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Prayer positions vary depending on religion and can be simple or complex. Common positions include sitting, standing, kneeling, clasping hands, and bowing the head. Some positions are specific to certain prayers or points in a service. Exceptions are made for those who cannot physically perform certain positions.
Common prayer positions are diverse and depend a lot on the religion you practice. They can be very simple or extremely intricate, and the posture you’re in can sometimes depend on exactly what you’re praying for or the particular point in a church service. Common prayer positions can also vary from church to church within a religion, and even where certain positions are quite normal, exceptions are usually made for those who are too young to understand the correct positions, and even for those who they cannot enter a particular position for physical reasons. reasons.
Sitting, standing and kneeling are some of the most common prayer postures and can be adopted to a small or large extent by a variety of churches, temples and mosques, and even for home use. Kneeling shows devotion to God and is particularly used in Roman Catholic churches, where people kneel during the reading of certain prayers, such as immediately after receiving communion. Many Christians also kneel by their beds to pray at night or when receiving blessings from a spiritual leader in their church.
Many religions adopt similar hand positions when praying. Clasping hands in front of the chest with palms together is not unique to Christianity. The same position is used in various yoga asanas, which depending on the type of yoga you’re practicing can be a legitimate form of prayer. Likewise, praying with arms outstretched and palms up is not an uncommon posture in multiple religions.
In Islam, as in many other religions, common prayer positions can depend on the type of prayer you are saying. Most people are familiar with the various times Muslims will pray while kneeling on their heels with their foreheads touching the ground. This pose bears a great resemblance to the child asana pose in yoga.
Another of the common prayer positions is the bow of the head, again a symbol of respect for the worshiped gods. Many people also pray or meditate with their legs crossed or in a semi-kneeling position where they sit on their heels. Arm and hand positions can be specific or non-specific depending on where and how one worships. A posture adopted in many churches is to hold hands during prayers. This reinforces the idea of community and ecclesial communion.
There are often jokes about common prayer positions, particularly when it comes to the Roman Catholic church, as in a single Mass you may be required to sit, stand, kneel and genuflect (bow), as well as walk to receive communion if you are Catholic practitioner. This has led to the long-standing joke among Catholics that you really should stretch and warm up before going to mass. It certainly can be a bit confusing for visitors to churches employing many different prayer positions. If you are visiting such a church, consider asking a friend to tell you which direction to take or simply look to other worshipers for guidance on what to do.
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