Why do Christians close their eyes during prayer?

[Potluck]

Eyes open? Eyes closed?


Wrong focus. :D




Open the heart.
That's all that matters.

 

[handy]

So it's ok for me to use a chainsaw, drive my car or own a computer? :D

I have to admit...I find it somewhat ironic that some would argue the point that we Christians are not to use or do anything that isn't specifically mentioned in the Scriptures...on an Internet forum...I mean, did the first Christians study the Scriptures via Bible Gateway

Potluck....Bingo!

 

[WIP]

I bring this up because even the Lord'sPrayer can be a "vain repetition" if one is not praying it from theheart. I'm not saying that any prayer that is repeated more than once is a vainrepetition...the key word here is vain, not repetition.

I experienced this very issue personally, resulting in my leaving the Catholic Church. Allow me to explain.

I grew up in the Catholic Church and I was a little more involved than most children in our church. I served as an altar boy, attended Catholic school, attended daily services especially during lent with maybe a half-dozen others in attendance, prayed through the rosary on a regular basis, and spent time on my knees in prayer every night before bed. In my later teens that all changed.

I began to realize that the traditions, customs, rituals, liturgy, and prayers were nothing more than repeated phrases, actions, and words and no longer had meaning for me. Looking back now I know that what I was lacking was a relationship with Jesus Christ. Throughout my time in Catechism and at home I don’t recall ever opening a Bible. The only scripture I became aware of was that which was read during the Sunday mass and the Bible stories we were told in grade school Catechism. Prayer was taught as repeated phrases and mumbled words that we memorized but never was I taught to have an open conversation with God. Recently I attended a Catholic mass and 35 years later I could still recite the entire mass word for word from beginning to end including the priest’s portion of the service.

Today, I lead our high school Sunday school classes at a conservative Lutheran church and one of the things I try to impress upon my students is the importance of not allowing the Sunday service to become mundane and repetitive. I try to encourage them to listen to the words we recite and discover the meanings they hold for us. I talk about each part of our liturgy and discuss with them why we do it. When we read the lessons and gospel from the Bible I tell them to think of it as a letter written to each of us personally and not just some story read from abook. I tell them that when we pray the Lord’s Prayer to think about what it is we are asking and not let it become just a repeated phrase with no meaning. I try to encourage them to seek out a relationship with Jesus Christ and to show them that prayer is not just memorized words and phrases but a one-on-one conversation with God almighty, the creator of everything.

Vain repetition. What is “vain?†Vain means meaningless; having no real value; worthless. Repeating memorized words without meaning behind them is a waste of time. As StoveBolts says, prayer comes from the heart. It doesn’t matter if we pray memorized prayers or make it up as we go; whether we pray audibly or silently; whether we are kneeling, sitting, standing, prostrate, eyes open, eyes closed, arms folded, arms at our sides, arms outstretched, head up, head bowed down, in a closet, in a church, locked in our bedroom, in a crowded room, on the street, or anywhere. I’ve even prayed while sitting on the john. Ah…that’s probably more information than you wanted to hear. :o

When we pray we should pray honestly, to the point, and what is truly on our minds from our heart. When we pray we are talking to the immortal, all powerful, ever-living God and we must always remember that.

 

[francisdesales]

I experienced this very issue personally, resulting in my leaving the Catholic Church. Allow me to explain.

WIP,

Thanks for sharing that with us.

I had a similar experience, although I took a "hiatus" from actively participating for 20 years, rather than finding another community that "felt better". It was only later as an adult, after reading the teachings of the Church did I come to realize and appreciate the point of rituals. It was only after reading the lives of the saints and their spiritual writings did I come to appreciate the variety of "levels" of prayer. What I find interesting is that these saints, very advanced in their prayer life and speaking with God, never put aside the "lesser ways", as you may call them, such things as the rosary or the Our Father prayer. God was quite capable of reaching them through these "simple ways".

The issue is "how do we approach such prayers". Do the simple prayers "launch" us into a deeper prayer? That includes reading Scriptures, WIP, for THAT can also be "vain repetion" that takes on little meaning in our walk. We all know of people who have bragged about reading the Bible from cover to cover, but, well...

