body service planning notes 2

discussion notes from the second Body service planning meeting:

[steve collins]

body image:
eating disorders
diets
cosmetic surgery
transvestism
gender dysphoria

wigs/makeup/corsets/weights/diet plans

physical discipline as spiritual discipline:
sex
fasting
exercise
asceticism

ageing:

illness/disability:
how do we value damaged bodies?
what is body prayer for people with disabilities?
sign language

senses:
sight
hearing
touch
taste
smell
as modes of spiritual encounter

_____

or start with empty space
people come in and are standing

intro

invite people to try out different postures

posture stations

then open up issue of posture - get a beanbag, think about posture, who you sit with

think of 3 or 4 ways of praying - eg kneeling, prostration - give people a number and a position
twister prayer

posture stations - straight/disciplined ones as well as comfy/slouchy ones

can we find examples of biblical prayer postures eg gethsemane stretching/prostration
jesus walking
prophets
sitting at the feet of teachers
covering of head - differs from time to time, tied to cultural ideas of showing of respect
standing up, sitting down

medieval - standing, gazing on hosts, listening, smells, kneeling - not pews

what posture do you wish to confess in?

ben: section before eucharist

heart things - that we've be moved by
1. communion - how it's done - body language of eucharist
2. body prayer
play bread volleyball with cheap sliced bread

eucharist:
fat eucharist - big mac, sugary drink
size zero eucharist - cigarette, bottled water
normal eucharist

we are not told to think a particular thing but to eat, drink, bathe etc
treating the spiritual and the physical as one thing