Dance & Embodied Prayer

EMBODIED: Rooted & Reaching REtreats & Training

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Is there a desire in your spirit to live to live a deeper, richer, fully-embodied, whole-hearted life? In the Ancient Greek, καρδία (kardia) is translated “heart,” and in scripture, it is almost always used figuratively. It means the seat and center of all physical and spiritual life, and according to the Thayer Greek Lexicon, it is “the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors.” Note it is physical and spiritual… together… as one. Its meaning holds a sense of the whole person—mind, body, heart, soul, spirit.

At Rooted & Reaching Embodied Care, we explore this καρδία (kardia) life through a series of 3-day retreats and a yearly 4-day retreat-like training, hosted and led by Jody Thomae, author and teacher on creativity, spirituality and embodiment, at her private home studio, Rooted & Reaching Lakeside, at Pleasant Hill Lake near the Mohican Forest in beautiful North Central Ohio.

Rooted & Reaching Embodied Care REtreats revolve around a variety of themes and are designed as an opportunity for you to withdrawal from the demands of daily life and set aside sacred time for rest and reflection, prayer and worship, movement and mindfulness, creativity and exploration. Together we journey with sacred rhythms—again and again—in Christ-centered community, spending time in embodied prayer, mindful creativity, adapted Christ-centered yoga practice, Biblical teaching and exploration, and worshipful movement. CLICK HERE to find out more information, including dates, costs, etc.

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New Embodiment Resources…

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Excited to announce two new resources for your embodied spiritual journey!!

Two new resources geared towards those who want to explore how to live a more whole-hearted, fully-embodied life…

Voices of Wisdom in the Body: a Christ-Centered & Bible-Based Exploration of Energy As the title suggests, this is a Christ-centered and Bible-based exploration of energy through the lens of the body’s voices of wisdom. This Bible study and guide encourages the reader to listen to the voices of wisdom within our wonderfully created bodies. When we tune into the energy of our bodies, they speak to us with a wisdom. Tight shoulders, knotted guts, broken hearts, wringing hands, tired feet… all tell us of the stress, worry and tension we are carrying. Lightness, freedom, flexibility, resiliency, health, well-being and vibrancy tell us a different story. I invite you to join us in this exploration and discussion of the wisdom our body has been speaking and revealing all along.

8.5 x 11″ Workbook format includes Bible studies, body-based prayers, affirmations, songs suggestions for reflection and movement, somatic explorations for engaging the body, as well as white space for reflection and journaling. This work has gone through an extensive peer review in deep conversation with an amazing group of Christ-centered body workers, yoga therapists and Christian leaders. The book is available in two formats: the original Voices of Wisdom in the Body is geared towards teachers, therapists and bodyworkers and includes guided meditations, yoga nidra, EFT tapping, body-focused Enneagram activations and more! The Voices of Wisdom in the Body (Group Study Guide Edition) was created to use alongside Voices of Wisdom in a class or group Bible study or for individual client and student use and does not include the extensive review of energy nor the guided meditations, yoga nidra and EFT tapping scripts.

Jesus in My Practice: Bringing the Questions of Jesus to My Movement, My Meditation & My Mat examines the questions Jesus asked in the gospel books of the Bible in his role as Rabbi (teacher), with a lens towards embodied curiosity and deeper spiritual discovery.

In a devotional format with white space and prompts for journaling, this book asks: What can we learn from the questions Jesus asked as he and his friends journeyed the dry, arid lands surrounding Jerusalem? What does it look like to explore the teachings of Jesus to live a richer, fuller, more embodied life of grace, in harmony with others? A life that does not seek to cause harm to others? A life lived from a place of love rather than judgment? More pointedly: How can we bring these questions of Jesus to our “mats” — our studios, our meditation rooms, our sacred spaces — in our own practices of movement and meditation? And how do those questions inform our lives?

Each question of Jesus is explored through a brief summary and explanation of its context, relevant cultural notes, thoughts to ruminate as you consider the question, ideas for your practice of mindful movement, a short breath prayer and poem, and songs to accompany your movement practice, if desired. The book is written in a seeker-sensitive style for people of all religions and belief systems to enjoy.

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Embodying an Incarnational Advent

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This excerpt from Advent: Allowing Christ to Rest in Us by the Carmelite Sisters was a part of our morning liturgy today. Consider the embodiment of Christ in Mary and in you as you meditate on this piece:

The one thing that God did ask of Mary was the gift of her humanity. God asked her to give him her body and soul unconditionally and to give him her daily life. Outwardly her life would not differ from the life she would have led if she had not been chosen to be the Bride of the Spirit and the Mother of God.

