SadhanaOriental Meditation and Christian Prayer

To pray with body (taking a breath)

[11] Praying with sounds in nature that we hear

　Let’s place ourselves in the rich natural environment.
　If you are by a stream, listen to the sound of the stream.  The water makes the innocent sound, charmingly and gently, as if it keeps telling a story.  It continues without stopping.  A gentle gift from God.
　You can also listen to the songs of the wind at the hills and plains.  It starts and stops singing in its own way without rules.  Frolicking with grasses and leaves, it makes a rustling sound.  It sometimes runs in the air and simply makes a mysterious airy sound.  Our heart broadens, listening to the unhampered free songs.  We feel God’s unrestricted and open-minded attribute.
　We sometimes encounter a gale in a valley or at the foot of a mountain.  Enormous energy repeatedly surges through mountains like an angry roaring wind.  It reminds us of God’s omnipotence.
　At the seashore, we can hear the sound of waves.  It changes its characters, sometimes violent, and sometimes calm.  In any case, the sound of waves repeats endlessly like long breaths.  It reminds us of the endless life of God.
　Birdsongs come in an infinite variety of types.  Warblers, cuckoos, kites, sparrows, starlings…  It reminds us of God’s tender love and affection.
Silence at midnight and tranquility before dawn also leads us to the depth of our mind.
　Let’s place ourselves in nature and enjoy the unique world led by sounds.  The world often leads our heart to the creator of all nature, who continues dominating the universe.  If we look to God, guided by the sounds, we will start praying in various ways, praising and thanking God, hoping to serve, apologizing for our shortcomings, and so on.