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by: BabesTan-Magkalas
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Word Count: 516

There is a common prayer gesture among Christians which is called praying hands or the hands clasped or folded together before the heart. Such a prayer gesture is a symbol of obedience, submission, sincerity and repentance. There are others who raise their prayer hands as if pleading to God.

You may think that this prayer gesture is common only to Christians. Actually, the Jews were doing it long before Christians did. Natahn Ausubel, in his book "Book of Jewish Knowledge said: "It has also been commonly assumed that folding the hands in prayer is exclusively a Christian custom. This is not the historical fact at all. As early as the post-Exilic period, when Jews prayed, they folded their hands, and they observed this custom for several centuries even after it had been adopted by Christians."

Jesus and the Virgin Mary were both Jews so their images are often shown in this prayer gesture. Even angel art works oftentimes show angels with their hands drawn together.

Not only do Jews and Christians practice it but also the Hindus and Buddhists. The latter draw their palms together to show respect, to venerate their deities and to greet one another. This posture is termed the "anjali mudra", anjali meaning offering and mudra, seal. Particularly in India, the word "Namaste" is said while doing this posture as a way of saying something like a sacred hello since the word "Namaste" is translated as "I bow to the divinity within you from the divinity within me."

So what's the big deal about praying with clasped or folded hands or palms drawn together? Pope Benedict XVI said in his book "Spirit of the Liturgy has this to say: "The body has a place within the divine worship of the Word made flesh, and it is expressed liturgically in a certain discipline of the body, in gestures that have developed out of the liturgy's inner demands..." From this statement, the Pope is saying that the body certainly has a place in worship, in the Liturgy.

In the same book, the Pope recalled that during the time when feudalism was prevalent, those who were under a Lord would place their joined hands into the hands of their Lord to symbolize faithfulness and loyalty. Similarly, when we clasp our hands in prayer, we are doing the same - pledging to God our faithfulness and loyalty and placing our hands in His hands.

What happens when we pray or meditate with clasped or folded hands? In the practice of yoga, it is said that bringing our hands together literally brings the left and right hemispheres of the brain together. Such a posture calms the mind.

Personally, I am able to focus on God more when I pray with my hands folded. Try swinging your hands instead and see if you can concentrate. It is just like when I kneel to pray. I acknowledge God's presence with respect. I know a lot of people feel the same way. Praying hands and praying hearts are certainly pleasing to God.

About the Author

For some valuable advice on how to pray so that your prayers will be granted, go to www.how-to-pray-effectively.com and discover the secrets to answered prayer. For more articles about prayer, check out our praying hands blog.

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