During Advent Christ rested in Mary – still, silent, helpless, and utterly dependent. In Jesus, the Creator trusted himself to his very own creature. He trusted to her what was most important to him –  the expression of his love for the Father. He was mute: her voice was his voice. He was still: her footsteps were his journeys. He was blind: her eyes were his seeing. His hands were folded: her hands did the work of his hands. His life was her life. His heartbeat was the beating of her heart. 

This is how Christ came in history. It is the same today as he comes to each one of us. For as surely as he rested in Mary, so he rests in you and in me. From the moment when the Christ-life is conceived in us, our life is intended for one thing – the expression of his love – his love for God and for the world. 

Our words are to be the words that he wants to speak. We must go wherever he wants to go. And we must look at whatever he wants to see. Our life must be the living of his life, our love the very loving of his heart.  

And the Word became flesh and blood and made his home with us.

The Virgin Is The Holy House Who Bore The Jesus In Her Womb And Is Forever To Be Honored is a painting by artist Elizabeth Wang. It is available for purchase at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-virgin-is-the-holy-house-who-bore-the-jesus-in-her-womb-and-is-forever-to-be-honored-elizabeth-wang.html

How does Christ live, move, see and love through you?

Merry CHRISTmas, Jody

(C) 2022, Jody Thomae

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Jody Thomae has been involved in worship arts ministry since 1997 and has authored several Bible studies designed to nurture the creative spirit within. She performs, teaches and leads workshops and retreats connecting creativity, embodiment and spirituality. As an ordained minister, her passion is for the revelation of God to be made more real through the prophetic use of the arts in church and formational ministry. It is her desire to portray the message of Christ’s desperate and unfailing love for His people to help sustain the hearts of the broken and weary. She is particularly interested in the way in which God uses the arts to bring formational development and healing to His people. Her books can be found on Amazon.

Join her at a retreat or training in 2024!!

Creative Expressions Summit

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Inviting you to this FREE event!!
Register TODAY!! 

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Do you feel called to arts and entertainment? 

Sign up NOW for the Creative Expressions Summit
Offered FREE on
February 7, 8 & 9th

Why are you waiting before moving forward into the gifts and calling you have received?
Where are you going to release the creativity deep inside that you feel compelled to let out?
How are you able to navigate the day to day with your creative gifts and passion and yet don’t feel connected to others who are also creating beauty?
In this hour, the enemy’s deep darkness rears its ugly face everywhere in the realm of art with debased imaging, distorting God’s image and His wonderful creation in humanity. We see it in the entertainment culture–bringing more confusion and cynicism to our identities and a deceptive narrative the enemy wants us to take on as our own story. Many have continued to walk in the current predominant influence of the realm of arts and entertainment which subtly numbs our hearts and minds to the underlying sinister agenda at work in our world.
However, we have entered a new season in 2020 where God is making another clear call to artists, dancers & creatives to rise up and display the beauty of Jesus and His amazing Kingdom on the earth.
Creatives are moving forward into the heart of God with a renewed vision which the Holy Spirit has been revealing concerning the sons and daughters of the Most High.
All mediums of creative expression are a battleground in the Spirit to capture the attention and imagination of the Beholder.
Dance is bringing freedom and deliverance for audiences.
Paintings are conveying the brilliance and significance of His creation in light of His redemption.
We believe that now is the time to come together as the body and link arms together in unity for encouragement and a collective inspiration.
Join us now in our collaboration to bring professional and spirit-filled creatives together for a Creative Expressions Summit that will empower you to release the prophetic expression in and through you!
Learn from those experienced in the arts who have traveled the long winding road in the sphere of visual arts, dance, acting and more. Believe for a shift in your understanding that will unlock your destiny and divine assignment of creative expressions in this world.

You can watch the The Creative Expressions Summit for FREE on February 7, 8 and 9th.

