“A prayer posture is a simple way to stay attentive to the One who’s always attentive to us. . . . Prayer postures are invitations to stay present to deep inner work as our bodies remind our hearts to pray.”- Summer Joy Gross
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)
In Chapter 12 (“Postures Embodied: Expectation”) of The Emmanuel Promise, Summer Joy Gross underscores that our body posture often affects our heart posture. As a result, we kneel in humility. Or lay down as we cry out to God in grief. In addition, Summer suggests these prayer posture options:
- extend your arms in a cruciform posture of vulnerability
- turn your ear upward as if you are listening
- keep you palm open as a way of staying attentive
- cross yourself often throughout the day
- lift your face to God as if to a warm sun – as Jesus did before He fed the five thousand
Furthermore, Summer discusses walking a prayer labyrinth. Most significantly, the author notes, the first labyrinth was created on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral. It served as a way to help people ‘walk out their prayer’ if a pilgrimage or leaving home wasn’t an option.
Certainly, Summer acknowledges, there’s nothing magical about a labyrinth. The lines and circles provide a simple way for people to pray while walking slowly. An embodied metaphor for walking with God. Thus, the prayer labyrinth serves as a way to stay present to God in a culture of waning focus.
In conclusion, Summer explains:
“In a labyrinth, we aren’t being rushed toward a finish line. Our presence is our pace. Presence is the goal. . . . Since God remembers our frailty, He knows our pace needs to be human. He’s not a severe coach on the sidelines of our life demanding faster strides. . . . He knows how He created us and the pace at which we can follow Him.”
Today’s question: What prayer postures work best for you? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Wrapped tight in behaviors”
