The Nine Prayer Postures of Saint Dominic

In his weekly Wednesday General Audience His Holiness referred to a posthumous 13th century dominican work on the prayer of Saint Dominic called Los Nueve Modos de Orar de Santo Domingo. Pope Benedict says that everyone needs to pray even (and especially) on vacation. Prayer is the deepest and most meaningful vacation, the greatest pastime being the company of one's friends. Those who love God love to spend their time with Him, they live to spend time with Him. There is no true vacation therefore without God!

In his list,the Holy Father omitted the third posture: the discipline. Probably because that rigor, though necessary, must be undertaken with caution.


The nine postures of prayer are in ascending order to strive to ascend to God with the body.

1) The standing bow to express humility,

2) prostrate on the floor to beg pardon for his sins,

[3)standing, self flagellation with a metal chain, for one's own sins and for the intentions of our benefactors]

4) kneeling to do penance in participation with the sufferings of the Lord,

5) with arms extended before him like an open book, or crossed before his face, looking at the crucifix to contemplate the Supreme Love,

6) with arms outstretched like the priest at Mass,

7) with his face fixed heavenward feeling himself attracted to the world of God.

8) sitting quietly after the Liturgy of the Hours and after the Mass, reading from time to time from a book or just thinking on God in silent meditation,

9) contemplation of God, on his journeys, in all circumstances and in all things.