Uncovering the Mysteries and History of Prayer - The Questions We Have All Wondered

Over the past five years, I have observed the various differences across many cultures when it comes to prayer. Some cultures pray with hands clasped together and fingers interlocking, some pray without fingers interlocking, some pray with hands crossed, some pray arms crossed, some pray with arms bowed down to the ground and other pray with arms extended towards the Heavens.

HATS ON OR OFF?

Women in the southern states and women in England, often don Sunday hats to church fastened tightly with hair pins which are not expected to be removed during prayer. At girls camp it's common along with men to see some women remove their hats for prayer. In the 19th century, pioneer women prayed in their prairie bonnets while pioneer men removed their hats. Pagan traditions taught the contrary - men were to cover their heads when praying. Though the Hebrew Bible and Talmud taught men to pray uncovered and women to cover, the Pagan traditions were adopted and later confused as Jewish tradition with Hebrew origins (see reference). And we've all seen the famous painting of George Washington in prayer at Valley Forge with his hat off. In one version his hands are open and his head is raised with eyes closed, in another version he is depicted on one knee with head bowed. So, what does scripture teach us about this?

I remember about five years ago reading my scriptures and coming across this curious passage from Paul to the Corinthians;

1 Corinthians 11:4-7

Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Why would a man dishonor God by praying with his head covered? Because the blood of Jesus was the final sacrifice and covers all as it serves as our atonement before God. It is believed that to have covered his head would have been to undermine the Atonement. (See reference).

As for women, it was tradition to veil their heads for prayer. Why? In the first century and the centuries before and after, for a woman to wear a head covering was an act of propriety in respect for her husband and his covering role for her as protector. Further, it recognized that the Lord Almighty was over her husband as well who covers man and woman with his rule and makes them clean by his atoning blood. If the woman acted improperly in respect to her husband by uncovering her head, Paul said, she "dishonours her head" (11:5). What is her head? The answer is three-fold:

1) Her own head - herself as a whole being.

2) Her husband.

3) The Lord God.

For a woman, wearing a head covering showed her "sign of authority on her head" (11:10). Paul was counseling the people on the importance of this tradition and what it symbolizes. Today we can liken it to a woman's cover being the protection of her husband through his priesthood. Paul reminds us of the patriarchal order in 11:3

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the ahead of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

We learn from Exodus (28:4, 37, 40), that the high priest covered his head and that it was
generally considered a sign of mourning to cover the head and face (2 Samuel 15:30, 19:5; Jer 14:3-4; Esther 6:12). Mourners and lepers covered their heads as to show uncleanness and unworthiness before God. Their unjustified state shown in the unclean state of death (see reference).

Paul then goes on to tell us in verses 14-15

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

This is most likely where the cultural rule of thumb for it being appropriate for women to have long hair and men to have short hair stemmed from. Long hair acted as a covering.

Why then was Samson told not to cut his hair as it contained spiritual power? And why is Jesus almost always depicted with long hair, and also praying in head covering? 

Samson was a Nazirite, and in that he was given immense strength to aid him against his enemies and allow him to perform superhuman feats, including slaying a lion with his bare hands and massacring an entire army of Philistines using only the "jawbone of an ass". However, if Samson's long hair was cut, then his Nazirite vow would be violated, and he would lose his strength.

According to the Bible, a Nazarite (not to be confused with Nazarene) was one who voluntarily took a vow to abstain from alcohol, refrain from cutting hair, and be ritually pure (Numbers 6:1-21). Samson’s long hair was not the source of his strength. Rather, it was the symbol of his covenant relationship with God, who was the source of Samson’s strength.

Could Jesus have also have taken the Nazarite vow? A Nazarene Nazarite? It's possible and would explain the depictions of long hair. Otherwise according to Paul who taught after the teachings of Jesus, it was a shame for man to have long hair.

In Native American culture however, it is believed that long hair is a physical manifestation of the growth of the spirit, and some say it allows for extrasensory perception, and connection to all things. Some Native American tribes even believe that the hair is connected to the nervous system. That long hair reaches out like tentacles, and pulls energy and information from the world around us similar to a cat’s whiskers (see reference). In fact, during the Vietnam war, special envoys of the war department were sent to Native American reservations in search of Men with a reputation of having seemingly supernatural tracking abilities. Once the men were enlisted however, their extra sense and supernatural tracking abilities seemed to vanish. When the privates were asked about why they would fail to perform as before, they would consistently answer that their required military haircuts left them unable to harness the sixth sense that was previously very natural to harness. They could no longer sense an enemy approach, and felt as if their natural intuition was no longer reliable. After this was uncovered, further tests involving privates who were allowed to keep their hair against those who had received the required military haircut commenced (see reference).

