People are obsessed with meditation and I can see why...

People are obsessed with meditation and I can see why...

Meditative practices often integrate body, soul, and spirit in it’s therapeutic methodology. But few in our western, American culture realize this is also part of the Christian tradition.

In the Christian tradition, the relationship between the body and soul is profoundly intimate. The idea that we are "psychosomatic" beings — a unity of body and soul — is central to how we approach prayer, piety, and contemplation. This is beautifully reflected in the teachings from The Philokalia and other writings of the Church Fathers, who emphasized that our spiritual life is not something that floats above our physical existence but is fully integrated with it.

Take, for instance, the idea of the “center of your belly” or the “navel” as a focal point in prayer. This phrase, which might seem odd or overly physical to modern readers, points to a deeper truth: the body is not separate from the soul. When we pray, we don’t just engage our minds or spirits — we involve our whole selves, body and soul together. Whether we speak of the heart or the belly as the “center,” the essential idea remains the same. We are drawn to pray from our very core, with our whole being.

In this sense, prayer is not an escape from the body but an act of full embodiment. The physical and spiritual aspects of our existence are intertwined. When the Church speaks of the “heart” or the “belly” as centers for prayer, it is reminding us that the spiritual life must be lived in harmony with our bodies. Our posture, breath, and even the location of our focus all matter in the act of prayer. This is why techniques like the Jesus Prayer are often tied to specific bodily practices, such as controlled breathing and focusing inwardly on the heart. These practices don’t elevate the spirit at the expense of the body; rather, they help us to live out the truth that we are psychosomatic beings.

Far from being something to dismiss as "mere physicality," the body is honored in our spiritual practice. After all, the word “incorporate” literally means to “embody,” and in prayer, this is exactly what we do. We take the truths of our faith and allow them to be expressed through our bodies — in our gestures, in our breathing, and in the attention we give to the physical centers of our being. The early desert fathers understood that the body could be a tool for communion with God, and they developed methods of prayer that acknowledge this deep connection.

In our modern world, where spirituality is often viewed as something detached from the physical realm, Christianity offers a refreshing reminder: we are whole persons, not disembodied spirits. When we pray, we are called to bring our entire selves before God — body, soul, and spirit — allowing our physicality to become a vehicle for divine encounter.

Take walks in nature and pray.

Let your feet touch the soil or sand, and pray

Do prostrations, and pray.

Pray before you eat.

Pray during exercise or stretching (you probably already are).

Sit in silent prayer and breathe slowly.

Pray while in sunlight.

Pray in the stary night.