And purchase life time access to the Summit!
Early Bird (until February 9) $97
Full price (after February 9) $147

artists

Speakers include:
Phillip Ortiz, Graphic Designer and Illustrator, Peel Creative
Andrea York, Designer & Owner, Catch the Fire Worship Flags
Lynn Hayden, Founder, Dancing for Him Ministries
Dr. Pamela Hardy, Founder, Eagles International Training Institute
Jeff Davis, Painter, Add to the Beauty Arts
Josephine Calvo, Actor, Instructor, Artist
Ilse Kleyn Jordaan, Prophetic Artist, Art of Kleyn
Nabiyah Baht Yehuda, Founder, BHN College
Lydia Backer, Prophetic Artist, Noble Beauty Blog
Amy Tang, Founder, Worship Dance Ministries
Megan Leigh Kasper, Prophetic Artist, Inspired Art
Jody Thomae, Author/Teacher of Creativity, Spirituality & Embodiment

Join these amazing artists HERE >>>>> Creative Expressions Summit 

DON’T MISS OUT! SIGN UP TODAY!

BONUS SAVINGS: Order The Creator’s Healing Power—Restoring the Broken to Beautiful from my Square Store on February 7, 8 or 9th, and get a FREE copy of my CD, Song of the Beloved.

 

EMBODIED :: CaraMayan

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Screen Shot 2019-04-12 at 2.17.09 PMToday I would like to introduce you to an embodied spiritual practice called  CaraMayan. CaraMayan is a way of moving to the Bible for exercise, fitness, worship and prayer.  It is a Christian alternative to Yoga and Tai Chi based on dance and pilates movement. It was created by my friend Mary Jones, founder of the International Christian Dance Fellowship. I’ve had the privilege of meeting and spending time with Mary, and it was an honor to sit under her teaching and fellowship over a meal. She is truly a treasure in the kingdom of God!!

Not sure if anyone’s coined the term “Physio Divina”, but perhaps today is the day we do! In Lectio Divina (sacred reading) we read a passage of scripture several times to savor its meaning. In CaraMayan we experience the same type of meditation, except through physical movement. May you be blessed as you put this into practice.

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 27

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She’s a professional dancer… she’s a physicist!! Wait! Which is she? She’s both! Today’s Kintsugi of the Soul* features Merritt of the BBC show The Greatest Dancer. Check out this young woman’s determination and strength!

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 13

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Today’s edition of Kintsugi of the Soul features a profound TedTalk from performance artist Natalia Duong. She touches on mirror neurons, service to others, and the healing power of a listening community. A must-watch!

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EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #7, Hands Clapping

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands Clapping – Restoration & Victory

Psalm 47:1-3 – Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.

Christ the King is our victory. As we shout praises and clap our hands, he stands up against injustice and rights the wrongs in our lives. Let us use a voice of triumph — one that speaks truth, victory, restoration and freedom — even in places of our lives that do not appear victorious. God is in control. Christ is on His throne. Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #6, Hands Flat

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Bowing Low, Prostrate with Hands Flat – Submitting

I Chronicles 29:20 – Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the LORD your God.” So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed low and fell prostrate before the LORD and the king.

I Kings 18:38-39 – (Elijah) Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD – he is God! The LORD – he is God!” Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #5, Hands to Heart

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands to Heart – Pondering/Treasuring

Job 23:12b – I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

Luke 2:16-20 – Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Treasuring and pondering means taking time to remember all God has done in your life, to consider what He has planned for your life, to look at those gifts/talents that are uniquely yours to do that which God has uniquely designed you for. It is being still and quiet before the Lord.  Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #4, Hands Together

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands Together – Prayer

Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Colossians 4:2 – Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

When we are anxious, our hands are wringing, but notice the attitudes of thankfulness and watchfulness that are to accompany our prayers. It’s not about what He can give us, but acknowledging and being thankful for what He has already given us and being watchful to see how He will answer our prayers, sometimes in ways we don’t expect. Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #3, Palms Up

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands Extended Palms up – Receiving

Ezra 9:5-6 – Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God and prayed: “O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.”

Ezra is asking for grace and mercy from God. Verse 5a indicates that he is in mourning because of his sin. As we seek forgiveness, we receive forgiveness from God. With palms open before the Lord, we can fully expect to receive what God so lavishly pours out upon his people. We can also receive from others by allowing them to be the hands and feet of Christ when we are in need.

I Peter 5:7 – Cast all your cares upon him because he cares for you. Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #2, Palms Down

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands Extended, Palms Down – Blessing

Leviticus 9:22-23 – Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down. Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.

As God gives to us, we give to others—we extend our hands to give to and to bless others. As Moses and Aaron blessed the people, the glory of the Lord appeared—as we bless others, we reveal the glory of God through the generosity of our actions. We are the hands and feet of Christ.

