A speaker at the Islamic Center of North Fulton gave me the idea of combining physical prayer with the Lord’s Prayer when I visited a few months ago. He said the words of the opening chapter of the Quran was as important to prayer for Muslims as the Lord’s Prayer is for Christians.

All praises and thanks be to Allah [God],
the Lord of the worlds,
the most Gracious,
the most Merciful;
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship,
from You alone we seek help.
Guide us along the straight path –
the path of those whom You favored,
not of those who earned Your anger or went astray.

Muslims follow a detailed protocol when they pray that includes ritual washing before prayer, the direction they face, when to stand, bow, kneel, and prostrate, hand positions, leg positions, toe positions and more. As I began practicing physical prayer, I focused on changing my posture as I prayed my way through the Lord’s Prayer in ways that reinforced what I was saying in the prayer. This is my current practice:

1.    Spread prayer rug on the floor.
2.    Stand at the end of the prayer rug.
3.    Bow while acknowledging the presence of God.
4.    Kneel and raise hands to just above shoulder height, palms forward and say, “Our Father.”
5.    Prostrate with both palms on the floor and forehead on the prayer rug while saying, “May you be honored.”
6.    Raise up to kneeling position with hands lifted and say, “May your beloved community gather up all the peoples of the earth.”
7.    Prostrate with both palms on the floor and forehead on the prayer rug while saying, “May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
8.    Raise up to kneeling position with hands lifted and say, “Forgive us our sins.”
9.    Prostrate with both palms on the floor and forehead on the prayer rug while saying, “As we forgive those who sin against us.”
10. Raise up to kneeling position with hands lifted and say, “Do not lead us into times of hard testing, but deliver us from the Evil One.”
11. Prostrate with both palms on the floor and forehead on the prayer rug while saying, “For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, Forever and ever. Amen.”
12. Return to standing at the end of the prayer rug.
13. Bow while acknowledging the presence of God.
14. Fold up the prayer rug and put it away.

This approach has already become an important part of my daily practice of prayer.