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PDF versionSix gestures of the morning praise
by Joyce Rupp on Apr. 30, 2010
Each morning when I arise I begin the day with these six gestures. I join spirit and body in praising the Holy One and offering my thanks for life. As I do the gestures, I say a one line prayer and then remain in that posture for a brief time.
mike301@dreamstime.com1. Offering the Creator praise and gratitude:
Stretch your arms high and wide above your head.
I thank you, Holy One, for the gift of another day of life.
2. Intentionally being aware of my spiritual bond with all of creation:
Hold arms out from your sides, a little below shoulder height. Move (pivot) to the left and to the right with your arms stretching outward toward the cosmos.
I reach out in compassion to my sisters and brothers throughout the universe.
3. Offering my life to the Holy One:
Stretch your arms out straight in front of you, slightly apart, palms up.
I give to you all I am and all I have.
4. Opening to accept what the Holy One offers me this day:
Pull your hands close together and cup them as a container.
I open my entire being to receive the gift that you have waiting for me in this new day.
5. Remembering to be kind to our planet Earth:
Bend over, reach down, and touch the floor, or better yet, the ground, if you are outside.
I touch this planet, Earth, with awe, reverence, and gratitude, promising to care well for her today.
6. Awareness of the indwelling presence of the Holy One:
Stand up, cross hands over your heart, and bow to the waist.
May I be united with you throughout this day, aware of your love strengthening me and shining through me.
From Out of the Ordinary: Prayers, Poems and Reflections for Every Season by Joyce Rupp
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Prayer action suggestion:
Make these six gestures your own.
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Thanks, but I'll stick with
Thanks, but I'll stick with the morning office. Better watch out for the elites here at NCR, they might confuse the physical gestures here with the excessive bowing and scraping of the EF Mass; then you will feel the lash of their tolerance.
Perhaps one could confuse the
Perhaps one could confuse the two,if they wanted to, but the "excessive bowing and scraping of the EF Mass" is distracting for some of us. And it is part of a PUBLIC Liturgy. The EF emphasis seems to be on form rather than substance.
The sister's PRIVATE devotional should be distracting to no one and irritating only to those who choose to let it be.
Better to not reply than say
Better to not reply than say what you said, Mr. McG. I'll bet that you felt really stupid when you read all those positive, supportive responses. Somehow, dualistic thinking doesn't work in the setting of this very spiritual experience.
I, for one, did the gestures as I read them. These gestures reminded me of St. Dominic's 'Nine Ways of Prayer' adapted to the 21st century. I felt so much closer to God than just saying words of prayers.
Thank you so much, Joyce.
What a beautiful way to start
What a beautiful way to start the day.
Nice! Thank you for sharing
Nice! Thank you for sharing your prayer practice... JM
Thank you for this wonderful
Thank you for this wonderful reflection. I am doing this from our computer room. Joyce, you are blessed. Sr. Alicia
What a beautiful way of
What a beautiful way of starting the day :-) Thank you so much.
Dear Sr. Joyce, That's
Dear Sr. Joyce,
That's what I call a great way to wake up, and a good lesson in reality orienteering. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing ways of
Thank you for sharing ways of being connected to our inner spirituality as well as to be connected to the Earth and world.
I do a cleansing exercise qi
I do a cleansing exercise qi gong outside every morning, what a great way to end my exercise with morning prayer to our wonderful father thank you for the tip!!!!
I sent a comment on this to
I sent a comment on this to you directly Ms Dubb. Why do you use "she" in reference to the earth? Hypocracy, inconsistency and just plain sillyness.
What a lovely
What a lovely reflection/morning practice! Thanks for posting it.
Beautiful way to start the
Beautiful way to start the day. Thank you.
Dear Sister, Thank you so
Dear Sister,
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful practice of love and awareness. I will add it to my yoga practice each morning.
Carolyne
A new tightly preference of
A new tightly preference of assorted characteristic munch
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