Praying hands (or the clasped hands) is a common prayer gesture or posture among Christians. The clasped hands are usually held before the heart as a symbol of submission, sincerity, repentance and obedience. Some raise their prayer hands as if pleading to God to grant their prayers.
Natahn Ausubel, in his book "Book of Jewish Knowledge said that this prayer gesture is not exclusive to Christians alone. He said the Jews even before the time of Jesus Christ, practiced it: "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."
This being so, Jesus who was a Jew, also prayed with his hands clasped. It is not uncommon to see pictures or images of Him in this prayer gesture. Even the Virgin Mary and angels are often depicted in art with their hands drawn together.
The Hindus and Buddhists draw their palms together at the heart as a sign of veneration and respect. It is also a form of greeting. This is known as the "anjali mudra" which means offering (anjali) and seal (mudra). The people of India when doing this gesture would say the word "Namaste" which is some kind of a sacred hello. "Namaste" means "I bow to the divinity within you from the divinity within me." How beautiful the meaning of that word is!
Pope Benedict XVI in his book "Spirit of the Liturgy" said that the body is an integral part of the act of worship and I quote: "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..." So the body certainly has a place, along with the heart, mind and soul, in prayer.
The Pope further went on to say that during the feudal times, those who swore their allegiance to a ruling lord would place their joined hands into the hands of their lord as a sign of their fidelity and obedience. In a similar vein, we place our hands in the hands of our Lord when we pray with our joined hands and pledge our fidelity and obedience to Him.
Is there a benefit to doing this prayer gesture? In yogic practice, drawing one's hands together is believed to bring the left and right hemispheres of one's brain together. Such a gesture is said to calm 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.
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