Sun salutations and the Lord's prayer

My Mum, Auntie Sarah and Uncle Roger have a game they used to play in long car rides together. Someone would say 'Petrol!' and they'd all sit up, arms outstretched to the heavens, and then someone would say 'Wilt thou' and they'd wilt, arms hung and heads down. Auntie Sarah says that the 'Wilt Thou' movement seemed so perfectly congruent on all levels of meaning - a wilting of the body, an abasement of the soul to ask those precious words 'wilt thou forgive that sin where i begun...', a simultaneous gratitude for grace that has and is and will be fulfilling those words.

When I got out of bed this morning, still in my pajamas, I decided to do a 10 minute sun salutation sequence before the day properly began. As one movement was overtaken by the next, I realised how easily the focus and control on the physical leads to a mental and spiritual space that makes prayer:

Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Our Father

Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute) Who art in Heaven

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) Hallowed by thy name

Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend) Thy Kingdom Come Thy will be done

Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) On Earth

Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) As it is in heaven

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) Give us this day our daily bread

Feet to Hands (Transition) And forgive us our sins

Ardha Uttanasana (Half Standing Forward Bend) As we forgive those who sin against us

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) Lead us not into temptation

Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute) But deliver us from evil

Tadasana (Mountain Pose) For thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever.

Amen

The downward bends match the moments of prayer when you consciously honour the name of God, like bowing/Or when you ask for forgiveness, like entreating. The upward movements channel the joy of realising the glory of heaven and the power of of God. It all fits, body, mind, spirit, in harmony and worship and maybe that's why yoga feels so good, because it helps me worship and of course, that was what God made me for.