A concern I have on your comments is this :Are we truly aware that it is GOD who provides for us to pray more deeply? To many fall into the secular mind set that "I must do it" and "it depends upon me". Thus, the "constant" search for better prayers, attempts at looking at our prayer "procedure", and so forth. Books on how to pray better begin to sound like self-help books. I become the focus of my prayer life in such a situation.

While it is good to consider whether we are attentive to the Lord during prayer, I fear that an attitude can just as easily sink in that leads us to turn prayer into finding the proper "way" and forgeting that it is GOD'S SPIRIT who enables us to pray, not our own procedures...

Whether it is simple ritual or not...

I think you should analyze your attitude towards prayer, WIP. Is it all about YOU moving your mind to God? Or are you open to praying at the "level" that God has apportioned to you? While I agree that ritual can have a mind-numbing effect on our prayer life, if we allow it, Who is responsible in directing our prayer? All we need to do is open our hearts to God.

The most profound writings on pray have been written on the phrases of the Lord's Prayer. Just focusing on "OUR" in the first word and meditating on that one word provides the subject of contemplative prayer. But remember, it is the Lord who provides for effective prayer. "Vain repetition" is found in the heart, not in the mode or method, since ANY prayer can become "vain" if our hearts are elsewhere. That includes reading the Bible.

I have found that we can determine if our prayer is effective by one way. By analyzing our subsequent walk in Christ. Was I able to restrain myself when I felt impatient? Did I offer a kind word to a person I have little worldly respect for? It is on THAT "field" that I can analyze the "effectiveness" of my prayer life. And I know many people who I judge to be truly walking in the Lord whose prayer life consists of those simple "rituals" of rosary and Mass. Their prayer life must be effective. Being open to God, like a child, is what effective prayer is about, not about procedure or content.

I hope others find this helpful in their walk - being reminded that it is the LORD Who provides for our prayer life and that we can judge our prayer life only by our Christian walk.

Regards

 

[francisdesales]

It makes a big difference, because you do things which you think is biblical, but it's not biblical at all.


Many people do things which they believe are taught in Bible, yet they don't know it's not taught anywhere in Bible.

Does the Bible itself teach that it is the source of how to pray, whether to keep one's eyes open or not? Or is this a tradition of man, that "we only do things taught in the Bible"? Worrying about your eyes borders on the ways of the Pharisees, who strained out a gnat but forgot the purpose of mercy and forgiveness. Such Pharisaical thoughts can be easily extended to the ridiculous, like whether women wear Wonder Bras or men wear Fruit of the Loom briefs, neither being biblical...

We are free in Christ, and all done in love is fulfillment of the Law. We are not bound by such things any longer.

If a pious soul desires to close their eyes to see with their mind the invisible Christ, what's that to you?

Regards

 

[francisdesales]

So it's ok for me to use a chainsaw, drive my car or own a computer? :D

Actually, you better move to the Mediteranean basin, since America is not mentioned in Scriptures, you are not allowed to live here...;)

 

[Christ_empowered]

My guess is that for many forms of prayer, especially in a group setting like church or mass, closing your eyes helps you focus.

Personally, if I'm in extended prayer (and I'm not great at praying, mind you--these are basically long conversations with God), I sometimes keep my eyes open. I also sometimes pace/walk around. That's just me, in private, trying to communicate with the creator.

 

[LaJoie Ward]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this forum, and it's been interesting to read what y'all have to say.

My opinion here is that it's not right/wrong to have your eyes open or closed during prayer. That said, the position of the body can often affect the position of the heart. It's all connected.

A while back I wrote a blog post about kneeling to pray. While many people insist there's no difference, I believe that there is. HOWEVER, I don't think it is a matter of being right/wrong. I'm just saying, it makes a difference.

Blessings!

LaJoie Ward of Thoughts of Joy

 

[francisdesales]

My guess is that for many forms of prayer, especially in a group setting like church or mass, closing your eyes helps you focus.

Personally, if I'm in extended prayer (and I'm not great at praying, mind you--these are basically long conversations with God), I sometimes keep my eyes open. I also sometimes pace/walk around. That's just me, in private, trying to communicate with the creator.

Paul says to pray always, and a number of books written on spirituality suggests that we can pray as we work, when we offer ourselves to the Lord. Remember, Christ lived as an ordinary person for 30 years, so God does look upon us in our daily walk, not just when we decide to commit to 'formal' prayers to Him. Our lives consecrated to Him is an ongoing prayer. Thus, your "pacing around" while praying is not unusual. Including the Lord in our lives is a life of prayer, in some sense.

