I guess I never thought of ‘mindfulness’ as ’embodied prayer.’ Book identifies physical acts of prayer. It makes sense to me to think of the various religious and spiritual rituals that involve people’s bodies doing something (“…receiving Holy Communion, lighting Sabbath candles, counting rosary beads or bowing their heads to say grace before a meal…”) as embodied prayer.
I’d agree with the author when he says, “We have to start to be conscious and mindful of what we do with our hands.” But mindfully opening a door is embodied prayer? How about my hitting a racquetball? Getting to second base with my wife? Typing up this Joe to Go? Yeah, it helps to be “in the present” during these activities but he loses me when he tries to apply it to everything.
Still, it’s been a long time since I got down on my knees. I wonder what would happen? [Thunder rumbles in the background.] Is that my answer? Naw. But I think I’ll keep my brain open to how body rituals could help my spiritual practices.