Folding arms to pray

[Palerider]

I always fold my arms the way we were taught in primary that went along with a song we would always sing.

[onethatislazy]

I will never fold my arms in prayer again if I can help it. Folding the arms cuts off spiritual energy. Look to the Book of Mormon, it teaches the proper way to worship.

Crossed Arms

"Arms crossed over your chest signal defensiveness and resistance," says Karen Friedman, communications expert. "When they're open at your sides you appear more approachable." -Forbes

I also raise my head up, not down. For the scriptures tell us to "look up" not down.

And it came to pass that she went and took the queen by the hand…; and as soon as she touched her hand she arose and stood upon her feet, and cried with a loud voice, saying: O blessed Jesus, who has saved me from an awful hell! O blessed God, have mercy on this people! (Alma 19:29)

Why not even standing?

[Guest]

I will never fold my arms in prayer again if I can help it. Folding the arms cuts off spiritual energy. Look to the Book of Mormon, it teaches the proper way to worship.

Quote:

Crossed Arms

"Arms crossed over your chest signal defensiveness and resistance," says Karen Friedman, communications expert. "When they're open at your sides you appear more approachable." -Forbes

Forbes has been canonized and included in the BoM?

[Lakumi]

Forbes has been canonized and included in the BoM?

Isn't Forbes a magazine?

[Guest]

Yes.

[Lakumi]

Yes.

only magazine I hold as divine scripture is White Dwarf:lol:

[Quin]

I like clasped. Having learned about body language, when I investigated the church I was concern the way LDS not only prayed with arms crossed but some walked around that way. It gives the impression of being closed to others or new things in general.

Here is how one body language website put it :

Arms can act as the doorway to the body and the self. When they are crossed, they form a closed defensive shield, blocking out the outside world. Shields act in two ways: one is to block incoming attacks and the other is a place behind which the person can hide and perhaps not be noticed.

Crossed arms may thus indicate anxiety which is either driven by a lack of trust in the other person or an internal discomfort and sense of vulnerability (that may, for example, be rooted in childhood

trauma).

Now being a member I know that this is not how its meant in the Church, but I think we need to know it could be jarring to a convert with general body language knowledge. Especially if we want to continue to grow and reach others.

Body language is almost entirely a cultural construct.

What is considered shielding & closed off in one culture is considered open & welcoming / respectful in another. Ditto respectful, disrespectful, aggressive, welcoming, etc. even things one might THINK to be universal (like nodding in agreement, and shaking in disagreement) are reversed in some cultures (shaking in agreement, and nodding in disagreement), or waving (the way westerners wave, with palm out, can mean go and DONT come back in some cultures (like flipping someone the bird), while western gesturing 'come here' forward wave is used for the "good bye" wave).

There are some really cool species-things (micro-expressions, for example)... But most macro-body-language things are constructs.

The culture I was raised in considers folding your arms across your body to be a respectful & centering gesture, as well as somewhat submissive. (Meanwhile arms out, like clasped hands praying to be overtly aggressive / prepared to strike).

Q