Body Language and Spirituality; The Connection Observed

Body language is considered a well studied phenomenom in a religious setting. With God as the audience, in most religious settings worshipers express signs of love, emotional status and gratitude to a higher spiritual being through their body language. As leaders in a church, the identification of the body language of the congregation is important to remain in touch with the vibe of each member and, therefore, maintaining continuity of the of the congregation.

In the religious sect, body language may be a leading indicator of the position of someone’s emotional and spiritual status. With a variety of body language indicators, hand raising has long been considered a cultural expression, especially among Muslims, which has translated into variety of meanings in the Christian worship setting and was common in the early years of Israel. Hand raising, during worship, is considered an expression of dependence on someone else; a high level of spirituality. To understand the body language of fellow worshipers, it is important to understand the message of the spirit by observing one’s chosen option for hand raising.

When spiritually involved in a moment of receiving the spirit, worshippers may have both hands raised with palms facing inward. When using this body language, it is believed a worshipper will exhibit a mood of desire, want or need and express those desires through prayer or worship hymns.

During worship, while standing with both hands raised, palms outward and facing forward, the worshipper is most likely expressing awe or amazement. When concurrently performed with prayer or worship, the stance is common when complimenting or thanking a higher spiritual being for the gifts given. This form of hand raising is common when meditating or visualizing the kingdom of heaven.

Also with both hands raised, we may witness the palms facing outward away from the body. In this stance, it is believed the worshipper is in a mode of surrender allowing the entire being, physically, emotionally and spiritually, to give up on everything worldly. This sign may be indicative of someone who is suffering in some mode and desires or needs emotional strength through a trying period.

In contrast to both hands, we may also see a variety of stances involving one hand raised. With one option being the palm facing outward as a message of witnessing. It is believed the court related, “tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth” was pulled from this gesture. It is a message of testimony or agreement to the statement or message within the hymn or message relayed. In contrast, this gesture can also mean that we volunteer or agree to do something.

While today’s congregations are more charismatic than in the past, the process of learning and accepting body language has become more mainstream. While not all worshippers are comfortable with the concept of physical expression, most evangelistic congregations are becoming more and more comfortable with the concept. With this in mind, may religious leaders have begun to observe, more closely, the body language of the congregation in an effort to remain in tune with the needs, wants and desires of the congregation.