Chapter 68: Chapter 66: The ruby tinge of heartblood runs through the warm bodies of the living

The shape of prayer.

When offering one’s thoughts, hopes, and essence to the heavens, it is considered important to hold a specific physical stance, a pose, a so-called ‘prayer stance’. It has commonly been debated amongst religious scholars, which stance is the most acceptable to use, while offering oneself up for divine inspection.

Should one clasp their hands, or fold them? Should they be spread out wide, flat on the ground, as one bows in deep reverence? Or should the praying person assume a kneeling position? Perhaps they should cross their legs in a meditative pose? Is just the body enough, or should the person praying have some form of talisman, such as beads? Can the prayer be done anywhere, or only in specific locations, shrines, and temples?

We do not know which form of this practice the gods prefer for us to have, as the knowledge of their particular preferences, if any, has been lost to us over time.

What this has resulted in is that each branching collection of faith follows its own specific series of rules for the act of praying itself.

However, in common teaching for the class of aspiring ‘priest/esses’ at most Holy-Church institutions, the particular shape of prayer is left up for the individual caster to decide, as it would be wrong to impose an outside human preference on a personal connection between a man and his god.

This is the official doctrine; however, it seems that the social nature of the classes held there has led to a homogenization of the form of prayer, so that most priests unofficially adopt a common stance. Exceptions are often found for religious travelers from abroad.