What is the best position when praying? Must the hands be clasped or opening up to heaven?

Answer 1

I personally perfer kneeling with hands together. It is really uncomfortable, but it is also very humbling and forces me to focus my attention to God.

Orans (hands out and open) and the hands together are the tradional postures, because they show we come unarmed.

Answer 2

I pray when I am driving ( that I won't hurt myself or someone else), when I am passing out test papers to my students (they need it), during the football game on Friday night (that no one is hurt), every time I fly (for the pilot and the passengers), when I can't sleep, and when I wake up. In other words prayer should be something that we do constantly. If God is in your heart then you should be talking with Him constantly. Much of the time we don't even have to speak because He knows our needs before we ask. All we need to do is acknowledge His presence.

You ask if your hands must be clasped or open to Heaven. Sometimes one is good, sometimes the other. It all depends on how you feel and how you want to communicate. Sometimes you may want to kneel or stand. Sometimes you may want to prayer alone. Sometimes you may want to pray with a group. In other words, choose a position and place that makes you feel close to God. Your position is important to God because it is important to you but he has given you the freedom to choose when where, and how to pray. Just do it!

Don't forget to listen. Remember that the voice of God is a "still small voice" that comes in the silence. I love to sit on the floor at the end of the evening with one small candle and quietly listen for the voice of God. That my choice.

Answer 3

What a Great question..
I grew up in a tradition of kneeling with hands clasped... Now I go to a church where you would see many different positions of people in prayer. I think it's what the spirit is moved to do at the time. Sometimes it's open & flowing with my arms spread wide, some times is huddled on the floor, other times it's prostate in front of God.
The Holy Spirit is the leader in my prayer life.

Answer 4

Sweety,
the best position to pray the Lord is the position of your heart. You may kneel down, or not, you may sit down or not, stand up or not, hands held up high or clasped, I believe it depends of the prayer, your heart at the moment. Position of subumission, of asking for forgiveness, or to praise Him and love Him or to ask something. He doesn't look at your physical position but at where your heart is: is it sincere? honnest? truthfull? seeking?. You will also find yourself crying at times when praying no matter how your hands are. They will get in an honnest position by themselves. Just as when you are joyful or hurt, your body takes a position by itself.

To pray God is to talk to Him directly or through Jesus that is it and that is all! So have faith, pray with love and hope and belief and more so, know that He is listening to you and knows your need already and already is preparing His answer/solution/ plan for what ever you pray for.

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Answer 5

There is NO certain position, it is what is in your heart when you are praying that counts. If you are earnestly seeking God's help he will listen, I've had prayers answered that I made while on the toilet :):) :) Now note that satan will say to you that you did not ask in sincerity, but as long as you know that you did, it is all that matters. Also, be sure to forgive anyone you have something against first, and your father in Heaven will forgive you as well.
And pray in any position, even standing on your head!!!
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Answer 6

I suppose it may depend on things like your religion or spiritual affiliation, what god you are praying to, and how/if body posture holds any significance to you. So I don't believe there is one "best" way for everyone.

I generally pray with my hands open and lifted up a bit. Certain postures help put me in certain frames of mind. Standing or kneeling with my hands open to my gods is how I incorporate my entire body into the prayer. Open hands symbolize, to me, the reciprocal offering and receiving between myself and a deity. The two-way communication that enables an intimate relationship with the Divine.

Answer 7

dear fren,
m happy to know u r bothering about da prayers any one can help u how to do but i want to tell u why is prayers done and what is da meaning of the body position and direction u pray...
The main things you can get from prayer is self confident and concentration on work. no matter who's pray you do like jesous mohamaad shiva or buddha da main things r they r a source of point of concentration who r believe to be beyound the universe. so ur mind will try to approch him that means u mind will go far from da life and earth where everywhere is tension that is believed to be heaven so u can collect some energy self confident from that which is believed to be heaven. so main things is not da position but mind it plays a good role in pray too u should have to make your mind concentrated on pray for atleast 10 minutes so u will get fruit ful meaning of your pray.but mind why body position is fixed it is just to balance ur body and keep ur pray easily .
have fun enjoy praying daily make it meaning ful

Answer 8

I believe by opening them up towards heaven is a sign of receiving and submission. Having your hand open near your waste and extended a little shows a need for a outpouring of his presence or the Holy spirit.

Answer 9

like,...
Matthew 6:5 “Also, when you pray, you must not be as the hypocrites; because they like to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the broad ways to be visible to men. Truly I say to you, They are having their reward in full. 6 You, however, when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret; then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you. 7 But when praying, do not say the same things over and over again, just as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words. 8 So, do not make yourselves like them, for God your Father knows what things you are needing before ever you ask him

Answer 10

Forget about the position of your body or hands and concentrate on the attitude of your heart. God doesn't care what you are doing while praying, he cares about what your heart is saying.