Postures of Prayer, Embodiment & the Christian faith
How can the postures of prayer benefit your spiritual life? What embodiment practices do you have as a follower of Christ?
The Christian faith places a high value on the human body, perhaps more than any other religion. But what are the sacred practices of embodiment?
In his book, Reclaiming the Body in Christian Spirituality, Father Thomas Ryan points out that while Christian theology holds the human body in high esteem, sadly the same Christianity “has given little attention to the body’s role in the spiritual life”.
But embodiment matters… Jesus starts a new way of living in this world. He is the firstborn of a redeemed humanity, a new way of walking in this temporal world as enspirited- flesh. How does this take shape in the Christian life?
Postures of Prayer in the Bible
If we look closely at the Bible, Scripture teaches us how to worship and to pray with our whole being. Kneeling, standing, lying down, and sitting are just some of the postures of prayer that we find in the Bible. Engaging our body can be a powerful way to help cultivate, and also to reflect, the inward state of our heart and mind. Throughout Scripture, we find embodied worship and
Prayer:
- the woman bent over seeking healing (Luke 13: 10–13)
- the woman sitting at Jesus’ feet listening attentively (Luke 10:38–42)
- the psalmist lying in bed examining his own heart and meditating on God. (Psalm 4:4 & 63:6)
These examples demonstrate that the posture of our body can enrich our prayer-life and help us to be more fully engaged in worship.
True worship – a posture of the heart
While physical posture may enhance our prayer and worship (i.e. kneeling in prayer, lifting our hands in praise), one cannot enter into worship through physical posture alone.
Repeatedly, Scripture shows us that true worship is not mere outward action but requires the proper intention of the heart.
Worship is a state of the heart. True, authentic, worship entails much more than physical posture alone. The outward action of worship is only righteous when the inward state of the heart is in its proper place. It is not through the posture of the body that one enters into worship, but through the posture of the heart.
Using posture as a tool for prayer will not automatically cause you to worship but it may help!
While prayer does not require a specific physical position, postures CAN give expression to the attitudes of our hearts.
Yoga as a form of Christian prayer & worship
The physical practices and postures of yoga (asana) can help us be intentional about embodying the Christian faith in prayerful ways. Yoga postures give us a creative opportunity to explore what it means to embody our prayers as followers of Christ.
- Standing with hands up-lifted up to the heavens
- Kneeling Before God
- Lying Prostrate on our faces before God
These postures are all powerful ways to embody the cries of our hearts.
Likewise, simple yoga practices, such as bringing awareness to our breath, can usher us into a time of prayer. Inhaling and exhaling mindfully, we awaken to the gift of our breath and are reminded that God breathes this breath of Life into our lungs… physically and spiritually. In this way, our breath itself can become a prayer to God.
Embodying the Christian faith
How do you embody your Christian faith?
As for me, I embody my faith with lifted eyes and outstretched hands in worship and sometimes my prayers take shape on my knees. I embody my faith through praise and thanksgiving as I wash and tend, stewarding my body as a gift from God. I embody my faith through acts of service, from cooking a meal to caring for the “least of these”. And one of my favorite ways to embody my faith is through postures of prayer and moving meditation on my yoga mat.
The Postures of Prayer Course
Are you interested in studying the role of embodiment in the Christian faith and exploring yoga postures as a form of Christian prayer? Check out my on-demand course, Postures of Prayer, grab your spot in my signature course Yoga for Christians, or join me for a Christ-centered yoga class in my online studio and get started learning today!
