Thursday, May 15, 2008

Prayers for Mothers - This is one that hit home with me.

I was looking around for a prayer for mothers and found the following prayer. It was published on the following site and no author is listed: http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Mothers/#Laundry

Prayer While Doing Laundry

I find you so close to me right here, dear Lord. Surrounded by the dirt and scattered clothing of my family, I find this an ideal spot to pray with you.

No one comes near here so it is quiet, and it gives me a chance to reflect on the many blessings of my life.

As I pick up their clothing and sort it, I ask you to give each of them what is needed most in their lives.

I fill the washer with my husband's shirts and socks, and ask that you bless him as he wears them to work each day. Give him the grace to see that his work is holy and open his eyes to see the sacredness of each moment of life.

As I sort the tiny socks or the overalls of the children, I smile and remember how blessed I am to have them in my life.

I sort the larger teenage clothing and wonder at how fast these clothes have become larger sizes - and how quickly children grow up. I ask your help as I guide them through each new phase of their lives.

Give me a love that is endless, a heart that forgives them and the humility to ask for their forgiveness when that is right. Help me keep them from danger, and help me to let go and trust you when it is time to do that.

I try so hard to be perfect but lead me to remember that it is here in the smudged, disorganized and disheveled part of life that I find you the nearest.

Thank you, dearest Lord, for so much grace in my life!

Bow - for better posture

The pose Dhanurasana (Bow) extends the body back into the shape of a bow as the arms reach back straight and taut, forming the "string" of the asana. Done properly, Dhanurasana is a superb back strengthener that can help vanquish the postural enemy of rounded shoulders.


Arching the body backward opens the chest and provides a powerful stretch for the front of the shoulders and the quadriceps—a wonderful antidote to all the time we spend "crunched" forward in daily life. Regular practice of this pose helps keep the spine flexible and counters the tendency to slump forward.


Like all other backbends, Dhanurasana is dynamic and energizing—stretching the front body increases the flow of blood to the digestive tract and enhances the efficiency of the stomach, liver, and intestines, while contracting the back body stimulates the kidneys and adrenals. But it can be so invigorating that if you suffer from insomnia, you should not practice it late in the day.


Mind the Back
Dhanurasana enhances the back-strengthening and chest- and abdomen-stretching effects of the other prone (belly down) backbends—such as Bhujangasana (Cobra) and Salabhasana (Locust)—which are often used as preparatory poses.


Although catching the feet or ankles integrates the posture, it can also compress the back. For this reason, it's important to create space between the vertebrae and to stay as relaxed as possible while you're in the pose.

You can also modify Dhanurasana by reaching the arms back without catching the ankles or by using a strap. So start with the modified versions and stay with them as long as you need to. Don't worry about catching the ankles if this puts pressure on your knees or lower back.


The key to any yoga pose done properly are "steadiness" and "ease." If you don't feel steady and at ease in this pose, or any other, back off to easier versions until you do. Challenge yourself but don't strain. You do not have to catch your feet or ankles to gain great benefit.


Warm the Body
Since Dhanurasana provides an intense stretch of the shoulders, spine, and thighs, warm up these areas properly. Begin in Balasana (Child's Pose) with arms extended forward, and bring awareness to the lower back, breathing into your back ribs and dropping your hips toward your heels. Release head, arms, and shoulders. On an inhalation, come onto all fours. Then, on an exhalation, stretch back to Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose). Inhale back to all fours and exhale to Balasana, repeating this series of linked poses five or six times, synchronizing the movements with your breath.


Then move into Anjaneyasana (Crescent Pose) to open up the front of your thighs. From Downward Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands, with the toes in line with your fingertips. Bring your hands to your hips and drop your pelvis down so that your front knee bends forward, tracking directly over your toes. Add a shoulder stretch by clasping your hands behind your back—keep a "micro-bend" in the elbows—and bring your clasped hands up away from your tailbone. Then bring your hands back to the floor on either side of your foot, and step into Downward Dog. Repeat the lunge on the other side.