Regards

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Makes concentration on what you're doing easier, of course

"Why do Christians close their eyes during prayer when it's nowhere taught in Scripture?"

I close my eyes generally, unless I'm referring to a prayer list. I also close my eyes when I'm singing in a group (so I can concentrate on the sound and the lyrics).

I also close my eyes when I'm trying to unscrew a fastener or a connector in a location that I can't see (or in the dark - go figure). makes "Visualizing what I'm doing" easier.

Since Scripture is silent on the issue, it's only hyper-legalistic foolishness - so there's no reason to be concerned about it one way or another.

 

[Potluck]

Does the Bible itself teach that it is the source of how to pray, whether to keep one's eyes open or not? Or is this a tradition of man, that "we only do things taught in the Bible"? Worrying about your eyes borders on the ways of the Pharisees, who strained out a gnat but forgot the purpose of mercy and forgiveness. Such Pharisaical thoughts can be easily extended to the ridiculous, like whether women wear Wonder Bras or men wear Fruit of the Loom briefs, neither being biblical...

We are free in Christ, and all done in love is fulfillment of the Law. We are not bound by such things any longer.

If a pious soul desires to close their eyes to see with their mind the invisible Christ, what's that to you?

Regards

Agreed wholeheartedly on every point. The Pharisees practiced legalism.

Actually, you better move to the Mediteranean basin, since America is not mentioned in Scriptures, you are not allowed to live here...;)

:nod

/Potluck files that one away for future reference.

 

[WIP]

WIP,

Thanks for sharing that with us.

I had a similar experience, although I took a "hiatus" from actively participating for 20 years, rather than finding another community that "felt better". It was only later as an adult, after reading the teachings of the Church did I come to realize and appreciate the point of rituals. It was only after reading the lives of the saints and their spiritual writings did I come to appreciate the variety of "levels" of prayer. What I find interesting is that these saints, very advanced in their prayer life and speaking with God, never put aside the "lesser ways", as you may call them, such things as the rosary or the Our Father prayer. God was quite capable of reaching them through these "simple ways".

The issue is "how do we approach such prayers". Do the simple prayers "launch" us into a deeper prayer? That includes reading Scriptures, WIP, for THAT can also be "vain repetion" that takes on little meaning in our walk. We all know of people who have bragged about reading the Bible from cover to cover, but, well...

A concern I have on your comments is this :Are we truly aware that it is GOD who provides for us to pray more deeply? To many fall into the secular mind set that "I must do it" and "it depends upon me". Thus, the "constant" search for better prayers, attempts at looking at our prayer "procedure", and so forth. Books on how to pray better begin to sound like self-help books. I become the focus of my prayer life in such a situation.

While it is good to consider whether we are attentive to the Lord during prayer, I fear that an attitude can just as easily sink in that leads us to turn prayer into finding the proper "way" and forgeting that it is GOD'S SPIRIT who enables us to pray, not our own procedures...

Whether it is simple ritual or not...

I think you should analyze your attitude towards prayer, WIP. Is it all about YOU moving your mind to God? Or are you open to praying at the "level" that God has apportioned to you? While I agree that ritual can have a mind-numbing effect on our prayer life, if we allow it, Who is responsible in directing our prayer? All we need to do is open our hearts to God.

The most profound writings on pray have been written on the phrases of the Lord's Prayer. Just focusing on "OUR" in the first word and meditating on that one word provides the subject of contemplative prayer. But remember, it is the Lord who provides for effective prayer. "Vain repetition" is found in the heart, not in the mode or method, since ANY prayer can become "vain" if our hearts are elsewhere. That includes reading the Bible.

I have found that we can determine if our prayer is effective by one way. By analyzing our subsequent walk in Christ. Was I able to restrain myself when I felt impatient? Did I offer a kind word to a person I have little worldly respect for? It is on THAT "field" that I can analyze the "effectiveness" of my prayer life. And I know many people who I judge to be truly walking in the Lord whose prayer life consists of those simple "rituals" of rosary and Mass. Their prayer life must be effective. Being open to God, like a child, is what effective prayer is about, not about procedure or content.

I hope others find this helpful in their walk - being reminded that it is the LORD Who provides for our prayer life and that we can judge our prayer life only by our Christian walk.

