Prayer Position
I've wondered for a while now, why Christians typically pray with their head bowed and eyes closed. This seems to be the "correct" position for prayer in most churches.
Jesus, when asked how to pray, did not instruct his disciples to assume any particular physical position except that private prayer should be done privately. However, when Jesus himself prays publicly (Matt 14:19, Mark 6:41, Mark 7:34, Luke 9:16, John 11:41, John 17:1), he is almost always "looking up to heaven".
I don't know if there is anything special about having eyes-open and head up while praying, but it seems more than incidental that this is the exact opposite of the eyes-closed and head down position most Christians assume.
Jesus, when asked how to pray, did not instruct his disciples to assume any particular physical position except that private prayer should be done privately. However, when Jesus himself prays publicly (Matt 14:19, Mark 6:41, Mark 7:34, Luke 9:16, John 11:41, John 17:1), he is almost always "looking up to heaven".
I don't know if there is anything special about having eyes-open and head up while praying, but it seems more than incidental that this is the exact opposite of the eyes-closed and head down position most Christians assume.
posted by Vijay Swamidass at
9:04 PM
2 Comments:
Hi, Swamidass,
I'm kind of bouncing from one blog roll to another and came across this.
The "heads bowed and eyes closed" bit seems the embodiment of the idea that what is spiritual is internal, private, and utterly subjective; a kind of "God is in here" idea instead of "God is out (or up) there," which comports far more with the idea of looking up towards heaven. Eyes open and directed outward or upward speaks to the same notion that God is "there" rather than "in here" (that is, in my own interior, private enviorns).
As long as you've brought up the issue of private prayer, I'll mention that I teach my parishioners to pray out loud, particularly when alone. There are a several reasons for this: (1) it just abut eliminates mind-wandering, (2) it tends to make prayers far more coherent than otherwise, and (3) it re-enforces the correct notion that prayer is addressed to Somone outside my own interior consciousness.
I also urge prayer be made in postures which comport with the tenor of the prayers. Kneeling is good for most. When in a group, standing is good. Sitting is NEVER correct.
For appropriate prayers, prostration is sometimes the correct posture. For leaders interceding on behalf of others (priests, at the Eucharist, for example), the orans posture is best.
In general, the body ought to be doing "its part" in prayer by assuming a posture/position compatible with the prayer being offered.
By
Fr. Bill, At
12:13 PM
Brother Quotidian,
Though these ideas about prayer are new to me, they seem to make sense.
I'll be trying to implement them where possible.
Welcome and thanks for stopping by.
By
Vijay Swamidass, At
10:29 PM
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home