The guys would crowd around the upstairs window and look down in the courtyard to watch him while he prayed. His prayer time looked more like a work-out. This ‘athlete of Christ’ prayed with his whole body. He would throw his arms straight up and become an arrow shooting to God. Then he would sprawl out flat on the ground. He especially loved to deeply kneel on one knee, like he was coming into the presence of a king – over and over and over.

St. Dominic (AD 1170-1221) believed that the way we move our body powerfully affects our soul in prayer. 

Why does our body matter when we pray?

Here’s a few of the possible reasons. 

1. God can read our body-language. 

When words fail we can still use our body to communicate with God.   I remember a time when I received a very troubling medical report about a friend. I had no words that felt adequate to pray. I remember walking out the door and lifting my hands up to God in desperation. And that gesture expressed my prayer better than words.

The second reason our body matters when we pray is this:

2. Our posture and movement affects us. 

Our body significantly influences our thoughts. The way we move our body changes the way we think and feel. 

For example, here are some discoveries from recent research projects out of  Harvard, Yale,  and other institutions.

 Body posture changes our hormone balance in less than two minutes.

•  If we assume an expansive posture like Dominic’s cross posture we’ll have a twenty percent increase in our testosterone levels, and a twenty-five percent decrease in cortisol levels. 
•  If we assume a posture that takes up very little space – like Dominic’s low bow – we have a ten percent decrease in testosterone, and a fifteen percent increase in cortisol. Amy Cuddy (Harvard) and Associates

Body posture changes our self-perception

• Want to feel more confident?  Sit up straight with your chest out. European Journal  of Psychology (2009).
• Want to feel less confident?  Sit slumped, face looking down at knees. 

 Body posture changes our attitudes.

• Want to persist on solving difficult problems longer? Cross your arms.  Friedman and Elliot (2008)

Body posture changes our perceptions of the physical world.

• Want to estimate that something is shorter? Lean to the left.  John Bargh (Yale) 

Our moods, our perceptions, and our hormones are all affected by our body posture. 

So what does that mean for prayer? I think it means that Dominic was right. Our body powerfully affects our prayers.In the mid-1200’s Dominic’s followers put together a little illustrated book showing nine of Dominic’s favorite prayer postures. Here are seven of the postures.

For today’s prayer project, I invite you to join me in using Dominic’s postures as we pray.

If you are in a place where it is not possible to get up and move around, do the postures in an abbreviated way. But if there is any way that you can get up and move around, do the full postures for the full effect.

For the words of our prayer, today, let’s use conversational prayer. Talk with God about whatever is on your mind at the moment. 

You may discover, as I did, that  posture will inform the content of the conversation. 

If you prefer a more formal prayer, then use some prayer you have already memorized, such as the Lord’s Prayer.

Prayer Time

We will do each posture for around 5 to 10 seconds.  I’ll put on some background sound for our prayer time. 

Let’s begin with Dominic’s Posture  #1

• Stand-up and then bow-down at the waist, as deeply as you are comfortable. Now tell God your thoughts.

Posture # 2

Standing up straight. Raise your hands to shoulder height or just above and extend them forward. Now talk to God.

Posture # 3

• Face down on the floor. If you were able move down to floor level and prostrate yourself face down. (If you can’t get to the floor, go as low as possible.) Now tell God your thoughts.

Posture #4

• This is a posture that Dominic especially liked –  genuflecting before a king. From a standing position, kneel down with one knee towards the ground and then rise. Repeat this gesture several times telling God your thoughts.

 Posture #5

• Standing up, extend your arms in the shape of a cross. Tell God your thoughts.

Posture #6

• Standing up, raise your arms straight above your head like an arrow shooting to the sky. Tell God your thoughts.

Posture #7 

• Walk around your location, small steps or long strides –  as you wish. Dominic used this posture for extended journeys. As you walk around, tell God your thoughts.

My posture influences my prayers. I have found that I can use posture to support the content of my prayers, or to adjust the content. Either way my posture influences my prayers.

I hope you’ll find posture and movement as a useful tool as you deepen your connection with God. Thanks for joining me.