The Birth of Prayer Squares
A Journey to Visual Prayer.
A few years back, I was struggling in my prayer life. I wondered what prayer was, why spoken prayer left me agitated and experienced a sense of emptiness when I silently prayed. I deeply felt prayer extended beyond words and this notion prompted me to explore. Soon enough, little lights were showing up on my path. Doors opened and what I suspected was confirmed — prayer could be a movement, a stillness, a song, a swath of paint, a glorious thought, a way to gaze. Our very lives could be a living prayer… a communion with Divine Love.
This confirmation led me to engage with my art as prayer. Aha! Art as prayer became an offering, a conversation, a moment by moment relationship and the “perfect end product” was released. I also discovered prayer is full of possibility and magic when it’s a visual process of relationship with LOVE.
Prayer Squares was Born.
Prayer Squares took form at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 when I desired to share an intentional and visual way people could express their heartfelt needs, desires and sorrows. I was compelled to create a simple, visual prayer offering for individuals to hone in on love and healing as the pandemic spread and discord increased in our world. Since then, I’ve continued to shape, tweak and learn with this process.
Over a period of four weeks, from April to May 2020, over forty people participated to create a mosaic of 330+ visual Prayer Squares.
You can still view the online mosaic HERE!
What Is Prayer Squares?
Prayer Squares is a simple, 4-step spiritual practice for all ages to spark prayer life in a fun and fresh way! With a pencil, black permanent marker and color of your choice, Prayer Squares invites you to pour out, listen in and allow your inner Divine love to arise through word, line, color and reflection. What I love most about Prayer Squares is the surprise that occurs in only ten to fifeen minutes!
This practice can be engaged as an individual experience or with a friend to create a personal mosaic around a theme. Or, it can be practiced as a family or community to create a communal vision of prayer. It’s simple enough for small children all the way up to older generations — a great way to bring intergenerational community together.
Materials Needed
Pencil
A black permanent marker
Color of your choice
(I use watercolors, however, you can use markers, colored pencils, etc.)
A 3”x3” template to trace (cardboard cut or a teabag works well)
Now available are the 13-page Partipant’s Guide E-Guide
and the 28-page Leader’s Guide E-Guide.
Prayer Squares now includes a fun and edgy practice to move towards freedom!
A few years ago, I was BORED with prayer. I felt dry and DONE with spoken and written pleas. Ever been there? Maybe right now you feel:
• BOXED IN — like your ideas are too big for those around you?
• an EXCESS OF RULES and regulations that don’t align with your heart and soul?
• as if LIFE IS ON REPEAT and you’re a robot going through the motions?
Then, this 15-minute practice is for YOU! Come with me as we release the “box” that binds and BREAK OUT into a freedom of possibilities. You’ll need the same materials you use for Prayer Squares plus an eraser! This process is included in both the Prayer Squares Participants and Leader’s Guides!
In this 13-page Prayer Squares (Individual) Participant’s E-Guide, you’ll receive:
List of materials
Four-step process with an accompanying video
Five sets of themes that include prayer prompts for your personal expression:
Twelve Elements of Living Well ;
Twelve Day Blessing for Transitions
Twelve Prayers for Healing
Twelve Justice Prayers for the Collective
A Fourteen Day “Sit” to BE with Grief
“Break Out of the Box” – An Edgy Practice to Release What Binds
A sample and video how-to to create your personal mosaic
Prayer Squares can be created daily for twelve days.
Or, three times per week over four weeks.
Or, find your own groove that works for you!
As a guide, you are invited to introduce Prayer Squares, a 4-step creative spiritual practice,
in the groups you facilitate and the communities you serve. This is created as a simple process
with participation for all ages. The focus is on expression, not “perfection.”
In this 28-page Prayer Squares Leader’s E-Guide ,
I’ve included the nuts and bolts of what you need to invite a group or community into this practice.
This guide includes:
A reflection on creative prayer
An opening reading/poem on prayer
A teaching on the power of themes to create a cohesive experience
How to structure the timeframe/gathering
List of materials
Four-step process with an accompanying video
Five sets of themes that include prayer prompts for your personal expression:
Twelve Elements of Living Well (the original twelve);
Twelve Day Blessing for Transitions and
Twelve Prayers for Healing
Twelve Justice Prayers for the Collective
A Fourteen Day “Sit” to BE with Grief
“Break Out of the Box” – An Edgy Practice to Release What Binds
Seven Prayers for Holy Week
A sample and video how-to to create your personal mosaic
Ideas for setting up a supportive community
Ideas to take the Prayer Square practice further
The guide is designed for the leader to engage with and spark ideas
to craft your Prayer Square experience in the way it works for you.
A PRAYER SQUARE STORY
One of the transformative aspects of Prayer Squares is when you create with a theme in heart, a story naturally arises. Those who take the time to speak or write their story from the visual (may) discover an adventure in their daily steps. Come along with me as I share a spoken story from twelve squares I created with the theme of Presence!
Check out the Virtual Community Prayer Mosaic
of 300 squares created by many hands of people worldwide.
