When we say the word "prayer", images of darkened rooms, flickering candles, and quiet reflection usually pop into most peoples' minds. But prayer is about communication with God, and communication can take many forms. For some people, quieting the ruckus in their minds is much more easily accomplished not through stillness, but through motion.
For thousands of years, many Asian cultures have practiced meditation in motion. One such art is Tai Chi. Though a martial art, it is also an excellent way to quiet the mind, center the body, and open your heart to the Lord. The flowing sequences of memorized movements allows one to expend nervous energy and anxiety, and the repetition acts like white noise, helping block out the thoughts that can interfere with prayer.
Likewise, regular exercise can be used in this fashion. Putting your body through its paces of familiar exercises can help raise your overall energy, improve your focus, and make it far easier to listen for what the Lord has to say. It's as if the exertion of one's physical being occupies the body so completely that the mind is left to other things.
Spirituality & Prayer Tip #1: Whatever form of exercise you choose, whether it be weight-training, running, martial arts or anything in between, it can be combined with prayer to create a good spiritual workout as well. Exercising the body and the soul -- the ultimate in cross training!
Train hard but pray harder,
Brandon Jubar
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