arrow prayers

I recently posted about the way that a simple hug can help us reconnect.  (Click here for the link.) 

Wrapping my arms around someone can help my heart engage and get to that place of connection. 

In the same way, I have found that when I use my body in prayer (through a bowed head, open hands, raising hands, being on my knees, putting my arms across my chest in a sign of love, etc.), 

I am also helping my heart engage and get to that place of connection.  

I feel like I can use all the help I can get to engage in prayer in this distracted world in which I live and I have much to learn so I will try to listen and pay attention as my body leads my heart and soul to deeper places.  Oh for the grace to trust Him more! 

This post below is from a wonderful blog called Artway and it speaks to this gift. 

"The Arrow at a mere 16 x 32 cm hangs unobtrusively in a monastery foyer. At first glance it appears to be a simple, swiftly drawn sketch, but its simplicity soon reveals an intentional, intrinsic dynamic of control of line and subtle brushwork. It is done in black inks on white architectural design paper.

Further, The Arrow seems to be framed in such a way as to complement its meaning. The figure has stretched himself out to the ultimate measure. His feet are arched as far as possible without toppling the torso. The tips of the fingers are almost to the edge of the frame as if his desire reaches above and beyond his own limits of space. At the same time, like every finely shafted arrow, there are varying places of flexibility in its slender spine that gives the impulse to the spin, which we see in the dynamism of the spiraling lines of the wrists. It is this spin that gives the last impetus toward its target. 

Who is this monk figure with his head thrown back and face turned toward the light and his forehead reflecting it? It is in fact an image of St. Dominic at prayer. But this is not just any kind of prayer. This is the seventh manner of prayer out of a list of nine ways of prayer ­­­that St. Dominic was observed to pray regularly. The Nine Ways were written down and illustrated c. 1278. Since then the work has become a Dominican spiritual classic. I cite what it says about The Seventh Way of Prayer­­­­­­­:

 “While praying, he was often seen to reach towards heaven like an arrow which has been shot from a taut bow straight upwards into the sky. He would stand with hands outstretched above his head and joined together, or at times slightly separated as if about to receive something from heaven. … The Arrow, the seventh way of prayer, was not a manner of prayer that he remained in for long periods of time.” 

We do not know who the author of the above was. Personally I would venture to say that he or she must have been a well intentioned observer of the spiritual leader, as the description and illustration have a kind of gentle, curious keyhole sense about them. The author/illustrator has surely given us a description clear enough to inspire imitation even up to the present day. From a quick survey of the other eight kinds of prayer one suspects that St. Dominic definitely appreciated the fact that one’s physical stance or disposition can be conducive to prayer and that each position disposes one to different ways and intentions of prayer"

. http://www.artway.eu/artway.php?id=465&action=show&lang=en