Regards

As always, your posts are very well thought out and good food for thought. I would like to share that mine was not a quest of my own to seek out a community that felt better but God found me. I was content with things the way they were, at least that's what I thought anyway, but the Holy Spirit intervened and I began a long slow transition, which is still under way and is why I chose my name on this site as WIP (Work In Progress).

I think I do have a fair understanding of the reasoning behind most or many of the rituals and traditions I learned during my youth. That is also why I chose a more conservative Lutheran church affiliation. In fact, our church resently severed our association with the ELCA due to the liberalism that continues to infiltrate that group. Some of which is downright frightening, such as Universalism. We struggled with that decision for over two decades asking God if our purpose was to remain and help turn the trend.

You are right. It is by the power of the Holy Spririt that we believe and our prayer life is also part of that. The more we surrender to the Holy Spirit the deeper our prayer life will become. This could all be part of my spiritual walk and as I mature more and more in my walk it becomes more and more clear to me. I do feel my journey is just beginning.

 

[reba]

Why do Christians close their eyes during prayer?

Cause that is how my Mommy taught me. :yes

 

[francisdesales]

Agreed wholeheartedly on every point. The Pharisees practiced legalism.





:nod

/Potluck files that one away for future reference.

Glad you enjoyed that. Sometimes, people get a bit carried away with "it has to be in the Bible", while wearing Fruit of the Looms, Docker's, Nike tennis shoes, and texting on their I-phone how everyone has to do things that are only in the Bible...

Love and do what you will... St. Augustine.

Regards

 

[francisdesales]

As always, your posts are very well thought out and good food for thought. I would like to share that mine was not a quest of my own to seek out a community that felt better but God found me. I was content with things the way they were, at least that's what I thought anyway, but the Holy Spirit intervened and I began a long slow transition, which is still under way and is why I chose my name on this site as WIP (Work In Progress).

WIP,

Yes, we are all works in progress, both in our relationship to Christ (and others) and to our understanding of Christ and His Church and what the Apostles taught. No matter how much we think we know, if we are open, we find ourselves struck by what we didn't know when the Lord has us stumble onto some tidbit of wisdom. I apologize if I seemed to say that you were looking for a community that felt better to mean you were "church shopping". I find many former Catholics gave up too quickly on their heritage. I don't want to imply that you did, but after talking these things out with some, I am left with that sense with many of my formerly Catholic brothers and sisters. In any case, I will take the attitude of Paul, who was happy that Christ was preached by anyone.

I think I do have a fair understanding of the reasoning behind most or many of the rituals and traditions I learned during my youth. That is also why I chose a more conservative Lutheran church affiliation. In fact, our church resently severed our association with the ELCA due to the liberalism that continues to infiltrate that group. Some of which is downright frightening, such as Universalism. We struggled with that decision for over two decades asking God if our purpose was to remain and help turn the trend.

I understand what you are saying, and am happy to see that many of our own liberal bishops are leaving or are being pushed aside. Let the truth be preached and not worry about the desire for human approval (Gal 4:17). But is this any different than in the days of Paul? The Pope identifies relativism as our specific problem, where no one can recognize truth in anything for certain and that the highest goals is one's own ego and desires. Human trickery and deceitful scheming (Eph 4:14) continues, and I fear the motives of some of these men who preach another "gospel". Many of our problems stem from the shepherds not leading the sheep very well.

You are right. It is by the power of the Holy Spririt that we believe and our prayer life is also part of that. The more we surrender to the Holy Spirit the deeper our prayer life will become. This could all be part of my spiritual walk and as I mature more and more in my walk it becomes more and more clear to me. I do feel my journey is just beginning.

I am certain you were aware of that, but it seemed that you were saying/focusing on specific prayers and rituals that were ineffective for you, thus, you felt called to go elsewhere and try different prayers. My point is it is not the prayer/ritual, but how open one is to Christ, how patient one is for the Spirit of God to come to us, since prayer does depend upon Him. Surely you would agree that the Church, in of itself, is not an obstacle to a loving relationship with Christ. Certainly individuals can be! However, there is a 2000 year tradition of prayer in the Church, there are numerous "methods" that seem more fitting to a particular person. For me, reading the Psalms is preferred to saying the rosary. On the other hand, those who pray the rosary, I recognize, are often more pious and loving than I am. Not always. But to each there own. Certainly, you could have found some form of pray suitable to your own tastes.

