Be Still and Know that I Am God. (Psalm 46:10)

Prayer position, classically taught, is one of stillness and drawing oneself inward. We ready ourselves by shutting out the world around us so we might enter the gentling, sacred world within.

We seek a quiet place, so that what we hear will not distract us. We close our eyes so that what we see will not distract us. We fold our hands together so that what we touch will not distract us.

Then, with our senses quieted, we are ready. Ready to listen to the still small voice within. Ready to leave the world’s news to recall The Good News: that we are loved endlessly by an unstoppable God.

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And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. (2 Samuel 6:14-15)

What if there is another, an additional way to engage with boundless, unstoppable Love? What if — just for an experiment of contrast — instead of finding God in physical stillness, we call upon what is lively and holy within us as place to begin?

If you will, enter into the sacred, either sitting or standing. Soften your gaze just a little.

With the tips of your fingers tap lightly on your head, beginning at the top, moving around the skull. Hello sweet head. Good morning 10 billion neurons. Keep moving three soda cans worth of blood. Plump up! Thank you, God, for brains.

Move your fingers to your face, tapping (gently) on the sinuses, temples and around your eyes. If the sensation is too much, move your fingers to a different place. If it feels good, linger. Don’t forget your ears. Tug on them gently and stick out your tongue. Thank you, God, for eyes and ears.

Move to your neck, tapping oh so gently or swiping down lightly with open fingers. Sweet, busy neck, connecting head to torso, body to mind. Information channel. Seeking swivel. Thank you, God, for necks.

When you get to your upper traps, pause, and ask what they need, gentle swiping with open fingers, rhythmic tapping or a good squeeze. Hello, big old muscle, extending from the occipital bone in my skull to below my ribs. Thank you for keeping me from face-planting into my keyboard. How about letting go, just a little? Thank you, God, for muscles.

Tap lightly on your chest. Hi heart! You good? (Did you know that brain cells are found both in your heart and in your gut?) Good job, heart, pumping plumpness and vitality to the entire body. Hello lung twins! Put your hands an eighth of an inch from your lower ribs try to breathe into them. Thank you, God, for heart and lungs.

Move to your arms. Swipe your right hand quickly down the outside of the left arm and then turn at the fingertips and come back up the inside of your arm. Outside down, inside up. Nothing precious here. Contact as much skin surface as you can. Repeat with the right arm. Thank you, God, for arms and wrists and hands.

Move to your gut and rub in an oval. Right hip to lower right rib, across the diaphragm to the left ribs, down to the left hip, across the belly, back to the right hip. Hello puppy pile of organs! Uncurl and shake yourselves out. Stretch. Wiggle and giggle. Don’t forget the kidneys. Tap lightly on them. Allow the blood to flow, plumping pink and purple. Thank you, God, for good old guts!

Continue down to your hips and legs. Hi legs! Your leg muscles are large muscles. You can use soft fists to tap on these large muscles. Tap your hips and glutes. Work your way down your legs, both the inside and outside. Don’t forget your ankles and feet, both top and bottom. Thank you, God, for legs and feet.

Before you return to upright, cup your palms and scoop some earth energy. Bring it with you as you straighten and pour it over your head. Reach your arms to the heavens and wiggle your fingers, sprinkling heavenly love on your body.

Ahh…. take a couple of breaths and relax your body.

All that you have tapped is loved. All of it. All of you. You are lovely and lively and infused with love. Your Creator has made you, designed you, and adores you.

You are radically, unstoppably loved.

Now you are ready to pray.