Catholic Info

Traditional Catholic Faith => Catholic Living in the Modern World => Topic started by: Nishant on November 24, 2013, 09:09:45 AM

Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Nishant on November 24, 2013, 09:09:45 AM
When you pray, do you prostrate on the ground before Our Lord and Our Lady?
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: LoverOfTradition on November 24, 2013, 10:39:01 AM
I pray kneeling, walking, sitting. I usually don't prostrate on the ground, but you've gave me the idea. I should try that.
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Frances on November 24, 2013, 08:04:43 PM
Kneeling, if possible.  My arthritis sometimes prevents it.  A lot depends upon where I am praying.  If driving or riding the subway, obviously, I neither kneel nor prostrate myself.  If in my tent, prostrate is best because I have my Sacred Heart statue hanging in the screen side pocket in front of me.  I once saw a woman prostrate herself in the centre aisle at St. Patrick's Cathedral.  I do not like to pass judgement, but she surely drew undue attention to herself as well as obstructed the aisle.  After several prostrations, an usher told her to desist.  She became angry and left out the side door onto 51 St.  Normally, the prostrate position should be done in private or if the custom, in a group in a religious house.  
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Sigismund on November 24, 2013, 09:40:52 PM
Being Byzantine, I generally stand.  Prostrations are a part of Byzantine practice too.  
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Neil Obstat on November 24, 2013, 10:06:04 PM

Posture during personal prayer,. Keeling, prostration, etc.

Quote from: Nishant
When you pray, do you prostrate on the ground before Our Lord and Our Lady?



When I first read the thread title I thought it said

POSTING during personal prayer

Then I thought, "how can one post while kneeling, or especially
when prostrate?  Maybe with a laptop on the floor???  Somehow
that doesn't sound too prayerful!  


Then I noticed it says "Posture" not "Posting".   :read-paper:


Time for a beer.           :cheers:



.
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Neil Obstat on November 24, 2013, 10:07:54 PM
Quote from: Sigismund
Being Byzantine, I generally stand.  Prostrations are a part of Byzantine practice too.  



Every time I've tried to bow to the floor at a Latin Rite church
I bumped my forehead on the back of the pew in front of me.   :drillsergeant:


.
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Frances on November 24, 2013, 10:17:01 PM
 :roll-laugh1:Hey, Neil!  I'm posting while prostrate in bed!  This tablet is the perfect size.
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Cantarella on November 24, 2013, 10:26:08 PM
I pray unceasingly in all positions, except prostrated.

I would like to pray prostrated face down too  :scratchchin: Good idea!
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Cantarella on November 24, 2013, 10:34:29 PM
Quote from: Sigismund
Being Byzantine, I generally stand.  Prostrations are a part of Byzantine practice too.  


The times when I attended the Russian Orthodox Liturgies, the always-standing position during the whole liturgy, was something I admired very much. It is supposed to signify a sign of utter respect to Our Lord. Never saw any prostrations there, though.
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Sigismund on November 24, 2013, 10:45:37 PM
Quote from: Neil Obstat
Quote from: Sigismund
Being Byzantine, I generally stand.  Prostrations are a part of Byzantine practice too.  



Every time I've tried to bow to the floor at a Latin Rite church
I bumped my forehead on the back of the pew in front of me.   :drillsergeant:


.


Well, in a Byzantine church where everything was RITE ( :wink:)  there wouldn't be any pews.  In fairness I have never actually seen a Byzantine Catholic church without pews, but there really aren't supposed to be any.  There can be benches along the walls for the infirm, but everyone who can should stand for the entire liturgy.  My son is convinced that his parishioners would poison his soup at the next parish dinner if he ever tried that.  
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Sigismund on November 24, 2013, 10:53:11 PM
Quote from: Cantarella
Quote from: Sigismund
Being Byzantine, I generally stand.  Prostrations are a part of Byzantine practice too.  


The times when I attended the Russian Orthodox Liturgies, the always-standing position during the whole liturgy, was something I admired very much. It is supposed to signify a sign of utter respect to Our Lord. Never saw any prostrations there, though.


In most Byzantine and Orthodox churches, full prostrations are rare.  You make the Sign of the Cross and then touch the floor with your right hand, bending down as far as needed to accomplish this.  In may parishes full prostrations do occur during Lent at the Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesdays and Fridays, and at Stations of the cross in parishes that do that. (Byzantine churches, since the Stations are a Western devotion and would be unheard of among the schismatic Orthodox.)   At my parish this is done by people who are physically able and have the room.  They kneel and than touch their head to the floor kind of like Muslims do.  I have never seen anyone actually lay flat face down on the floor like the priest does in the Latin rite Good Friday Liturgy.  
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Dolores on November 25, 2013, 10:17:43 AM
No particular posture; just however I am.  Sitting, lying in bed, standing, walking, etc.  Getting dressed in the morning is such a mindless exercise for me, I make sure to say a few prayers during that time, too.
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: Spork on November 30, 2013, 10:52:59 AM
I would expect the average CI poster to kneel on broken glass in a sauna with a wool suit on(with cut out knees, of course) while praying. 12 hours a day.
Title: Posture during personal prayer.
Post by: shin on November 30, 2013, 11:25:56 AM
Making a number of prostrations inbetween various prayers or psalms would be given as a penance at times in the past.