Weekly focus: Prayer

Hey there.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "I've been driven to my knees many times before by the overwhelming feeling I had nowhere else to go."
I think that Abe Lincoln had a lot more on his plate, so to speak, than I do. Still, I find myself drawn to prayer in a similar fashion. It is a longing, a desire, like I, my soul, spirit, emotions, and physical body, need it for nourishment as much as my body needs water and food. I don't feel complete without it, lately. Probably Old Abe needed it to lighten his "plate", take some of the weight off. I need it to fill my plate so I can take it in. And now, this is probably going to sound really odd... but I'm not just drawn to a couple of quick prayers shot up as I quickly buzz throughout my day. Quite to the contrary...

One time, about 7 or 8 years ago, I had the great privilege of going to an Islamic mosque (I'm quite certain it was called a mosque.) It was meant to be an educational experience. Yes, the girls had to cover our faces. And no, we were not allowed to enter the area where only men are allowed. We watched from an "observation deck" up above. The man in charge spent a great deal of his time telling the men and boys why Islam was superior, as a faith and religion, to Christianity. One of his argueing points was this; "Muslims pray prostrate on the floor, forehead touching, arms outstretched, resting on our ankles, the way the Bible teaches us to pray," he said. As a prayer posture it stuck with me.

So now, as I contemplate and activate prayer and the surge of attraction I have to it, I find myself, at least once a day, in child's position (the yoga term for it) on the floor, for extended periods of time. It is truly amazing how calm, grounded, and centered I feel when I come out of this position. Of course, I can't walk for a few minutes, but it's worth it. So, this is my focus this week. It chose me.

I thought for a few days before writing this post. I thought, this may sound over-the-top, bizarre, not like something a real person would do. Here's the answer I received.
I am me. I am real. This is who I am. If I'm going to truly share my experience with my friends and family, why would I share a fake one? Besides, the sheer joy and profound peace I have found through prayer these past few days is so worth sharing. And so, as I write, I pray for anyone who is reading to have a moment of complete and peaceful self-acceptance.
Amen... So be it.

How do I rate this weeks focus? Prayer

Difficulty Level: Medium High... It's hard to calm down sometimes. Difficult to always know how or for what to pray

Fun Level: Prayer? Fun? Hmm... It makes life more enjoyable!

Spiritual Growth?: Who cares! It feels great!