another or St. Francis of Assisi. than any other book, contains similar language. Te of the fve pillars, hajj, the to that proft from it.” (Spiritual Exercises, 121) sense of touch in all its varied dimensions can be Muslims are required to make once in a lifetime, also PRAYING – LITERALLY – “ON THE RUN!” Joseph Tetlow, S.J., in commenting on this section a powerful and beautiful form of prayer. Another involves a number of physical actions. Tese actions observes that “Ignatian contemplation is never an Tese insights from Christianity, and other religious important issue that emerges from this discussion

40 HD Magazine Volume 37 Spring 2017 THE BODY AS AN INSTRUMENT 41 of the role of physicality in prayer is the place of the 12, 2017) Pope Francis spoke of the disfgured Tere is so much to admire, to weep over. disfgured and sufering human body in prayer. To between the Transfguration and the And to write music or poems about. this issue we now turn our attention. Resurrection. “Between this beautiful transfguration Bless the feet that take you to and fro. and that Resurrection there will be another face of Bless the eyes and the listening ears. Tere is a story of a rather dramatic encounter that . Tere will be a face that’s not so beautiful. Bless the tongue, the marvel of taste. took place in November 2013 between Pope Francis Tere will be an ugly face, disfgured, tortured, Bless touching. and an Italian man Vinicio Riva who is severely despised [and] bloodied. Jesus’ entire body is like You could live a hundred years, it’s disfgured by a disease known as neurofbromatosis. something to throw away.” He added there are “two happened. Or not. During a general audience Pope Francis embraced transfgurations, and in the middle is Jesus Crucifed, In a way characteristic of so many of her poems, Vinicio in a way reminiscent of St. Francis kissing the Cross.” Te tortured sufering body of Jesus she recognizes, as did early and early a leper. Te action is typical of Pope Francis’s direct reminds us that embracing the sufering and pain Christianity, the centrality of the body as an reaching out to those who dwell on the peripheries which our bodies experience can be an expression of instrument of prayer. In modern times, due in of . In a recent interview (Feb. 28, 2017) with a prayer and a self-ofering. large part to Descartes splitting of the mind and a Milan magazine, Francis spoke of the importance the body, the essential unit of the two has been lost. of giving help to homeless panhandlers and also In her book, Becoming Wise – An Inquiry Into the Re-engaging the senses in the act of praying can added, “Te gesture is important, helping those who Mystery and Art of Living – Krista Tippet points give us a whole new understanding of prayer and ask, looking them in the eyes and touching their out that for much of history, religion was a full body myriad new ways of encountering, experiencing, and hands (emphasis added). Tossing the money without experience whereas Western culture today, for all praising the living God. In the words of Psalm 34: looking in the eyes, that is not the gesture of a its emphasis on sexuality, is deeply disembodied. “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” Christian. Teaching in is not about ofoading We have become out of touch with our bodies. It one’s own sense of guilt, but it is touching, looking is our bodies, she argues, that are “access points to ABOUT THE AUTHOR at our inner poverty that the Lord understands and mystery” and open to us deep truth about ourselves. saves. Because we all have inner poverty.” Tese Our bodies, even in their brokenness, tell us a truth Tomas Petriano, Ph.D. is Professor of words and gestures of Pope Francis remind us of the that our minds can obscure. It is ofen our physical QUESTIONS FOR and Chair of the Religious importance of doing the Corporal Works of as suferings that open us to the deep truth of who we REFLECTION Studies Department at St. Joseph’s College. acts of prayer. Matthew 25 reminds us that we touch are before God. It is important to be able to listen to He received his doctorate from Fordham God when we touch the homeless, the hungry, the our bodies and inhabit them with all their faws. It is 1. Te following exercise is suggested by Jane University and currently teaches courses broken, and the disfgured. But it is not only in the a beautiful and liberating realization that comes from E. Vennard in Praying with Body and Soul: in World , Religions of Abraham, disfgured bodies of others that we encounter the inhabiting and loving our own bodies and to know Complete the following sentences. , and Belief and Unbelief in living God; we also encounter the Lord as we deal that they are more than mere ciphers for our souls. the Modern World on the Brooklyn and with our personal issues regarding our bodies. Tey are an inseparable part of who we are. • I know God when I see ______Patchogue campuses of the college. • I know God when I hear _____ THE PRAYER OF A BODY IN PAIN MARY OLIVER WRITES IN HER POEM, • I know God when I touch ____ “THE FOURTH SIGN OF THE ZODIAC” • Te broken and disfgured body of Jesus on the I know God when I taste ____ • cross with his arms outstretched reminds us that our I know, you never intended to be in this world. I know God when I smell ____ bodies too in their brokenness and woundedness But you’re in it all the same. can also be a powerful but wordless ofering to God. So why not get started immediately. 2. Tink about times and ways actions and postures In a homily for the Second Sunday of Lent (March I mean, belonging to it. afect, even deepen your prayer. (Kneeling, prostration, sitting, walking, singing, etc.)

3. How can we be more open to our senses in a way Te broken and disfgured body of Jesus on the cross with his arms outstretched reminds that can enhance and expand our prayer? us that our bodies too in their brokenness and woundedness can also be a powerful but wordless ofering to God.

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