Practicing with Intention

With care and intention, your hands can carry you more deeply into prayer, anchoring you in God’s presence.

Our hands carry both strength and tenderness. They hold children, write letters, lift burdens, and wipe away tears. They also tire, slip, and rebel, mirroring our inner condition. When we bring our hands into prayer, we treat them as God designed them: carefully and gently, as vessels with purpose.

The word mudra may sound foreign to us as Christians, yet its meaning is simple: it is a gesture, a plea, a prayer formed by the hands. We might call them “handy postures of prayer.” They are not about a different religion or practice, but about allowing our bodies to participate in the prayer that already lives in our hearts. They remind us that prayer is not only spoken but embodied.

How to Begin

• Breathe first. Take a few slow inhales and exhales.

• Warm your hands. Rub them together to generate heat, signaling that this moment is set apart.

• Set your intention. What do you bring into prayer? A longing? A grief? A hope? Offer it to God.

  
  

Now imagine this: your hands are the anchor, and God is the horizon you lean toward. Your breath becomes the bridge between you, steady and sure. Each inhale draws His presence in; each exhale releases your heart into His care. Prayer unfolds like a conversation with a beloved friend, sometimes with words, sometimes with silence. And as in any relationship, take time to listen.

When you finish, don’t end abruptly. Deepen your breath. Stretch your fingers. Rub your hands or gently shake them out. Bow in gratitude: Amen.

Enjoy this Small Practice for the Week

Choose one of the mudras from last week and pair it with an affirmation:

• Thumb + Index Finger forming a circle with other fingers extended (circle of divinity and humanity): I am calm.

• Thumbs to Forehead with hands in prayer (intuition, Spirit within): I listen.

• Index Finger Pointing Upward with fingers interlaced (inspiration, Spirit moving outward): I am open to God’s purpose for me.

  
  

Hold the posture for three minutes. Breathe slowly. Let your affirmation rise with each breath. Notice how your hands deepen the prayer you carry within.

Deepen the Practice by Praying with the Senses:

An Ignatian Invitation

St. Ignatius taught us that the senses are sacred gateways to God. In prayer, we can invite not only the mind and heart but also sight, sound, touch, and imagination.

Try this as you tether your heart to the affirmations above:

• Surround yourself with a meaningful color: a candle, a blanket, or even a visualization in your mind’s eye. For example, imagine ribbons of color stretching from your hands to God’s, weaving your prayer into His presence. Some colors and their meaning are:

  • Green: calm.

  • Blue: yearning.

  • Violet: transformation.

  • White: balance.

• Allow music without words to accompany your prayer.

  • Nature sounds: connect one with the Creative Elements of Earth and Water.

  • Classical music: connects one with the Creative Elements of Fire and Light.

  • Gentle jazz: connects one with the Creative Elements of Air and Space.

  
  

Invitation: This week, practice prayer with your hands for just a few minutes each day. Let the intention you set shape the posture you hold, and trust that even the smallest gesture becomes a bridge to God.

Blessing: May your hands and senses remind you that God desires to meet you fully: in body, breath, and spirit.