Is there validation to long locks and spiritual power?

In Numbers 15:38-40 it says: 

Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.

Jews refer to this as a "tzitzit" and is worn as a reminder of their covenant with the Lord. Jesus wore a tzitzit as a practicing jew. In fact, Mark 6:56 tells us this about Jesus' tzitzit,

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

The word "tzitzit" comes from the root word for "flower" and originally meant a "tassel" or "lock", as in the Book of Ezekiel where Ezekiel is picked up by an angel and carried by a "lock" (Hebrew tzitzit) of hair (see reference). Interestingly, orthodox jewish men sport long side burn locks called a "peyot" which have a separate unknown purpose to the tzitzit. The Torah states, “Do not round off [the hair] at the edges of your heads.” The Talmud explains that the term “edges” refers to the hair between the ears and the temples. “Rounding out the edges” refers to removing the sideburns so that there is a straight hairline from the forehead to behind the ears (see reference).

When pondering on this tzitzit or tassel, I thought of the graduation ceremony and the square cap. In the Old Testament, the square symbolizes the four corners of the earth, the four angels, and the four living creatures that surround the throne of God. We use the sign of the square to sustain church leaders and according to Elder Robert D. Hales in 2008 April conference, "...even a covenant, to sustain and to uphold the laws, ordinances, commandments, and the prophet of God..." 

The gesture of moving the tassel from one side of the cap to the other symbolizes the individual’s movement from candidate to graduate. Prior to the ceremony the tassel is expected to be worn on the right. During the ceremony it should be moved to the left side. This reminded me of advancement in the priesthood from candidate to "graduate" and also advancement from glory to glory through our covenants we make here and in the realms hereafter. We can learn quite a bit in the temple through the guidance of the Spirit about the great symbolism in the ordinances we participate in.  

Many paintings depict the Lord with his head covered while blessing and praying. In today's western culture Christian men uncover their heads as a sign of respect and humility when praying. In these paintings it appears also to be a sign of humility to cover the head - as to cover your own glory when in the sight of God's glory. Whichever the case may be, it's universally agreeable that prayer should always be offered in humility - whatever that looks like between you and the Lord.

There is no official church doctrine on men and women covering or uncovering their heads or how our prayer stance and arm positions should be. Culture and tradition have led to arms folded, head bowed, and eyes closed. According to legend the origins of the pretzel had everything to do with teaching children to pray this way, when an Italian monk invented pretzels as a reward to children who learned their prayers. He called the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest, "pretiola'" meaning "little rewards."  Praying with arms folded, head bowed and eyes closed is taught in the church to primary children to help them maintain their reverence and keep from being distracted. Though this is what we are accustomed to, a much different custom of of raised hands during prayer can be traced to the early years of Israel. 

HAND POSITIONS?

Aaron, the first High Priest, raised his hands in prayer as he blessed the Israelites when the sanctuary was first established. The book of Psalms speaks of raised hands regularly:  "Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." (Psalms 63:3-4). Further, the congregation is exhorted to lift their hands in worship of God: "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion." (Psalms 134:1-2).

So, what does raised hands signify? For one, raised hands are symbolic of our dependence on someone else. Raising hands during worship can be similar to children who lift their hands to be picked up, comforted, protected, or carried: "I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah." (Psalm 143:6). Thus, raised hands in worship may suggest a reaching out for God's presence, blessing, comfort, or strength.

Another significant meaning of raised hands is to bless God, much like Aaron's blessing of the people. In Psalm 63:3-4 the psalmist says he raises his hands to bless God. "Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." This symbolizes both gratefulness and joy for the blessings God has given. Indeed, many of the psalms indicate that hands are raised in song and prayer to show thankfulness and joy for God's great works (Psalms 134, 141).

The lifting of a hand may also signify a vow or covenant. This is practiced throughout scripture: "Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:" (Psalms 106.26) and "And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:" (Revelation 10:5-6)

The raising and showing of hands can also symbolize clean hands before God. "I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?" Alma 5:19

The custom of raising hands during worship was a common practice in the early church, especially during prayer. In Paul's letter to Timothy he writes, "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." (1 Timothy 2:8). Indeed, according to some Jewish commentators, the Israelite practice of lifting hands during worship in the synagogues was stopped in reaction to the Christians who customarily raised their hands during prayer. (see reference)

The thought has crossed my mind that an unseen power flows from the Lord into us through our hands. It reminds me of a TV antenna AKA rabbit ears. These are used to pick up the stronger VHF signal (frequencies) which transmits the picture and sound onto your screen. The rabbit ear antennas are the strongest indoor antenna for picking up the best signal. One reason for the V shape is that when receiving channels at the top of the band with the rods fully extended, the antenna elements will typically resonate at their 3rd harmonic. In this mode the direction of maximum gain makes it advantageous to be able to adjust them to various angles.