In discussing such things, I find that the middle-road is best. In this case, prayer is indeed dependent upon God - and us - to be effective. I think our part is less than we think. How wrong can we be, though, by mimicing a humble child who trusts their father's will? I don't believe that particular rituals or prayers are the correct focus, but rather, our attitudes. Let us pray for the Lord to help our unbelief! (Mark 9:24)

Regards

 

[Free]

I usually close my eyes as it helps get rid of surrounding distractions, helping me to focus on both what I am saying and what may be said in return. But I also often pray with my eyes open while driving or at work, etc. Praying without ceasing is hard to do if ones eyes are to be closed. It is a posture of the heart.

 

[WIP]

But I also often pray with my eyes open while driving or at work, etc

Good point.

 

[WIP]

Something I neglected to mention in my story was that my decision to leave the Catholic Church had absolutely nothing to do with animosity toward the church. Unlike so many Protestants I do not view the Catholic Church as non-Christian but quite the contrary. Yeah, I may question some of the traditions, rituals, and methods but I do the same with Protestant churches including our own.

I strayed and got lost and when found again it happened to be with a relatively conservative Lutheran church in an area of our state that abounds with Christian influence. Enough so that public school activities often include Christian undertones and public school teachers feel comfortable expressing their Christian values without fear of retaliation or retribution. Even our local Catholic school has Protestant members serving on the school board and many students are non-Catholic. In fact, I would not be surprised if half of them are. On more than one occasion I’ve even read editorials from our local newspaper’s editor referencing her Christian background. I do pray that God will continue to influence me, my family, and my community and I can see evidence of His answer, “Sure I will!â€

In the 20 years or so that I’ve been involved with this church body, I’ve prayed and asked myself more than once, “Why am I here? Why have I been asked to serve on our church council as secretary, trustee, council president, and deacon? Why have I been asked to lead our adult Bible study? Why have I been asked to lead our high school Bible study? Who am I that I could even qualify for these positions? Why am I a member of a mixed-denominational Christian Men’s choir? Why am I involved with a mixed-denominational Men’s group sponsored by our church (Lutheran, Catholic, Amish, Mennonite, and Baptist)? Where are you leading me, Lord?†I finally stopped asking questions and just decided to have faith and let God lead me where he wants me to go. It’s His plan and He knows best.

Oh, don’t let me mislead you, I am far from perfect. Because of my human nature and weakness I still stumble, resist, and rebel more often than I care to admit but in the end He always wins. Perhaps in the eyes of the Catholic Church I am still lost because I haven’t vowed loyalty to her but I don’t believe God sees me that way anymore. He is in control, as always.

Anyway, I apologize for taking this a bit off topic but I thought it would be okay to share. Maybe some of my experience can help add shape and understanding to why I feel the way I do about prayer. I believe God wants a relationship with us. He wants to be a part of us and for us to be a part of Him. Jesus Christ once put it this way (paraphrased), “He in us and us in Him.†Prayer is one avenue God has provided for us to make that connection but we must remember whom it is that we are connecting with and He is not just some guy off the street. I think it is amazing that the God of gods, creator of everything, the Almighty himself even makes this possible. He must truly love us!

 

[francisdesales]

Perhaps in the eyes of the Catholic Church I am still lost because I haven’t vowed loyalty to her but I don’t believe God sees me that way anymore. He is in control, as always.

No, the Catholic Church does not view non-Catholics in that way. It is not a matter of "lost", but more a matter of "potential fullness" that the Church regrets others do not enjoy. It is natural for us to desire that we "all be one", unified as Christ prayed. But it certainly is not a matter of being "lost", since God's gifts are manifest in you, and the Church realizes this.

Anyway, I apologize for taking this a bit off topic but I thought it would be okay to share. Maybe some of my experience can help add shape and understanding to why I feel the way I do about prayer. I believe God wants a relationship with us. He wants to be a part of us and for us to be a part of Him. Jesus Christ once put it this way (paraphrased), “He in us and us in Him.†Prayer is one avenue God has provided for us to make that connection but we must remember whom it is that we are connecting with and He is not just some guy off the street. I think it is amazing that the God of gods, creator of everything, the Almighty himself even makes this possible. He must truly love us!

Well said.

Regards