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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Use of body in prayer and praise	Philo	Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Question: Thank you Bro.Micahel , for your ministry ! This is in regared to use of body movements , as part of spiritual warfare , praise prayer ; would like to get your discerned opinion on same , on using such movemens like a gentle tap with feet , while asking our Lord , to let the power of The Spirit to flow in like at Resurrection and praising Him , with little hallels at the same time ; same format during exercise time too or a little bending and raising at the knee , while standing and so on . It seems benign , yet may be bringing a littel more involvement . With schools out, good way for the youngsters to be involved in warfare prayers too . Wondered if this could even help those who are struggling from effects of misuse of bodies or even in such areas like Natural family planning ! Hoping that parents and churches would promote good sites such as yours , to encouarge youngsters to use their summers well !
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Philo: The danger of something like the tapping of feet during prayer is to begin to think that means something, that it effects us in some way. It doesn't. The danger here is superstition. The Holy Spirit does not need taps of our feet to flow into our life. A hallel is Jewish custom whereby Psalms 113 to 118 is sung as an expression of joy and thanksgiving every morning of Hanukkah, at the Passover service, and at the morning service of most major Jewish holidays. There is certainly nothing wrong with this, although there are similar traditions within Catholicism. I am not sure what you are referring to with the "little bending and raising at the knee" - a half genuflection?. It reminds me of the Jewish custom of little repeated bows during prayer, but that is bending at the waist. The overall problem is that it seems you are trying to assign some significance to these postures. Also the types of physical postures you describe lends itself to obsessive-compulsive issues. The primary way to involve ourselves physically in our prayers it to clasp our hands in a gesture of prayer, and to stand, sit, and kneel at certain prayers (such in the Liturgy of the Hours and at Mass). Kneeling, bowing, and bowed head, and clasped hands are the primary gestures of bodily involvement in prayer. These gestures are postures of humility, worship, and adoration. Because of the danger of superstition and/or obsessive-compulsive issues I could not recommend what you are suggesting. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Use of body in prayer and praise

Philo

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Question:

Thank you Bro.Micahel , for your ministry !

This is in regared to use of body movements , as part of spiritual warfare , praise prayer ; would like to get your discerned opinion on same , on using such movemens like a gentle tap with feet , while asking our Lord , to let the power of The Spirit to flow in like at Resurrection and praising Him , with little hallels at the same time ; same format during exercise time too or a little bending and raising at the knee , while standing and so on .

It seems benign , yet may be bringing a littel more involvement . With schools out, good way for the youngsters to be involved in warfare prayers too .

Wondered if this could even help those who are struggling from effects of misuse of bodies or even in such areas like Natural family planning !

Hoping that parents and churches would promote good sites such as yours , to encouarge youngsters to use their summers well !

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Philo:

The danger of something like the tapping of feet during prayer is to begin to think that means something, that it effects us in some way. It doesn't. The danger here is superstition. The Holy Spirit does not need taps of our feet to flow into our life.

A hallel is Jewish custom whereby Psalms 113 to 118 is sung as an expression of joy and thanksgiving every morning of Hanukkah, at the Passover service, and at the morning service of most major Jewish holidays. There is certainly nothing wrong with this, although there are similar traditions within Catholicism.

I am not sure what you are referring to with the "little bending and raising at the knee" - a half genuflection?. It reminds me of the Jewish custom of little repeated bows during prayer, but that is bending at the waist.

The overall problem is that it seems you are trying to assign some significance to these postures. Also the types of physical postures you describe lends itself to obsessive-compulsive issues.

The primary way to involve ourselves physically in our prayers it to clasp our hands in a gesture of prayer, and to stand, sit, and kneel at certain prayers (such in the Liturgy of the Hours and at Mass). Kneeling, bowing, and bowed head, and clasped hands are the primary gestures of bodily involvement in prayer. These gestures are postures of humility, worship, and adoration.

Because of the danger of superstition and/or obsessive-compulsive issues I could not recommend what you are suggesting.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.