I felt great symbolism in this as the "V" reminds me of a compass, and resonating in "3rd harmonic" reminds me of resonating in the third heaven, the Celestial Realm. Our hands are pointing towards Heaven and acting as an antenna picking up frequencies from our Heavenly home. Direct communication through the Spirit. 

In some churches, the congregation holds hands during prayer. Science can teach us much about the power of connection during prayer. I have shared before in books, videos, and blog posts the work of Greg Braden. He speaks about a scientific discovery known as the "Divine Matrix". This is the energy field in which thoughts, feelings, and emotions are transmitted, and how they travel. I will share more on this in my next blog post. In a Manila, Italy conference he conducted a live experiment in which he created a powerful circuit of energy by having the audience hold hands, creating one long chain together. He asked the audience to feel the feeling of love in their hearts. He then measured the calibrated frequency in the room when hands were connected before feeling love, during feeling love, and then disconnected while still feeling love. He demonstrated that hearts can be knit together without a physical connection. We can unite through love and prayer throughout the world without holding hands, and it is just as powerful!

In a the March 2017 Face to Face with Elder Eyring and Elder Holland, Elder Eyring mentioned that when praying you are approaching the throne and you should act as such. He said that he wears a suit or Sunday best when kneeling before God. On the contrary, a few years ago I was listening to Kirk Duncan speak at a conference, and he mentioned that when he thought of Heavenly Father as God on the throne he felt intimidated and unworthy. He found it difficult to pray and develop a relationship. So one day he asked God for to permission to think of Him more as God the Father - rather than God the Deity. He asked Heavenly Father if he could imagine him in a cabin in the woods and the two of them fishing together and wearing flannel shirts. He felt if he could imagine Heavenly Father that way, he would feel more comfortable talking to Him. He felt God's love surround Him and tell him that was just fine. God would take a relationship with Kirk in any way He could get it. That story touched me, as it reminded me of the fatherly, nurturing side of God.

In the Church, if a person has been found unworthy by the bishop to take the sacrament, he/she is usually asked to refrain from praying in church, until he/she is deemed worthy again. I have always pondered on this and thought it must have everything to do with being clean before God and having a pure vessel to be able to pray by the Spirit. The way to the Father is always though Jesus Christ. Personal prayer however, is never refrained from. We are always encouraged to pray to our Father especially when we need help and especially when we have sinned. Through Jesus and His Atonement, we can be made clean so that we can be worthy of the companionship of the Spirit. So that we can have clean hands and receive His signal. We are always worthy of the love of our Savior and our Heavenly Father, that is something we don't ever have to earn, but being worthy to be in the presence of the Father has everything to do with being clean. If Moses was asked to take off his shoes in the presence of the Lord, how much more mindful should we be about our personal cleanliness when we exercise our faith and approach the throne of God? Just think of what the brother of Jared may have missed out on, had he been unclean when petitioning the Lord. He was clean, he was pure, he had faith, and the veil could not constrain him. 

Elder Russell M. Nelson said in April 2003 conference in regards to prayer, 

"Jesus taught us how. We pray to our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost. This is the “true order of prayer,” in contrast to “vain repetitions” or recitations given to 'be seen of men.'

Jesus revealed that we pray to a wise Father who knows what things we have need of, before we ask Him."

  

I often ponder on the way in which we are taught to pray in the temple when petitioning the Lord for greater miracles on behalf of the names of those who are afflicted whose names we write on the prayer roll. There is so much we can learn when we are in the temple. 

IN SUMMARY

I will say that the way I pray in my closet is much different than the way I pray in public. If we follow President Nelson's counsel, we can't go astray when we pray. Whether we prefer to clasp our hands, fold our arms, kneel, extend our hands, etc. when praying alone in our closets, what's most important is where our heart is and our intentions are. When we are humble, meek, and submissive before the Lord, He hears us. When we are repentant the Spirit can be with us during prayer, and miracles happen when we pray in the Spirit. 

Remember prayer is a two-way street. We can't just be good talkers, we must be good listeners too. I know this to be true, and I know that the Spirit can teach us more about prayer if we desire, if we ask, and if we are willing to listen and be taught.