An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

There are three effective classical prayer positions in worship according to Canadian SufiMuslim mystic „Raven Rowanchilde‟ (2003) who outlines them as prostrate face downon the floor, kneeling and standing up. He claims that healing begins when we stand upcompletely, breathe deeply, raise our hands above our heads and experience the lifegiving spirit. This resembles to some extent the prayer position of the Pentecostalchurches and COGIC.The position that is usually adopted in the URC, is one of sitting down, crouching theshoulders and bowing the head while the eyes are closed. The older members of thecongregation call this the “Congregational crouch” (after the former denominationalname, although this “attitude of prayer” differs little from that in other mainstreamnonconformist denominations, such as Baptists and Methodists.) The prayer positions inthe Pentecostal churches are more varied, from standing with raised hands, standing withheads bowed, kneeling or sitting with head bowed or hands open upwards and raised.However, the prayer position that the respondents or their healers adopted varied in bothCOGIC and the URC. The positions included kneeling, standing up, walking about, openposture, standing, the congregational crouch, but never a conscious prostrate face downposition.In COGIC, the persons seeking prayer may find themselves on the floor but this was nota deliberate or conscious act. Usually this position is unexplained by the person adoptingthe position. This position is called „slain in the spirit‟ and is more lily to be seen inCOGIC than in the URC. Indeed, within the popular religious literature ofPentecostalism there is a critique of positions li “Congregational crouch” as235