Luke 24: 50-53 – When Jesus had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his Sacred Hearthands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

As the resurrected Jesus ascended to heaven, where he was seated at the right hand of the Father to rule and reign over heaven and earth, he extended hands of blessings to his followers to bless them. This blessing brought them great joy—joy that kept them continually in the presence of God. Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #1, Hands Raised

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands Raised in Praise, Prayer & Petition

I Kings 8:22-23 – Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.”

Solomon is 1st giving words of praise to God; 2nd witnessing in front of everyone; and 3rd remembering God’s covenant of love.

I Timothy 2:8 – Therefore I want people everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

Here we find hands raised in prayer, and note that it is to be without anger or dispute in your heart. Continue reading

Moving Creatively Through Lent

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Yesterday I posted information on a new series called EMBODIED that starts this Friday, February 16th and goes through Good Friday. Embodied is a 7 week-long exploration of postures of praise & prayer to help us move mindfully through the Lenten season. I will be posting one posture each week (on Friday) to take us through the season of Lent.

In addition, to further help us move through Lent creatively, I will also be posting from the previously featured  “7” Virtual Art-Walk series each week on Wednesdays throughout Lent, as well as reflections from our church’s Lenten sermon series on Monday of each week. The 7 Virtual Art-Walk includes the artwork of Matt Durbin, the poetry of Sarah Wells, and music that all focus on the last 7 words of Christ spoken from the cross. And our church (5 Stones Community Church) will be working with passages throughout Ephesians to help us prayerfully remember and reflect on Jesus during this season. Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

jodythomae.com

In Luke 10, when the lawyer stood up to put Jesus to the test, he asked him how to inherit eternal life. Like a learned rabbi, Jesus turned the question back to the lawyer, who answered:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus confirmed his answer as true, with a command and a promise: “Do this and you will live.”

When I teach on embodied prayer and worshiping with your whole self (including the often-excluded body), I am often asked where to begin. “EMBODIED” — a 7 day exploration of postures of prayer and praise — is designed as a starting (or restarting point) for those wanting to engage their bodies in prayer and worship.

  • Perhaps you have never used your body to pray or worship?
  • Or perhaps you’ve danced like David before the Lord and are looking for a new way to explore the movement of worship that flows freely from your sinew and bones?
  • Or perhaps you’re looking for an embodied way to spend an intentional week of prayer and worship before the Lord?

Whatever your reason, I’m glad you’re here. Continue reading

Returning to Center: an Embodied Prayer

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embpryretThis is an embodied prayer I created for the Art of Spiritual Direction retreats at which I teach. It is based on the Lakota Native American Four Directions Prayer.

Participants stand in a circle, facing center, where a large cross is placed. You can also Create a Sacred Space like the one pictured at right and use that as your central focal point.

Featured above is a picture from a YogaFaith training where a beautiful pool of water was our focal point. Serendipitously, we ended up with our hands on both of our neighbors shoulders (at the part of the prayer where we prayer for the person on our left and right). It became a powerful symbolic action of unity and solidarity of purpose.

Returning to Center: Embodied Scripture Prayer

Facing Center, we look to Christ Our Center and read from Luke 4: 

Jesus unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (the Messiah),
Because He has anointed Me to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to announce release (pardon, forgiveness) to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed (downtrodden, bruised, crushed by tragedy),
to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the favor of God abound greatly].”

Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all those in the synagogue were attentively fixed on Him.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #253 — Heart of Courage

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Our last post of 2015!

 

Let me leave you with this message of courage as you walk the path God has placed before you for the year ahead.

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
    which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother marveled at what Simeon said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” ~ Lk 2:29-35

Imagine hearing this blessing over your child and then those very last words. Just as Simeon is pouring out this wonderful worship of the infant Christ, he ends with this warning to Mary. Women of Ancient Israel longed to give birth to the promised Messiah, the One who would bring hope, healing and restoration to their nation. Yet few would understand the cost of this “gift.”

What gift has God entrusted to you? How will you work with God to bring it to fulfillment in your life? Will you press forward even when the road ahead gets tough? Even when your soul is pierced? Will you still say yes? Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #251 — Nativity Shadow Dance

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Screen Shot 2015-12-05 at 11.44.45 PMWe are nearing the end of our Create-A-Day 2015 posts. As we wind down, I want to leave you with a shadow dance to “O Magnum Mysterium” sung live for CHRISTmas Eve 2013 at Northland Church in Longwood, Florida. Such BEaUty!!

“O Magnum Mysterium” written & arranged by Morten Lauridsen

Original Text:
O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
jacentem in praesepio!
Beata Virgo, cujus viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum. Alleluia. Continue reading