A spiritual guidebook for bringing prayer
into our bodies
The power of words is nowhere more evident
than when we use them to pray, but prayer is also the place
where we most often come up against the limitations of words.
In this intriguing book of reflections and accompanying
photographs, we see how our bodies, in particular our hands,
can give meaning to our prayers in a way that words alone
cannot.
Here are twenty-one simple ways of using
our hands to speak to God, presented in word and image. These
spiritual practices are from a broad range of religious
traditions—from Anglican to Sufi, from Buddhist to
Shaker. Some may be familiar, some new; all demonstrate the
universal importance people of all faith traditions have given
to embodied prayer. They teach us to experience the unique
spiritual enrichment that can be found when we pray with our
hands.
"Does a great service … by
bringing us back to the spiritual home of the body. It is a
journey we all need to make."
—Julie
Motz, author of Hands of Life: Use Your Body’s Own Energy
Medicine for Healing, Recovery, and
Transformation
"A much-needed antidote to the notion
that prayer is only a mental/verbal activity. Bodily movements,
especially with your hands, can play a vital role in
communicating with the Holy One. This beautifully written and
illustrated book shows and tells how."
—Paul
Walsh, president, Fellowship in
Prayer/Sacred Journey
"An inspiring book! Shows how our
hands can give meaning to our prayers, adding intensity and
power."
—Gertrud
Hirschi, author of Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands
Jennifer J. Wilson is a documentary photographer working in the
Boston area, capturing images of people where they worship and
where they live. Her work has appeared in the First Expressions
show in Boston and in other exhibits.
