Praying with a Mantis

 

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”  Romans 12:1

 

 

I witnessed a beautiful thing in my backyard several years ago: an insect praying by the light of the moon.  My partner and I had gone out to admire the new construction of a fence around our yard.  On top of the highest fence post was a praying mantis.  I grew up knowing about praying mantis. The reason they are called such is because of the way their front legs are configured on their bodies.  Used for capturing prey, crawling, climbing, this set of legs is always in a position that looks like hands folded under the chin in prayer. 

 

The mantis in my backyard was particularly beautiful because not only did she pray by the light of the full moon with her “hands” in their usual prayer position--she prayed with her whole body.  It was amazing.  Her body swayed to what seemed to be music that only she could hear.  She slowly moved to face the moon directly, then she gracefully arched herself clockwise toward us, pausing at different points in her circumambulation until she faced us fully. It was as if she knew we were watching her and she was saying, “This is how you pray.”

 

Her message was one I have been trying to practice for several years now.  I believe there is power in the body at prayer.  Praying with our whole body engages ALL of us.  It opens us to prayer within us.  Praying with our bodies makes us aware of the gift of our physical selves. 

 

I believe this is what the Apostle Paul meant in his letter to the Romans.  He told them to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, which is their spiritual worship.  He then goes on to tell them not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of their minds.  What better way to worship God than with our whole body in prayer.  We are kept from being shaped by this world when we pray this way.  Body and mind participate in a dance of transformation.

 

I invite you this week to experiment with different prayer postures.  Pray in a fetal position, or flat on your back with arms outstretched and palms up.  You may want to dance your prayers.  Let the Divine Spirit animate you so that your prayers become part of every cell of your being.

 

Mantis: from the Greek root, “mainesthai” meaning “diviner” or “prophet.”  Who am I to ignore the message of a prophet?  Especially one who prays by the light of the moon.

 

 

Prayer: Come Holy Spirit and dance your dance in me.  Come breath of God and blow through my upraised hands, swirl in the turning of my face, waft in the arch of my back.  I worship you this day with the body you have graced by your indwelling presence.  Amen.