Prayer Postures

Really? 

Part of me wants to laugh...somewhat sarcastically...at such an image.  Part of me wants to cry that what we've turned the Christian life into is essentially a follow the directions, paint by numbers, there is a right and a wrong way to do things kind of checklist.

As best as I can tell, when the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he talked very little about the actual posture of prayer...and instead gave them evocative words that stretch the imagination and push back against the ways of the world.

Think about the petitions in the Lord's Prayer:
Daily bread...enough just for today without worrying about tomorrow
God's Kingdom...not our kingdoms which we protect with violence and power and money
God's forgiveness...not revenge

And yet, posture does make a difference.  If I am slouched down in my chair when I try to pray, it clues me into the fact that maybe something is weighing me down...maybe something is so heavy on my shoulders that the gravity of its force is pushing on me. 

If I can't seem to sit still when I try to pray, is it because I am giddy or because I am nervous or because I think that I have to do it all and can't stop long enough to pray? 

I think part of entering into prayer is to notice our physical body.  After all we claim as central to our faith that you are created in the image of God.  That is profound and beautiful and a great place to start prayer.

Doug Pagitt and Kathryn Prill have written a book about the postures of prayer.  Some of the prayer postures include looking up (as a sign of hopefulness) or rubbing your hands together like you are putting on lotion (as a sign of kindness) or standing still (as a of openness to reconciliation).  It is a good reminder that what our bodies are doing during prayer matters and can actually be incorporated into our prayer itself. 

If you'd like to glance at the book, it is on my shelf.  I encourage you to be open to the network of fibers, muscles, and bones that are inter-connected and sending millions signals to your brain every single moment, like right now as you are reading this post. 

Are your shoulders tight?  Mine kind of are.
Is your breathing easy or labored?  Mine feels easy.
Overall what kind of signals are going off that you might not be noticing?  Tiredness?  Energy?  Hope?  The warmth of sun on your skin?
That matters and makes a difference when we enter into prayer.

And I think can help open us to the traces of God's grace in our life.

Blessings and peace