Thanks to Front Gate Media and Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Gifts for providing this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

During this past Lenten season; instead of giving up chocolate, caffeine (a total loss for all involved), or other things of the sort; I decided to add to my life. Adding an activity or event that would ground me, improve me in some way, and perhaps even teach me along the way.

I attended my first FS8 session on Friday, Feb 13. I survived, but I surely had a long journey to go. FS8 is a low- impact full body workout that uses pilates (reformer and mat), yoga, and traditional strength training. It's not the proper pilates that was developed by Joseph Pilates, but the workouts are still intentional in movement, in checking in with your alignment, and with your body. 

I've now completed 13 classes and am much more aware of what my body can/ can't do; and how I treat it on a regular basis. Add in some restore yoga practices, and I've definitely noticed how stress can do a number on our skeletal alignment and muscle tension.

Why am I telling you all this? It's because I believe that we can be intentional about moving our bodies while being grounded in prayer. While the traditional yoga practices come ancient India's spiritual practices; I believe that all people can ground themselves, their breathing, and their minds in their own spiritual disciplines, regardless of the God they believe in. Some might think that's cultural appropriation; but if yoga is about breathwork, meditation, and union of the soul, body, mind; why not?

So this brings me to a new book. Jennifer Tucker's Prayer in Motion aims to connect our bodies, minds, and hearts with God. She writes ways for us to become fully present with ourselves during our prayer practices. 

She also shows us unique and different ways to pray that do use our body. Posture, hand gestures, and tension do matter. Grounding ourselves in God's love also means loving ourself and leaving tension behind; whether it's through somatic stretching or by body scanning.

The book opens with explantations on prayer as movement and invites the reader to utilize one's entire body while making prayer as a spiritual discipline. 

Something that struck out at me was that "movement helps you release stored- up stress and embrace the power of hope." 

Stress, developed from living life, can either immobolize us, or we can listen to our bodies and find ways to control it. 

Of course we know this: sitting at a desk too much? Movement helps. Stiff after a day's car drive? Movement helps. Yet, knowing and doing are two different things; and often we are too busy and disassociate the pain, the stress, and our bodies.. and rush through our prayer practices too.

What if, we took the time to develop movement into our prayer practices? After all, people in Ancient Israel did and many religions still do today. Clapping, laying on of hands, prostrate (falling flat on the floor), kneeling were all ways that people prayed to God, while moving and living.

Jennifer suggests that our entire lives; breath, movement, energy, work are prayers. She also reminds us that despite any physical limitations or disabilities, our prayers are never limited by what we can and cannot do. 

What if we could do that? Have every part of our life as prayer, the stressful and good days? I find myself wondering if I could really focus that much to remind myself that all breath in me is prayer. 

The second half of the book offers practical ways to live our lives in motion and prayer.

• Somatic Stretching
• Muscle Relaxation Techniques
• Creative Expression (think Prayer Via Color)
• Walking
• Tuning in with nature