Praying with the right side of your brain.

Today I took myself for an artist's date, as prescribed in The Artist's Way. This is one of my favourite parts of this 12 week program. I found a quiet corner outside in a garden centre cafe. I had with me my latest book that promises to teach me to pray with doodles ('Praying in Colour' by Sybil Macbeth), and some trusty art supplies. It took no time at all before I lost myself in the prayer closet of my journal.

It really struck me as quite profound when the author suggested that perhaps I might want to start with my own name, because we often overlook our needs. And yes I feel I have quite a few burdens that I am carrying at the moment. Our family has not had the easiest time lately. So I wrote my name in the middle of the page and doodled all around it. Then I wrote my husband's name and did the same, and then our three children... and then I wrote the name of our little dog - Oliver, who we have just had to say goodbye to after 12 years, and I gave it all to God. I felt lighter when I'd finished my prayer session/ Artist's date.

And so I have found another way to pray - a creative way. It feels like such a natural fit for me. It is such a deceptively simple way to pray and yet it is also deeply spiritual. It is also a lot of fun.